Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD
I love a multi-tasking tool. I’m not talking using a screwdriver instead of a chisel or hammering a nail with a Crescent wrench – though I’ve done both. I’m talking about Swiss Army Knives or the Swinky, just above, which is designed to do two or more things.
So when I saw the Swobbit, I just had to try one out. I guess in reality, the Swobbit’s handle is the multi-tasker. The handle I had (included in the Basic Watercraft Kit) telescopes from three to six feet. (Other length handles are available which extend up to 11 feet.) The handle is tear-drop shaped in cross section, which adds a bit of comfort to the grip, but more important it keeps the handle parts from rotating so the little button stops and holes are always aligned.
What makes it a multi-tasker is a variety of tools which snap onto the working end, akin to selecting which blade to use on a Swiss knife. Since every fishing trip starts and ends at the dock the boat hook is the tool-end I use most. It’s useful pushing away from the dock when I’m departing, for snagging a dock line or cleat when returning or hooking floating objects near the boat as needed. Every boat should have one.
When you want to keep your boat shiny clean, from the roof top (if you have a roof) to the keel it’s the rest of the kit which comes into play. Remove the boat hook end and click on the soft bristle scrub brush. I use it both inside and out. It’s not so good as a deck brush, though Swobbit does make brushes with stiffer bristles, but the one in the Basic kit is perfect for scrubbing gel-coated or painted surfaces without feeling like you are hitting them with a wire brush.
For quick wash downs, applying liquid wax or hand polishing, switch to the end with the soft, synthetic sheepskin pad. The “pad on a stick” cuts washing/waxing time by about 4X. Then finish the windows (or other flatter surfaces) with a with a silicone squeegy attachment. One pass and the water is gone. Check out this kit and other Swobbit Products at http://www.swobbit.com. Available in-store at many retailers or on-line at Amazon or the Swobbit website.
FISHING TOYS 