by Capt Daryn Dalton
There are things that drive you crazy and then there are things that restore your faith. I would like to share my list of engine room items that I feel have saved the day on many occasions as well just helped everyday boat life become that much simpler. In a time where it seems that builders are doing their best to complicate systems using the following will help to keep it simple.
E-Z Red Stick Light
The first thing that comes to mind because I used it yesterday, is my E-Z RED USB rechargeable portable work light. They are soft rubber so they can be put on the most delicate of surfaces without a scolding look from the interior team and have a swivel hook so they can be hung and arranged almost anywhere. They have two intensity settings that will apparently give you 4 hours on high, which is brighter than it needs to be and 7 hours on low. I think they stretched times like MPG on the car commercial but either way I am a massive fan of this light and am the proud owner of two. I got mine from National Marine Suppliers but here is a link to the company that makes them.
Grabbers
Then there are the good old grabbers that put my stew in hysterics when she opened the Amazon box. She thought that at the ripe old age of 32 I had bought them to use in the wheelhouse to grab pens and items just out of my reach so I would not have to get off my butt. I sadly had to say goodbye to my pair last week after a year of service. I used them on a weekly basis to grab that fastener or tool that is magically attracted to deepest depths of the under engine bilge or used them as an extended skinny hand to grab a rag and clean in areas where only infants sized hands the length of a boat hook can go. This is the pair I had that had great grabbing capability with the design of rubber ends.
Westward Filter Wrench
Filter wrenches, I have one large and one small, so far they have worked a dream on my 2000 series MTUs as well as my Cummins 27KW gensets. As long as the band and filter are oil and fuel free then they bite down well. I got mine from National Marine Suppliers but you can get them from Amazon too: Westward Filter Wrench
I can’t really say why these boxes are so great, but they really are. They come in 3 main sizes. They can take a beating and the stack really well. I again purchased ours from National Marine and cant say I have seen them anywhere else.
While we are on the craftsman tip, This small Pick and hook set cannot go without mention. The time and reason I end up needing to use at least one of the four-piece set are often and varied.
I then have my trusty set of bottle brushes that all loop together and hang where space allows. Super inexpensive once again and used on a weekly basis.
Somehow a cutlery organizer ended up in the engine room and has since become a great repair companion. Every time there is a task at hand that requires more than a couple tools and the removal of something or other, then it is at my side. I use it to organize the tools, nuts, bolts, screws, silicon and sockets in use for that particular job. It saves me balancing them on a frame or on top of a pump begging to be knocked down into the deepest darkest depths of the bilge.
Another galley item to make the list is the Turkey Baster. Perfect for topping up oil or liquids as well as extracting them. These bad boys hold approx. 150 ml each and are different colors so I use one for oil and another for other liquids to help stop contamination.
GoJo hand Cleaner needs no introduction I am sure.
These Nitrile gloves take it to the next level, especially when you are dealing with blackwater and need gloves that will stand up to actually having to do some real work in them.
I have no doubt that the above will come in great use on a regular basis and help save time for you as they have for me. I have no doubt that many of you will have your own additions to this list so I urge you to please reach out to us on Social Media or at info@nauticnomad.com so we can add it to the list.