BOATING GADGETS

Owning and maintaining a fishing boat doesn't have to be the bottomless pit financially that many of us expects it to be. With just a few useful tools and a bit of time, you can significantly reduce your boating repair budget.

The Weller Portasol (919/781-7200) portable butane soldering tool makes boat repairs requiring soldering a snap. We recently used it to make emergency repair at sea by soldering together a broken electrical connection, thereby restoring our onboard power and saving a minimum of $200 in towing charges.

Because the Weller Portasol used a self-contained butane power source we were able to use it even when the entire electrical system was down. We now don't leave land without it (in a pinch it's much cheaper to use than the American Express card).

The P-100 self-igniting Portasol features an Auto Switch safety shutoff, iron-plated tips and a built-in fue l filter. It will run for two hours on a single refill and the fuel level is clearly visible so you always know how much is left. The Portasol can also be used to heat shrink, cut ropes and perform other open-flame oper ations such as soft fishing lure repairs.

The complete kit includes the iron, sponge, stand and extra tips in a durable molded carrying case.

Picquic (604/261-3766) makes a complete line of handy "six pack" screwdrivers which consist of one handle and six separate screwdriver tips that can handle just about every job thrown at them. When not in use the tips s tore conveniently out of the way in the easy-grip handle.

Our favorite is the Lil Stubby, which is just under 4" long and can fit into many places, especially in the engine area, where other screwdrivers can't. There's also the Mariner, a standard size "six pack," which is designed for the highly corrosive marine environment (we love a tool that we don't have to constantly baby). It features a naval brass nosepiece and nickel electropl ated 3" powerbits bits.

As the "six pack" series uses standard drill-size bits, the tip options are endless, making them very handy for fishing reel repair. To store additional bits safely Picquic makes the Bit Pack, an d should you need to sharpen a drill bit, them make the Portasharp, which turns a hand drill into a complete bit sharpening system.

Changing spark plugs on many a boat, whether an inboard or an outboard, can be a nightmare. Which is where the Steelman Plug Starter (800/255-7011) comes in. The Plug Starter is a flexible shaft 12" long unit that hold s the plug tight while you angle it into place.

We put it to the test and found that there is virtually no plug angle too tough for this helpful bright orange guy to reach. Once you've got the spark plug in position, th ere's a twist knob at your end to help you adjust the plug in either direction. This assists greatly in both plug installation and removal.

The Plug Starter significantly reduces the chance of cross-threading and damagi ng the engines head. It's bright orange casing makes it easy to guide the plug accurately to the hole, even in bad lighting.

Great Stuff isn't exactly a tool, but it is just that -- great stuff. Billed as a minimal- expanding foam sealant, great stuff is excellent for sealing annoying and often water-filled gaps between storage areas, general gaps in the deck fit and finish of your boat, gaps around loose portholes and cabin door frames, and drafts inside the cabin.

If you're looking for a polyurethane foam that offers flotation, they make the two-part Froth -Pak line which will also dampens sound vibration and insulate your vessel. For more info contact Insta-Foam Products at (800) 800- FOAM.

Organizing Your Tools

Samsonite and BucketBoss both make durable cordura organizers that turn your five gallon bucket into a portable boater's workshop.

The BucketBoss (612/221-0308) has more pockets than the Samsonite unit (36 vs. 26), but people at Samsonite (800/780-6300) cleverly attached a belt to their On-The Job 26-Pocket Apron so that it can be instantly transformed into a handy tool belt, with many more pockets than most standard tool belts on the m arket today.

Both offer the high quality you'd expect from these companies. The choice is up to you.

Of course, if you're looking for a more traditional method of tool storage, our favorite tool box is an indestructible Pelican Box (800/473-5422), which is rated to withstand the weight of a truck, and has an o-ring seal to keep water and dangerous corrosion out.

Tired of having your anchor line or shore power cables trailing haphazardly across your deck? Reel-A-Pail (800/450-6507) will stop your tangles. Reel-A-Pail is a multi-purpose, easy wind cord retrieval system construc ted of sturdy HDPE plastic, that not only organizes your unwieldy cords inside it's pail shaped exterior, but protects them as well.

To unwind the cord, simply plug in the cord, pick up the pail handle and walk away with it, the cord will automatically unwind.

There's a handy footplate to balance the unit, should you be in rough waters, as you reel in a hundred feet of cord in just seconds. Plus the footplate has four pre-drilled holes should you want to mount the unit on a dockhouse wall, etc.

Reel-A-Pail is available in three sizes 50, 100 and 200 (which can old up to 200' of 12-3 electrical cord or 1/4" line or air hose). Sandy Lindsey

For information, E-mail:whartt@iamerica.net

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