First-Aid for Your Boat

A proper tool kit and a little know-how go a long way

One of the best moves I made early on was to familiarize myself with how things are rigged in my boat: electronics, trolling motor, Power-Poles, trailer lights – whatever. Now I rig up just about everything myself, and if there’s an issue with something, I probably know how things work well enough to fix the problem.

Over the years I’ve also developed a tool kit that contains everything I’ll need to make repairs or replace parts. This includes a prop wrench, screwdrivers, a plug wrench and any specialized tools that might be needed. Also, I carry extra cotter keys, electrical tape, wire connectors, spare spark plugs and anything else that might be needed to get something up and running again.

Spare parts include an extra outboard prop and a trolling motor prop and pin. In case I or somebody else needs a tow, I carry a towrope or strap. Also, I take along jumper cables or a jumper box.

When I’m off the water, I have a habit of checking everything that can come loose or get fouled up somehow. I’ll make sure the prop is tightened and that there’s no fishing line – especially mono – wrapped around the prop and against the seals. It just takes a couple of minutes to check things over, but it could save you a lot of money in repairs or lost fishing time.

Learn how to take care of equipment failures that you might encounter on the water, either by watching YouTube videos, looking over the shoulder of the guy who’s working on your boat, or just through your own trial-and-error. Put together a tool kit that serves your needs, and take along anything that might keep you fishing instead of worrying about how you’re going to get back to check-in.