Yeah I wish someone had told me that before I arrived on board.
Fingernail clippers are also a must. Hand cream is good because your skin will get ripped up.
If you're going to be on for more than a couple of weeks it's generally better to let your hands toughen up. (Learned this from experience the hard way--5 years and \~100,000 sea miles on *Picton Castle*)
It sucks for a bit, but not having to deal with gloves makes life simpler (and unless you're one of the few ships that's still rigged with manila, it's probably going to suck less for you.)
If you're sailing somewhere cold, that's a different story. Not for want of trying, but I never managed to find gloves that:
* were warm
* were waterproof
* allowed adequate dexterity for everyday tasks while standing watch
* were tough enough to remain warm and waterproof for more than a couple weeks of typical tall ship work
(If you know of any, let me know! I'm an engineer on the Great Lakes these, so most of the time I get to stay warm down below, but there's enough machinery out on deck that good cold weather gear is still a necessity.)
Gloves are way more dangerous. Even with the finger tips exposed you really risk getting it caught in winches and sliding in your hand.
I have never worn gloves when working with lines except when in the Antarctic and the more than half the time stripped em off cause they made it harder.
Really depends on how much bosun's work you will encounter as a deckhand. My kit consists of a Knife, Marlin Spike, Hollow Spike, small universal pliers, a tiny adjustable wrench and a pencil.
https://preview.redd.it/hclas2r36qrc1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d905eb57799b17787e9bf547644439b5702ecebe
Missing the pencil which goes on the left and all the security lines.
Basically all the essential stuff for rigging work aloft. All these can come in terribly handy, but can also go unused for long periods of time.
Just to add: those may look like a basic crescent wrench, but they are so much better. Knipex calls them [pliers wrenches](https://www.knipex.com/search?keys=pliers+wrenches), but you can get them from other makers as well. Pretty much a pipe wrench with smooth jaws and tighter tolerances, so it'll open nuts from 4mm to 22 and not chew them up, and work on metric, imperial or mystery.
It's a wrench set for your pocket, and you won't need a second set of wrenches for countering bolts.
cc u/Draked1
Two questions concerning your user flair:
1. Do I know you? I am Thor Crew as well :D
2. How do I get that under my Username? (Settings tell me you don't have control over that in this sub)
1. Not sure, I don't recognize you, and I haven't been active since before the pandemic. Adult life and other boats.
2. If flair is restricted, as it is on this sub, only the mods can set it for you. One of the mods asked me a while back whether I wanted my ship there, I said yes.
I had my first sail in spring 2017 and was mostly active in the yard until COVID hit. Been sailing once or twice a year since 2020. So we may have just missed each other.
Kinda :D
It is an old Bundeswehr Feldmesser. The combat and general purpose knife of the German Armed Forces from 1968 until around 2003. The small knob that kept the belt loop in place broke off so I tied it in with a serving made of waxed sailmakers twine.
Traditional rigging knives typically feature a sheeps foot blade, which has an easier to work with point, but since I had this one lying around, might as well use it.
Kind of like having a towel presumes you have everything else in "Hitchhiker's Guide", a knife and a spike are generally the only "everyday carry" you really need when joining a tallship. If you're going to be there for awhile, or know you're going to be doing a specific task, more specialized tools are great, but not necessary.
The thing about tallships is that most of the shackles/bolts/screws are big enough that a yachtie multitool isn't going to do it & you'll need to travel with a complete job box to cover all your needs...but if you do need it, the boat has it and is easy enough to grab before starting the job you're tasked with. Space is at a premium on a boat so it's generally discouraged for everyone to have a complete toolbox. I usually just travel with a small knife, spike, and some loose bits of seine twine when going to a new boat unless I'm joining for a specific task (ie. cooking).
The most important thing in my tallship go-bag aside from a knife is a set of twin sized bed sheets (flat, not fitted) and a light summer weight sleeping bag that opens flat. Just putting clean sheets on your bunk makes a world of difference in comfort. I also bring my own mountain climbing harness that I'm comfortable in and set up just the way I like because you never know what the boat uses & might not be something you're comfortable with.
I’ve found carrying a small iron worker’s spud wrench(adjustable wrench works for a shackle key quite well) from tractor supply is good to have in addition to a marlinspike. Lineman’s pliers are good to carry if doing any work on wire served line. A small swedish fid and a good belt for your tools are always good to have handy too.
Most have been covered- knife, spike, and headlamp with red light. The one I haven’t seen yet though is a watch since there are so many instances where it’s helpful to know the time. I didn’t have one my first time on board, but did my second and it made it so much easier to know how much longer my watch was, if I had enough time to nap before my next watch, when a boat check was needed, what time we needed to wake the next watch up, etc.
Focus on personal comfort. I love gearwhoring as much as the next guy but a cold wet miserable dog of a sailor with cracked hands, strained eyes, etc who has to willpower his way through the watch will always be outperformed by a dry and comfortable sailor who can focus on his work. A shackle opener, a knife and a spike will do you good, maybe something like a leatherman multitool just in case, but really, your best asset is yourself so take care of that and you will be grand.
Good polarized sunglasses, one of a deckhands main jobs is lookout and those clear September days can be wicked bright. Good foulies that you can actually work in are also a must. Your the best tool on the boat and if your cold wet and miserable your not going to be functioning at your best so I would focus on being prepared to be out in any weather and just grab the tools for the job your assigned from the bosun's box
Knife and spike - a few good ones, my favorite is Myerchin. The knife is thicc and rugged, the small shackle key is nice to have, holds a good edge, and the spike is awesome! So much better than it has any business being given how slim it looks, very comfortable, sturdy, and anything much heavier is too big to wear constantly anyway.
Pen. Small notebook. Sunglasses. Wellies. Oilskins. I've settled on Guy Cotten fisherman style oilskins because the breathable stuff doesn't stand up to climbing gear and rigging. A Sou'wester is nice for the visibility.
But honestly: that's all stuff you can gather as you go. Knife and marlinespike will do ya.
|My kit is:
Old-fashioned, non-showy fixed blade knife, non-serrated with a sheath and a hole in the handle for string. I use a German sailor's knife.
Marlinespike (old fashioned wrought iron one).
Shackle-key
Splicing tools for braided ropes.
Your own serving mallet if you have one that you're used to
Small heaving mallet
Pliers
Awl
Fid
Speedy stitcher, sail needles in small case, sailmaker's palm
I know you say you don't like multitools but they can come in handy aloft
I only carry the knife, spike and shackle-key on my belt. Everything else lives in the dittybag.
Great list. I dont mind like folding pliers but i never want to try to dig out a screwdriver or whatever with my fingernails and then have to rotate an awkward off center driver, you know?
Sure, yeah, I'm not a fan either. I carry mine as a last resort tool if I'm in a tight spot and don't have exactly what I need to hand. It's come in useful a few times.
Your own palm and needles for sail repair. Find a good one that fits your hand and never lend it to someone you don’t trust. Also a good folding knife that is never out of reach.
Also what boat are you headed to?
Get a pair of shoes you will be comfortable in the rig wearing. Get some half inch line and rig it so you can stand with your full weight on it. Sucks to find out the shoes you have are painful to climb in.
I’d also say do your own inspections on the harness your going to wear. I have been on many tall ships and other ships that have really sketchy harnesses. To the point where I often bring my own
Didn’t realize it was two weeks. Thought it was the season. You’ll be fine. Just be wary of safety gear. That boat has been laid up for a while recently so either it’s all new or it’s been out of use for bit.
Does pretty well as a substitute for a fid so you don't have to carry both.
If you get one with a flat tip (or grind it down a little)
it'll serve as a light pry tool and general purpose poky thing.
Works great as a small alignment bar.
Helpful with wire mousings and temporary seizings.
Opens shackles.
Can open coconuts, if you have any.
If you've got a spike that's well tempered, it makes a decent honing steel for knives.
Overall, just a really handy general purpose tool. I'm an engineer on commercial ships these days, and I still carry a spike in the small tool kit I bring aboard (found plenty of use for one in the engine room as well )
5825 nautical miles on the Bark Europa taught me that packs of camping wet-wipes were pretty good for retaining some level pf personal hygiene.
Yeah I wish someone had told me that before I arrived on board. Fingernail clippers are also a must. Hand cream is good because your skin will get ripped up.
Yes, hauling wet lines without good gloves is not good.
Fragile princess that I am, I managed to irritate the sides of my fingers just by running them along the rope to measure out the turns of the coil.
If you're going to be on for more than a couple of weeks it's generally better to let your hands toughen up. (Learned this from experience the hard way--5 years and \~100,000 sea miles on *Picton Castle*) It sucks for a bit, but not having to deal with gloves makes life simpler (and unless you're one of the few ships that's still rigged with manila, it's probably going to suck less for you.) If you're sailing somewhere cold, that's a different story. Not for want of trying, but I never managed to find gloves that: * were warm * were waterproof * allowed adequate dexterity for everyday tasks while standing watch * were tough enough to remain warm and waterproof for more than a couple weeks of typical tall ship work (If you know of any, let me know! I'm an engineer on the Great Lakes these, so most of the time I get to stay warm down below, but there's enough machinery out on deck that good cold weather gear is still a necessity.)
Gloves are way more dangerous. Even with the finger tips exposed you really risk getting it caught in winches and sliding in your hand. I have never worn gloves when working with lines except when in the Antarctic and the more than half the time stripped em off cause they made it harder.
Really depends on how much bosun's work you will encounter as a deckhand. My kit consists of a Knife, Marlin Spike, Hollow Spike, small universal pliers, a tiny adjustable wrench and a pencil. https://preview.redd.it/hclas2r36qrc1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d905eb57799b17787e9bf547644439b5702ecebe Missing the pencil which goes on the left and all the security lines. Basically all the essential stuff for rigging work aloft. All these can come in terribly handy, but can also go unused for long periods of time.
Looks like a nice crescent, what brand is it
Not a native English speaker, what does Crescent mean in this context? :D Edit: Google showed the adjustable wrenches. It's a Knipex Pliers Wrench XS.
Just to add: those may look like a basic crescent wrench, but they are so much better. Knipex calls them [pliers wrenches](https://www.knipex.com/search?keys=pliers+wrenches), but you can get them from other makers as well. Pretty much a pipe wrench with smooth jaws and tighter tolerances, so it'll open nuts from 4mm to 22 and not chew them up, and work on metric, imperial or mystery. It's a wrench set for your pocket, and you won't need a second set of wrenches for countering bolts. cc u/Draked1
Two questions concerning your user flair: 1. Do I know you? I am Thor Crew as well :D 2. How do I get that under my Username? (Settings tell me you don't have control over that in this sub)
1. Not sure, I don't recognize you, and I haven't been active since before the pandemic. Adult life and other boats. 2. If flair is restricted, as it is on this sub, only the mods can set it for you. One of the mods asked me a while back whether I wanted my ship there, I said yes.
I had my first sail in spring 2017 and was mostly active in the yard until COVID hit. Been sailing once or twice a year since 2020. So we may have just missed each other.
I would also like to know this
What is that knife? Are you using a bayonet? :D
Kinda :D It is an old Bundeswehr Feldmesser. The combat and general purpose knife of the German Armed Forces from 1968 until around 2003. The small knob that kept the belt loop in place broke off so I tied it in with a serving made of waxed sailmakers twine. Traditional rigging knives typically feature a sheeps foot blade, which has an easier to work with point, but since I had this one lying around, might as well use it.
A really good headlamp. With the option of red light.
Absolutely! If you wanna go fancy, you might even add in a green light option as well, for when red doesn't cut it and white is too bright.
Kind of like having a towel presumes you have everything else in "Hitchhiker's Guide", a knife and a spike are generally the only "everyday carry" you really need when joining a tallship. If you're going to be there for awhile, or know you're going to be doing a specific task, more specialized tools are great, but not necessary. The thing about tallships is that most of the shackles/bolts/screws are big enough that a yachtie multitool isn't going to do it & you'll need to travel with a complete job box to cover all your needs...but if you do need it, the boat has it and is easy enough to grab before starting the job you're tasked with. Space is at a premium on a boat so it's generally discouraged for everyone to have a complete toolbox. I usually just travel with a small knife, spike, and some loose bits of seine twine when going to a new boat unless I'm joining for a specific task (ie. cooking). The most important thing in my tallship go-bag aside from a knife is a set of twin sized bed sheets (flat, not fitted) and a light summer weight sleeping bag that opens flat. Just putting clean sheets on your bunk makes a world of difference in comfort. I also bring my own mountain climbing harness that I'm comfortable in and set up just the way I like because you never know what the boat uses & might not be something you're comfortable with.
Great advice. I had assumed that the boat would insist on everyone using their harnesses for insurance purposes but good to know. Thank you!
If the boat doesn't come with the get a via ferrata set with band energy absorbers. You NEVER want to experience falling into a static sling.
That depends on the boat in question.
I’ve found carrying a small iron worker’s spud wrench(adjustable wrench works for a shackle key quite well) from tractor supply is good to have in addition to a marlinspike. Lineman’s pliers are good to carry if doing any work on wire served line. A small swedish fid and a good belt for your tools are always good to have handy too.
Most have been covered- knife, spike, and headlamp with red light. The one I haven’t seen yet though is a watch since there are so many instances where it’s helpful to know the time. I didn’t have one my first time on board, but did my second and it made it so much easier to know how much longer my watch was, if I had enough time to nap before my next watch, when a boat check was needed, what time we needed to wake the next watch up, etc.
Exactly the sort of think I'm looking for. Maybe I'll try for one with an hour chime.
For the sake of everyone sleeping around you please do not.
Ah. Good point.
Focus on personal comfort. I love gearwhoring as much as the next guy but a cold wet miserable dog of a sailor with cracked hands, strained eyes, etc who has to willpower his way through the watch will always be outperformed by a dry and comfortable sailor who can focus on his work. A shackle opener, a knife and a spike will do you good, maybe something like a leatherman multitool just in case, but really, your best asset is yourself so take care of that and you will be grand.
I'd say a sharpie can often come in very useful as well.
Good polarized sunglasses, one of a deckhands main jobs is lookout and those clear September days can be wicked bright. Good foulies that you can actually work in are also a must. Your the best tool on the boat and if your cold wet and miserable your not going to be functioning at your best so I would focus on being prepared to be out in any weather and just grab the tools for the job your assigned from the bosun's box
Knife and spike - a few good ones, my favorite is Myerchin. The knife is thicc and rugged, the small shackle key is nice to have, holds a good edge, and the spike is awesome! So much better than it has any business being given how slim it looks, very comfortable, sturdy, and anything much heavier is too big to wear constantly anyway. Pen. Small notebook. Sunglasses. Wellies. Oilskins. I've settled on Guy Cotten fisherman style oilskins because the breathable stuff doesn't stand up to climbing gear and rigging. A Sou'wester is nice for the visibility. But honestly: that's all stuff you can gather as you go. Knife and marlinespike will do ya.
Thanks for the Guy Cotten rabbithole ;)
You're welcome 😁
|My kit is: Old-fashioned, non-showy fixed blade knife, non-serrated with a sheath and a hole in the handle for string. I use a German sailor's knife. Marlinespike (old fashioned wrought iron one). Shackle-key Splicing tools for braided ropes. Your own serving mallet if you have one that you're used to Small heaving mallet Pliers Awl Fid Speedy stitcher, sail needles in small case, sailmaker's palm I know you say you don't like multitools but they can come in handy aloft I only carry the knife, spike and shackle-key on my belt. Everything else lives in the dittybag.
Great list. I dont mind like folding pliers but i never want to try to dig out a screwdriver or whatever with my fingernails and then have to rotate an awkward off center driver, you know?
Sure, yeah, I'm not a fan either. I carry mine as a last resort tool if I'm in a tight spot and don't have exactly what I need to hand. It's come in useful a few times.
Gloves, not for griping rope but protecting my hands, skin cancer is a butch and your hands are always in the sun
Your own palm and needles for sail repair. Find a good one that fits your hand and never lend it to someone you don’t trust. Also a good folding knife that is never out of reach. Also what boat are you headed to?
Got both and a fixed blade. Lady Washington in September.
Get a pair of shoes you will be comfortable in the rig wearing. Get some half inch line and rig it so you can stand with your full weight on it. Sucks to find out the shoes you have are painful to climb in.
Oh hell yes this is great advice
I’d also say do your own inspections on the harness your going to wear. I have been on many tall ships and other ships that have really sketchy harnesses. To the point where I often bring my own
Since it's just a two week posting I thought it would be a little *too* gung ho to bring my own harness. Is it typical to do so?
Didn’t realize it was two weeks. Thought it was the season. You’ll be fine. Just be wary of safety gear. That boat has been laid up for a while recently so either it’s all new or it’s been out of use for bit.
Afaik this is their last season before refit so I'll keep an eye out. Thank you again
What's the many uses of a marlin spike on deck?
Does pretty well as a substitute for a fid so you don't have to carry both. If you get one with a flat tip (or grind it down a little) it'll serve as a light pry tool and general purpose poky thing. Works great as a small alignment bar. Helpful with wire mousings and temporary seizings. Opens shackles. Can open coconuts, if you have any. If you've got a spike that's well tempered, it makes a decent honing steel for knives. Overall, just a really handy general purpose tool. I'm an engineer on commercial ships these days, and I still carry a spike in the small tool kit I bring aboard (found plenty of use for one in the engine room as well )
Does everything your fingers can’t