Simple but so Handy.

[Greg QS]

So what are some of your simplest ideas that are so handy you just needed to share.

Here are a few of mine..

3 paper towel holder around the engine room. Sounds silly but so helpful. 1 at oil change station, 1 over main engines and 1 at workbench

A specific bungy cord to hold oil filters for pre filling with oil. This is by my oil change system

A pipe flange with a t fitting and 2 hydraulic fittings on it. This is used to hold the ends of my hoses for my oil change system. It keeps the hoses up so no residual oil drains out and keeps the lines clean from debris.

A piece of pvc pipe With a cap on the bottom. This is used for holding my different oil filler and sucking tubes for my oil change system. I have a piece of oil diaper inside to catch the extra oil that drips out. Keeps everything clean

A simple bungy to hold a trash can for all the paper towels i use. LOL

A piece of a pvc pipe with a notch in it to fit over my water tank valves that are hard to reach. So simple but effective.

 

[dhays]

I would nominate an idea (like many) that I got from a a TF member. For filling my water tanks, I have a 1/2" PVC elbow with a female hose attachment on one end and a short 5" piece of PVC pipe on the other. Attach it to my water hose and drop the short length into the deck fill. Keeps the hose from falling out of the fill. I can't find a photo right now.

 

[Clark]

My version. No elbow.

 

[SIBERNUT]

Soon to be implemented - moving the water source T for the packing on the raw water discharge ABOVE the waterline so it doesnt siphon back &try to sink my boat AGAIN.

 

[rgano]

Paint flat black spots of your engines at places you would want to use an IR thermometer to check temps when troubleshooting. Then go out and record temps from those spots under normal operating conditions.

Install bilge pump operating cycle counters.

Install remote reading fuel vacuum gauges between engine primary and secondary fuel filters readabe at the helm.

Make or buy buoy reminders to keep you and any relief helmsman aware of which side to pass buoys - especially helpful where the east coast ICW and harbor systmes intersect.

Use magic marker to write date of change on fuel and oil filters - of course you also keep the info in a log.

 

[Comodave]

Backlight the Racor fuel filters makes it so easy to check what is in the bowl. I put the LED lights on the same circuit that has the engine room lights on it so when I turn on the engine room lights the filter lights come on. No need for a flashlight.

 

[DWJensen]

Backlight the Racor fuel filters makes it so easy to check what is in the bowl. I put the LED lights on the same circuit that has the engine room lights on it so when I turn on the engine room lights the filter lights come on. No need for a flashlight.

I bring a flashlight down on our current boat, but the next one will get job specific lights. Great idea.

 

[Comodave]

I like not having to hold a flashlight while checking them. Just a bit easier.

 

[C lectric]

I purchased two head lamps with LED lamps that fit my head with straps. Anywhere I point my head wanting to look at something they light up the target very well. No more holding flashlights.

I now have two of these things so when one dims noticeably I just switch and change batteries later. 3 x AA for each. To be honest I purchased the second because I could not find the first untill I did some cleanup of tools, supplies and so on. One set got buried so I went and got the second set.

I have two pairs of leather knee pads also and they go on almost immediately when aboard and working. One pair was for work and they saved knees from hidden screws when crawling around machinery, screws never penetrated to my knees.

Name is KUNY"S leather kneepads with a thick pad inside. Far better in my opinion than most of the knee pads available through most outlets and yes I have used others of foam or some lightweight knee cover. The others in my experience don't stand up or really protect from stones or similar.

I just Googled them and came up with their offering. If I decide I must have a new kneepad that is what I will purchase. No more cheapies from typical building supplies. Maybe from a serious contractor supplier but not the cheapies.


I have needed to replace the straps from time to time but that is not a big deal. I use old leather belts from thrift stores and Pop rivets. The straps seem to be the only weak link ???? needing repair every 10 yrs of so. The two pairs of pads are now about 30- 40 yrs old

I just looked and I think my pads are the KP300.

 

[TBill36]

"Make or buy buoy reminders to keep you and any relief helmsman aware of which side to pass buoys - especially helpful where the east coast ICW and harbor systmes intersect."

Probably obvious and ingrained in most followers, but one of the most helpful reminders for me on the intercoastal is "green sea - red dirt" for going north or south. 99% of the time red are toward the inland side and green are toward the ocean side. When there's only one marker, it helps me immediately know which side to pass.

 

[O C Diver]

Buy and use a label maker!

Label identical systems to KNOW which one is the problem.

Label identical valves to avoid stupid mistakes.

Label service work to KNOW at a glance when a service was last performed.

Almost none of us are spring chickens anymore and we forget stuff. Label and read the label before you assume and make stupid mistakes. Before you try to remember when you serviced the cooling system, and then forget to look in the log book you've misplaced, just look at the service label.

Ted

 

[Mac G]

Backlight the Racor fuel filters makes it so easy to check what is in the bowl. I put the LED lights on the same circuit that has the engine room lights on it so when I turn on the engine room lights the filter lights come on. No need for a flashlight.

Brilliant!
Great idea.

might do same at home on steam boiler site glass.

 

[Mac2]

I have two pairs of leather knee pads also and they go on almost immediately when aboard and working. One pair was for work and they saved knees from hidden screws when crawling around machinery, screws never penetrated to my knees.

These are my work pants for the boat. Can’t say enough about how well they work. The knee pads are hard plastic backed by foam. Bought a pair for my wife when we did a bottom job this summer. The surface under the boat was gravel. The hard plastic prevented the pants from getting torn up. I used to wear the strap on knee pads, but got tired of them falling down and the straps chafing the back of my legs from kneeling.

 

[Blissboat]

3 paper towel holder around the engine room. Sounds silly but so helpful. 1 at oil change station, 1 over main engines and 1 at workbench

A piece of pvc pipe With a cap on the bottom. This is used for holding my different oil filler and sucking tubes for my oil change system. I have a piece of oil diaper inside to catch the extra oil that drips out. Keeps everything clean

A simple bungy to hold a trash can for all the paper towels i use. LOL

All great ideas. Not to suggest this is your practice, Greg, but those intending to adopt these particular suggestions should note that many a boat fire has been traced to oily waste stored in the engine compartment. It's an easy habit to form, because storing oily rags, etc. anywhere else while waiting for the next chance to move them ashore stinks up the boat. Granted, a fire suppression system should backstop the risk, but there is an old saying about tempting fate . . .

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2322.pdf

 

[Greg QS]

The best disposable rubber gloves. I did my gyro mounting plate install with 5200 and used 1 pair of gloves. You can wash you hands with acetone and it dose not destroy the gloves. The engine oil wont destroy them either.

 

[Comodave]

I use foam garden kneepads whenever working in the engine room. I get them from Lowes garden center. They are about $13 each. I have over a dozen of them and leave them all over so they are handy. I can fold or roll them to fill a space next to a stringer so it levels out the area. I stack them 2 high to kneel on since both knees do not tolerate kneeling on hard surfaces.

 

[Delta Riverat]

I don't have a stand up engine room, it's a "sit down" or "bend over" engine room. I bought this handy cheap piece of plastic and I can tell you my butt has spent hours on it. And it stows easy too -

 

[AlaskaProf]

I don't have a stand up engine room, it's a "sit down" or "bend over" engine room. I bought this handy cheap piece of plastic and I can tell you my butt has spent hours on it. And it stows easy too -

Absolutely! Got another one for shorter guests to step up into the v-berth.

 

[Andy G]

I get a little depressed seeing photos of TF member's immaculate engine rooms.

Not a screw or line out of place, no oil or grease stains to be seen, bilges clean and dry. Forty year old engines looking like a car concourse champion.

Oh well, I suppose it gives me something to strive for.

 

[Uisce Beo]

Paint flat black spots of your engines at places you would want to use an IR thermometer to check temps when troubleshooting. Then go out and record temps from those spots under normal operating conditions.

Install bilge pump operating cycle counters.

Install remote reading fuel vacuum gauges between engine primary and secondary fuel filters readabe at the helm.

Make or buy buoy reminders to keep you and any relief helmsman aware of which side to pass buoys - especially helpful where the east coast ICW and harbor systmes intersect.

Use magic marker to write date of change on fuel and oil filters - of course you also keep the info in a log.

Instead of magic marker, try an oil based white paint pen. Much easier to read and much more permanent.

 

[Bmarler]

I don’t need knee pads in the engine room. The PO installed rubber flooring. I think it’s cut up sections of gym mat. It’s semi hard foam about 1/2 thick with a pebbled top side finish that’s easy to keep clean.

 

[ScottC]

Good thread!
Here's my addition. Simple to install with two-sided tape. Frequently used!
(see next post)

 

[ScottC]

 

[twistedtree]

I don’t need knee pads in the engine room. The PO installed rubber flooring. I think it’s cut up sections of gym mat. It’s semi hard foam about 1/2 thick with a pebbled top side finish that’s easy to keep clean.

This is what I did. Rather than knee pads or special pants, I cut and fit Yoga mats in all the areas where I need to kneel. And I have one or two portables that I can use anywhere I don't have one permanently installed. They are cheap, easy to clean, and if they get trashed you can just replace them.

 

[boomerang]

I get a little depressed seeing photos of TF member's immaculate engine rooms.

Not a screw or line out of place, no oil or grease stains to be seen, bilges clean and dry. Forty year old engines looking like a car concourse champion.

Oh well, I suppose it gives me something to strive for.

Coincidence? Doubtful but I always strive to have things as tidy as I can when I publicly post a photo of our old stuff. Except for getting lucky with our Albin where everything was pretty much done, the only way we can afford a nice boat is buying them in in a not-so-stellar condition and scrubbing ,replacing,repairing and painting ourselves.
I once saw a bumper sticker on a classic car in a parade that read "Built, Not Bought". I need to put one of those on pretty much everything we own.

 

[Bmarler]

This is what I did. Rather than knee pads or special pants, I cut and fit Yoga mats in all the areas where I need to kneel. And I have one or two portables that I can use anywhere I don't have one permanently installed. They are cheap, easy to clean, and if they get trashed you can just replace them.

Yep, highly recommend. Drop into the engine room in a pair of shorts. Easy to move around and soft on the knees.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Backlight the Racor fuel filters makes it so easy to check what is in the bowl. I put the LED lights on the same circuit that has the engine room lights on it so when I turn on the engine room lights the filter lights come on. No need for a flashlight.

did that several years ago!

 

[slowgoesit]

Here is a nice pair of head lamps that I purchased. They charge from a usb cable, so no batteries to replace or run out of!

Amazon.com

 

[J.T kearney]

Here is a nice pair of head lamps that I purchased. They charge from a usb cable, so no batteries to replace or run out of!

Amazon.com

In my mini engine room I keep a small clipboard with maintenance requirements listed with label maker on one column and then with a grease pen, date in adjacent column. Yes I hang the grease pen off the board with a string!!! Just wipe off the old date and write down the new.
cheers J.T.

 

[Bmarler]

Here is a nice pair of head lamps that I purchased. They charge from a usb cable, so no batteries to replace or run out of!

Amazon.com

A friend gave me one of these head lamps: https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable...ocphy=9033542&hvtargid=pla-2281435182138&th=1
The strip light across the front is really amazing. You don’t need to aim the light at all.