Multi-Tool Recomendations

[sam23]

This may be a bit off the mark for CPYOA but I was interested in other members recommendations for multi-tools they have found particularly handy around sail boats.  From my experience they seem to all have tradeoffs in design -- good knives but poor pliers, etc.  I recently bought the Gerber Nautilus and Meyerco Blackie Collins Paradox multitools.  Each has some nice features but neither seems the perfect all around multi-tool.  Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Sam

[curtisv]

Sam,

Do you mean like something that can open beer bottles and do wine corks too?  I've found that one quite handy.

Or did you have something else in mind? 

I have an old fashioned toolbox with separate pliers and screwdriver.  At least if I drop something and it goes over the side I haven't lost my entire tool collection.  I also tie light lines to each tool so they can't go far if I do have a fit of fumble fingers.

Curtis

[Bob23]

Sam, Curtis:
   I don't buy expensive tools for my boat tool box but do keep them sprayed with WD-40 regularly. A few essentials have already been mentioned: corkscrew, bottle opener. A pair of vice-grips always come in handy. Pliers, needle nose and regular, cheap wrenches, wire stripper, screw drivers, spark plug wrench, 1/4" socket set (cheap one from Home Depot or Habor Freight). A good knife is essential.
   While I like high quality tools, I do know that there is a direct relationship between the cost of the tool and the amount of time I'll own it before it drops overboard. The higher the cost, the deeper it goes!
   Bob23 on the hard with wrench in hand!!

[multimedia_smith]

I didn't want to keep my good Leatherman multi-tool on board, so I found a pretty cheap yet nice substitute at Wal Mart... it's called the Tsunami multi-tool and is in the fishing gear section.  Nice pliers with a cutter... serrated knife, screwdrivers, can/bottle opener and, yes, a ring to attach the all important lanyard.
Dale

[Craig Weis]

Sorry but I will not shop Wal-Mart. Ever.
We are a town of 9,400 people and Wal-Mart wants to up grade the current store into a super center. So so long to all the other stores, more dead down town. I hate Wal-Mart. Clear?

In 1999, "Black Friday", day after Thanks Giving, one store. Our store in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin had a take for one day of $997,000 as it is posted in the employee lunch room each day.  One million bucks. 9,400 people. So everybody in town spent $106 bucks at Wal-Mart?

How much of it stayed in town? Maybe 40 people at min-wage for a 38 hour week [no benefits] store open 4 am to 12 am. So 20 hours x 40 x $6.75? Or so. Just $5400. Plus a bit of tax. And Wal-Mart gross is $994,600 for the day to Arkansas.

No wonder Hillary Clinton sat on the board of Wal-Mart for 6 years while first lady [makes me puke] of Arkansas.

And I rather pay more and get the best then mess around with cheaper junque!

That is my recommendation. skip

[Craig Weis]

Wow skip, take a stress pill!!

[multimedia_smith]

It's cool... that's why it's called a Forum...
Feel better now?
Dale

[Craig Weis]

Oh yea. A whole bunch. skip.

[Salty19]

I hate Wal-Mart too.   Only go there when absolutely required! 

Multi-tools are nice, but I never seem to have much luck with them.   Much prefer separate tools.

I carry a Swiss army knife Explorer (wine/bottle, two knifes, leather tool, screwdriver, can opener, tweezers, saw, etc), wire cutters, needle nose and regular plyers, a maglite, phillips and flat screwdrivers, sockets that fit the trailer bolts, 3/8" rachet with extension (for the sockets), small hammer, safety wire (picture hanging wire/18 guage) and of course plenty of extra rope.  Everything except the swiss army knife are "dead relative" tools.  Meaning they are old and generally tough as nails, and I don't care much if I loose them.  Oh, also carry a small jack and lug nut wrench in the truck.

I also carry carabiners, extra keyring loops, shackles, and pin/round pin keepers (in varous sizes). 

If you take all the tools with you, you'll never use them.  It's only when you are not-prepared that you need something.  Murphys law. 

[roland cobine]

   in case youre wondering mike i do carry a few tools (remember my old cruise and carry). its the old truth. go prepared and you wont need them. go unprepared and well you get the picture. surprisingly the little bitch hasnt let me down yet. going to carlyle tommorrow. wish me fairwinds.

[Salty19]

kicknbug..hehe, yep I know I 've made fun of that old cruise and carry.    But hey it sounds like it starts and runs fine...which I can't say is true for some other outboards.   Keep on bringing tools for it and t should never break on you!

As for the motor mount, did you see the motor mount I had on my trailer for towing?  Takes away all worries of the motor mount getting stressed.  Plus it adds that little bit of tonque weight for more stable towing at higher speed.  It cost about $25 of cedar, bolts, and metal reinforcement (already had glue, screws, varnish, rustoleum for the metal reinforcement and epoxy).    I'll send you a pic of it sometime on email. Works real nice.