12 Should-Have Safety Equipment for Your Boat
Depending on the type of boating you do and where you do it, some of these may be required or only recommended items. Either way, you can pack most of these aboard even the smallest of boats.
- Medical kit for cuts, scrapes, seasickness or small emergencies
- Anchor with line to hold your boat in place while you wait for help to arrive
- Bailing device or bucket to dewater and stay afloat
- Oars or paddles if the engine quits
- Cellphone to call for help
- VHF radio to call for help
- Knife to cut a line around a fouled propeller
- Snorkel mask to inspect what’s going on under the boat
- Heavy duty flashlight
- Skier or diver down flag
- Working running lights if your boat is equipped with them
- A way to get weather updates because things can change quickly even on a lake