Small Craft Advisor

Small Craft Advisor

The Resourceful Sailor

The Resourceful Sailor Asks, “What Is Your Favorite Tool and Why?”

Sep 06, 2025
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Article and photos by Joshua Wheeler

“What is your favorite tool?” The Resourceful Sailor asked Olivier Huin, captain and builder of Breskell, a 50-foot cold-molded sloop, as they prepared for their 2019 transit of The Northwest Passage. Without hesitation, “My Leatherman” was his reply. I can confirm he used it often, on par with his use of epoxy. Personally, I fear the Leatherman as much as I fear Vise-Grips. While they might do the job, they disfigure anything they touch. When they fail to work, they REALLY disfigure it. But for Olivier, it was a clutch performer because it was always at his side. To each their own.

The Mirror And The Flashlight - The Resourceful Sailor Looks Up Under The Cockpit Coaming While Removing Chainplates.
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