ClampTite Tools on Roam
We use ClampTite tools all over Roam for hose connections where reliability matters. From engines to plumbing, these stainless wire clamps have proven themselves in real-world boat work — simple, strong, and incredibly versatile.
When you live aboard and work on your own boat, hose clamps stop being a minor detail and start becoming a reliability issue.
Cooling systems, fuel lines, plumbing runs, exhaust water injection — all of them depend on hoses staying connected and not leaking. Offshore, there’s no roadside assistance, no overnight shipping, and often no easy access to the back side of a fitting. What you install has to work, and it has to keep working.
ClampTite has become one of those tools aboard Roam that quietly earns its keep.
Why We Started Using ClampTite Tools
Like most sailors, we started with standard worm-drive and T-bolt hose clamps. They’re familiar, and everywhere on the boat. Over time, we ran into the same issues many cruisers do:
- Corrosion in damp, salty spaces - even the 316 stainless clamps have parts that aren't 316
- Sharp clamp tails that chew up hands and hoses
- Needing exactly the right size clamp — and not having it
- Tight or blind installations where a screwdriver or socket simply won’t fit
- A box of hose clamps that looked started to look like a chandlery and weigh as much as an anchor
We wanted something that worked on a variety of hose sizes and types, didn’t rely on carrying dozens of clamp sizes, and could be trusted in critical systems.
ClampTite checked all the boxes — and then proved itself in real use.
How We Use ClampTite Aboard Roam
ClampTite isn’t something we installed once and forgot about. It’s a tool we reach for regularly during refit work and ongoing maintenance.
We’ve used it on:
- Engine cooling hoses
- Fuel and return lines
- Small-diameter hoses where standard clamps don’t seat well
- Large diameter, reinforced wet exhaust and fuel filler hoses
The ability to make a custom-sized clamp on the spot using stainless wire has been especially valuable. One spool of wire replaces an entire box of clamps.
What ClampTite Does Well (and What It Doesn’t)
We don’t believe any tool is perfect for every job, and ClampTite is no exception.
Where It Shines
- Infinite sizing — one tool, one wire spool, any diameter
- No sharp edges — safer to work around and easier on hoses
- Excellent clamping force — especially for pressurized systems
- Emergency-friendly — ideal when you need a solution now
Where It’s Not Always Ideal
- There’s a learning curve at first
- It takes a little more time than grabbing a clamp off the shelf
- For tight, difficult to access hoses, a traditional clamp may be faster or the only option
We still carry a small assortment of small conventional clamps aboard — ClampTite doesn’t replace them entirely. It complements them, and in most cases, outperforms them.
Real Episodes Where ClampTite Matters
This isn’t a theoretical recommendation — it’s something we use in practice.
You’ll see ClampTite in action in episodes like:
- EP55 – Yanmar Engine Reassembly
We replaced all the hoses and clamps on our Yanmar's and used only 2 conventional clamps on each engine where we simply couldn't get the ClampTite tool into the space. - EP46– Installation of new toilets and waste water system
We installed all new sanitation hose for our three new toilets. The ClampTite tool was perfect for the job and none of the hoses have clamps with sharp edges to cut us.
As we continue the refit and start putting systems back into service, you’ll see ClampTite show up again wherever hoses are attached.
Who This Tool Is For
ClampTite makes the most sense if you:
- Live aboard or cruise offshore
- Maintain your own systems
- Value adaptability over convenience
- Prefer tools that solve multiple problems instead of one
If your boat rarely leaves the dock and you always have access to buy the exact clamp you need, you may never need it — and that’s okay.
Transparency: Our Relationship with ClampTite
ClampTite Tools is a partner of Sailing Roam.
We use their products aboard our own boat, and we earn a small commission if you purchase through our affiliate link. You don’t pay more, in fact you get a discount — Those purchases help support the time and effort we put into documenting our work and sharing what we learn.
Our recommendation comes from use, not obligation. If something doesn’t work for us, we’ll say so — partner or not.
Learn More About ClampTite
If you want to dig deeper or pick one up for your own kit, you can learn more here:
👉 ClampTite Tools https://clamptitetools.com/?sld=syroam
👉 ClampTite Tools Affiliate Link https://clamptitetools.com/?sld=syroam
Use discount code gerischaffer10 for a 10% discount!