Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

Slippery Subject
Chapter 20: The Well-Equipped Nautical Toolbox
If you tow your boat on a trailer, you must have a grease gun and plenty of waterproof
grease. If you don’t shoot a few shots of grease to the wheel bearings after every long trip,
you will absolutely, positively, have fried bearings before long, possibly resulting in a
locked-up wheel, resulting in a flat tire … you get the idea. It’s a lot easier to grease the
bearings.
The grease gun is also useful for lubing your outboard motor, steering cables, and all
other moving, mechanical parts aboard. The best way to handle this messy job is with a
cartridge-type grease gun—it keeps the worst of the mess off your hands. Even at that,
though, you need plenty of paper towels, and the gun should be stowed inside a sealed
plastic bag so that it doesn’t ooze grease all over the compartment.
Electrical Extras
Electrical wiring causes frequent problems aboard. Carry several fuses that will fit each of
the circuits you have on your boat (many newer boats have circuit breakers that do not
require fuses), insulating electrical tape, and several spare pieces of insulated wire in various
sizes.
The All-Purpose Swiss Army Knife
If you own a canoe, rowboat, kayak, or other simple craft, it’s possible that the only tool
you need is a multipurpose Leatherman or a Swiss Army knife hanging on your belt.
These handy devices cover a multitude of situations, and after you’ve worn one a while
you don’t feel quite fully dressed without it. The basic Leatherman includes pliers, two
types of screwdrivers, knife, hole punch, bottle opener, and file. The Swiss Army knife
includes everything except the pliers, and some models include scissors.
Bet You Didn’t Know
Bolts and screws used around water have a habit of freezing in place, and when you
try to remove them they break off. The solution to getting the broken section out of the
hole is a tool called the “EZ Out,” which allows you to get leverage on the offender. It’s
available at some marine dealers and all auto parts stores.
It also happens that you will ruin the threads on engine parts by overtightening a bolt,
particularly in aluminum heads. You can make emergency repairs with an epoxy material
that is rubbed on the threads. When it sets, it has enough strength to let the bolt
grab once again. (Long-term repairs are better made by inserting a metal coil that will
remake the threads.)
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