How to Care for Boat Tools

Your boat tools should be kept in a small and portable container. Store this container in an accessible place on the boat. Having a well-maintained tool kit available on the boat may make the difference between fixing a problem yourself or calling the coast guard for assistance.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Identify the container you are using for your toolbox. Whether you decide on a bag, box or other container, be sure that it is waterproof or at least water resistant. The container should also be airtight
2. Determine if your boat has fuel gauges. These tell you how many gallons of gas you are burning per hour. To determine how much fuel you need, determine how long it takes you to get to your destination. Multiply that time by the number of gallons you use per hour, and the result is your fuel needed. Three times that amount is enough for the entire trip.
3. Prepare a boat speed table if you do not have fuel gauges on your boat. To do this, determine how fast your boat can go at any engine rpm. Then determine the fuel consumption at that rpm. Use fuel consumption information provided by your engine manufacturer. Next divide the boat speed in knots by the amount of fuel consumed in gallons per hour. This gives you your boat's nautical miles per gallon. Add the nautical miles per gallon with the fuel remaining at each level of the table to determine the distance you can travel.
4. Remember boat speed and water currents can increase fuel usage by twice as much.
5. Always keep your tool box on board. Never take the boat ashore in order to fit something unnecessary on the boat. You never know when you may need a tool onboard.