Last updated late in the day April 3, 2016, to add “Amy’s Real Life Tool Kit” to complement “Jay’s Crazy Comprehensive Tool Kit”
Buying an Opti for your young sailor is a bit of a commitment. Since they’re no longer using club-owned boat, your sailor (and you) must be prepared and fully equipped to maintain your boat. Since you own the boat, the Coaches will no longer be providing spare sail ties, wind indicators and the many other small pieces of equipment needed to sail an Opti. We wanted to put together for all parents a “must have” and “nice to have” list so you can be sure that your sailor will have everything he or she needs to successfully sail.
The “must have” list should be in a small bag or toolbox. It should be brought to sailing each day and brought home each night. Like everything else in junior sailing, clearly label every single item with your sailors’ name and sail number.
The “nice to have” list contains more significant repair items to keep your sailor on the water. We’d recommend having this at any important regatta or when traveling.
Jay’s Must Have for your tools/spare kit
1 Spare Wind Indicator (#9 Knitting needle works just as well)
1 Spare Air Bag
1 Sponge
1 Roll of Sail Repair Tape
1 Can of McLube (lubricant)
1 Roll of Electrical Tape
1 Pair of Pliers
1 Screw Driver
1 Tape Measure (metric)
1 Spool sail ties for sail (1.2 mm vectran)
1 spool corner ties (3mm vectran)
1 knife (Leatherman Wave Multitool is great)
1 lighter (to melt line ends)
2 Magic Markers (2 colors)
Jay’s Nice to Have for your tools/spare kit
Opti Vang
Lower Sprit Control
Spliced V12 Upper Sprit Control (3 mm vectran)
Lower sprit (4mm vectran)
Outhaul
Whistle
Mast Tie-In and keeper
Personal Rescue Knife
Epoxy Packet
Protest Flag-in-a-Bag
Mast Sleeve and Collar
Set of Nuts and Bolts for Mast Collar
Tiller Universal
Set of Dolly Pins
Painter 5/16” by 6 meters
Extra bailer
Bungee cord 3/16
Another Kehoe has chimed in with a similar, yet different version. Presenting “Amy’s Real Life Toolbox” Suggestions:
Everyday Toolbox, Spare parts list for everyday: (Stuff you need now)
Sailties: PLEASE! pre-cut w/ends burned ( FYI – Full Set is 12@1.5 mm, 5@3mm, PLUS some spares)
Spool 1.5 or 2 mm vectran
Spool 3 mm vectran
Wind Indicator & spares or #8-#9 knitting needles (2)
Spare Bailer with bungee tie-in
Spare Airbag
Spare centerboard tie-in line (3′ @3mm)
Spare mast tie-in (12″ @3mm)
Sharpie Marker (LABEL EVERYTHING!!)
Rigging Knife (single blade is fine)
Pliers
Electrical tape
Spare Whistle with string to tie to lifejacket
Boat Care Bucket
Lake friendly soap
Sponge (Big) also used to remove water after rinsing/sailing
Travel Kit for Traveling to events (most gear $$ avail on-site at big events)
Spare Bow line (6 meters @5/16″ must float!!)
Spare main sheet
Spare Vang & Outhaul lines
Spare 5/16 for hiking strap tie in
Spare upper/lower sprit halyards (3 mm vectran)
Spare boom bridle line (4′ 2mm Sailtie)
Small Protest flag in bag
2 Screwdrivers (- & + , aka. flatty & posi)
Sail Repair Tape
Spare pop-in tiller extension (with universal)
2-3 long shackles with pin & clevis ring
Mast Sleeve and Collar
Set of Nuts and Bolts for Mast Collar
10′ @3/16″ bungee cord
Campaign Equipment
Spare boom, sprit, mast
(Some folks get a spare boom for rolling a race sail)
Spare tiller & extension
2-part epoxy
Practice Sail and Race Sail of the same design/cut.
Note: Contact info for vendors of virtually all these items is at the bottom of this post.
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