The iron box is a piece of equipment that can never be missing on a boat and is also important for safety. Often, however, it becomes a kind of “Monster” with unmanageable weight, we end up putting in any tools that may not be necessary for shipboard life. How then to go about composing an iron box that is not too heavy and difficult to move around the boat and at the same time equip it with the necessities for every emergency?
Iron box – need the essentials
To understand what to put inside the iron box let’s ask some questions: what are the most sensitive parts of a sailboat? The first is undoubtedly the mast with its rigging, then there is definitely the engine. Let us first worry about the tools needed to work on these two elements. You will need a set of wrenches of the right size for the turnbuckles on our shrouds, or any allen wrenches you might need to work on the furler components.
Still on the subject of masts, a powerful cutter will be able to help in the event of an unfortunate dismasting to cut the shrouds. Allen screws, pliers, 4-5 screwdrivers of various sizes, stainless steel pins and nuts will also be good equipment for any work on the engine. On this chapter, never forget a key piece: best to put 1-2 spare impellers in the box. Looking for a dealer in the middle of August during the cruise could be something very unpleasant. Finally, let’s not forget the classic ball stoppers, the wedges to be used in case of a water way, another important piece of our toolbox.
Iron box – what not to forget
In addition to the mast and motor another important boat element is obviously the sails. Inside the iron box will then find a place for a good sailmaker’s kit, with needle and thread, adhesive dacron, adhesive spinnaker fabric, and some keval or cuben fiber, also adhesive, to make any reinforcements. We do not neglect these tools since sails are for all intents and purposes the main engine of our boats, and even when cruising, we need to take care of them when needed.
