How many times have you had to get a hose off a hose barb and found it next to impossible?
Hoses are a tight fit to begin with, and then if they’ve been clamped in place for years, it can seem like they are welded together. Water hoses, waste hoses, vent lines, engine lines, transmission and hydraulic hoses — all have to be removed at some point.
More than once, Dave would tug and tug, then finally resort to cutting the hose . . . but then he still had to get the old stub off before he could put a new hose back on the fitting.
When I said we were going to be removing our marine toilet this summer and replacing it with a composting head, one of my readers (he requested to be anonymous) told me we had to get a hose puller. It’d make the job of removing all the old hoses from the head, pump, valves and holding tank a lot easier, he said. I put it on the list of things to get . . .
Two days later, I got an email from the reader — he’d been at Sears and spotted one in the tool department and bought it for Dave! He sent it to us (I swear I have the best readers!) . . .
It’s become one of Dave’s favorite gadgets. As he says, you don’t need it all that often, but when you do it saves a ton of time and energy.
It’s pretty evident how the hose puller works. You work the point between the hose and the barb and wiggle it around to break the bond between the two. Often, Dave had to put it in at two or three different points around the barb to break enough of the bond to be able to get the hose off. Then tug a bit . . . . sometimes more than a bit . . . and pull the hose off.
Because it’s bent in a “U” shape, this hose puller works much better than any straight tool such as a screwdriver, ice pick or awl — and it won’t slip and go all the way through the hose, either.

Hose pullers are generally sold for automotive purposes, such as removing radiator hoses. You can also buy them in sets of 4 or 5, each of which is bent differently. For a boat, the “U” one works well for everything we can imagine needing.
Some hardwares and auto parts stores carry hose pullers (although they may just carry the sets and not the individual ones). I’ve never seen one in a home improvement storeand an online search doesn’t them at Home Depot, Lowe’s and similar stores. But Amazon, of course, does carry several including the exact one that Dave has and finds easy to use:
Here’s your “Quick Start” to everything you need to know when living on a boat:
And check out our other courses and products

Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Iain Fraser says
Another helpful thing I discovered was poor boiling water over the end to soften it a bit….managed to get heavy duty heads outlet hose off with ease by doing that. That tool looks awesome though….gotta get me one! 🙂
Clara says
That’s funny…just the other day I had the same issue and tried wrapping the g.d. hose with a rag soaked in hot water. Didn’t work. Dumb me never realized on a boat you can spill water and just let it go into the bilge! I will try this!
Cathleen Speaker Holzknecht says
Dave Holzknecht
Kris Steyn says
I use the heat gun , or the hair drier…
Ryan Easter says
Purchased! Thank you!
Dave Skolnick (S/V Auspicious) says
A heat gun is better yet.
Carolyn Shearlock says
You can’t always use a heat gun where you need it. In fact, I’d say that we’ve almost never wanted to use a heat gun wherever we were trying to remove a hose.
Ken says
Good call. Using a heat gun or hair dryer is tricky at best. These items can continue increasing the temperature of the hose. As a possible result these heat sources will disrupt the molecular structure and integrity of the hose design parameters.
Steam is best as it remains a maximum temperature that is ok for most hoses. This steam can be directed into tight spaces by using an inverted funnel over a kettle spout. A hose can be fitted to the small end of the inverted funnel and then directed to the work site.
Ken says
Boiling water has same effect but heat seems not to last as long on the hose.
Allow steamed area to fully dry out before closing up the compartment after new hose is in place!!!!
Debbie Williamson says
Awesome!! Ordering it today!!!
Cindi Forrester Blackledge says
Ordered 3. Thanks for the great tip
Kenneth Arnold says
geez, it’s been around since the 70’s 🙂
Kelley Gudahl says
Jason Sinclair
Ruth Golden says
Gary Golden
Gary Golden says
Hanukkah is coming! 😀
Chris Wilkinson says
I got mine at Harbor Freight. Works well, but you have to be careful not to pierce the tubing.
Ken says
Anybody tried a ‘rug hooking tool’’?
Or a shoe lace tightener tool.
Both of these have rounded tips so could be safer to use when working on stubborn hoses and in difficult spaces.
Rich Morpurgo says
I have one. Great tool!
Richie Mercer says
I made mine out of worn out screw drivers,just take to a grinding wheel make the tapered point heat with a torch n bend into shape,free out of old junk
Sami Bolton says
I had to laugh at this because it looks very similar to the hooks I use to pull my tall riding boots on with… I have about a thousand pair because you don’t ever want to not have them when you need them. I guess I know I’ll be taking at least a pair on board with me
Kevin Baerg says
Thanks for the link – ordered one today!
Gord Wedman says
Looks worth adding to the bulging tool box. For plastic hose a heat gun works well but I don’t think it will work on rubber hose used for engine cooling water.
Matt Claiborne says
This thing is great. One of your best recommendations, thanks for finding and sharing!
The Boat Galley says
Yeah, when you need it, you NEED it!
Josh Wilkinson says
they work great. No more knuckle busting.
Kimberly Lancashire says
So smart! We always soften them with a heat gun (on low), but the smell of a heated sewer hose is repugnant!
Paul Sunshine says
Thats why captain hook had one!
Chris Wiley says
Harbor freight, cheap, highly recommended!
Monika Ludewig Bradley says
Bought one a while back based on your recommendation!
David Koester says
Hot air gun makes it easier too
Ted Arisaka says
A lifesaver!
Marc J. Kornutik says
That & a hairdryer or kettle of hot water !
I just happened to be working in my bilge yesterday.
Josh Wilkinson says
Work great.
Gregory Thompson says
Got em. Work great
Danny Villagoza says
Hairdryer works for me, already own one.
The Boat Galley says
If it works for you, great. It hasn’t always for us.
Ellie Ibel Smith says
On that not I’m going to pop over to Home Depot here in BKH and see if they carry these! GreAt idea thank you!!
Josh Wurtsbaugh says
A must
Per Gjærde says
Good idea – but why not cut and bend an old paint roller to shape and get it for free?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Well, I kind of want my paint roller for painting . . . and buying another would cost more. And if I could bend the metal, it might just bend while in use and not really do what I want.