Prepping for a boating adventure has a lot of moving parts and planning. We put together this ultimate boating essentials checklist to help you manage your gear list. Click on any of the items or images to learn more and grab your own! Happy boating. 👇
Boat Maintenance & Corrosion Protection
First up, your boat is your pride and joy, so it’s vital to keep it in tip top condition. These are items to keep your boat in good shape while cruising.
- Salt-Away – removes salt buildup. Good for exterior, motors, and more.
- Boeshield – corrosion protection
- Imar 301 Strataglass Cleaner – isinglass cleaner ⭐️ No one likes foggy isinglass! Keep it in pristine condition with this bundle
- Warner Carbon Wire Coarse Wire Brush – Keep your engine clean!
Boat Cleaning & Deck Gear
Speaking of a squeaky clean boat…
- Telescoping boat brush – Ideal for decks and exterior, lightweight and easy to reach tough spots!
- Microfiber deck towels – Kind of a must have for any cleaning kit, but essential on a boat for no scratch surfaces.
- Chamois drying towel – a highly absorbent, soft, lint-free cloth designed primarily for drying vehicles and large surfaces quickly without leaving water spots or streaks
- Boat soap – self explanatory?! This soap is designed for salty air and boat surfaces.
Moisture & Air Quality
Air quality was one of our biggest concerns setting off on a life on the water. Megan has had 2 lung surgeries in the past and is very sensitive to strong smells and air quality in general. Moisture control is huge, espeically for liveaboard cruising. Here’s what we’ve got keeping our air fresh:
- DampRid – hidden all over the boat! This is super easy to use and is fragrance free, so it doesn’t add anything extra to the boat air.
- Dehumidifiers – we were no strangers to these in Florida homes, we already had these everywhere. But finding a boat safe one was another story.. we like this one with the auto shut off feature and quiet motor.
- Air Dryer – another method for clean, dry air. This air drye is good for if you have to leave your boat for an extended period.
- Dehumidifier Bags – Great for your closet because no one wants stinky clothes in boat life!
- Airlock Purifier System – Direct air purification ⭐️ This one is an investment and it’s worth it for great air quality!
Water & Filtration
Clean drinking water matters on long trips like the Great Loop or a Bahamas stay.
- Camco TastePURE XL RV Water Filter – Hook this straight onto any hose line to purify the water.
- Berkey Water Filter System – We first heard of the Berkey system when we were traveling Scotland full time, and our friends traveled with one in their suitcase! We couldn’t believe that… but it’s just how good the water quality is. When we entered boat life, the Berkey was a winning brand once again. Keep this on board for pure drinking water anytime.
On-the-Water Convenience
Small things that make a big difference in boat life and give you a little more convenience on your journey.
- Waterproof dry bag by Earthpak – We’ve gone through a few dry bags and this one is a winner! Great for outings off the boat whether it’s a hike, kayak, or paddle boarding adventure.
- Floating keychain – an obvious must have!
- Headlamp – another must have… for night time cruises, surprise evening boat maintenance, or good ole’ engine checks!
- Marine binoculars – Coast guard recommended ✅
- Cockpit mat – for long cruising days, create more comfort standing at the helm.
Safety Gear
Essential items for safety while cruising.
- Life vests – We like the water activated life vests on board because they’re easier to quickly pop on and still move around in. The Onyx A/M 24 Life Jackets check that box, plus fun colors so ya know, you can look stylish and safe at the same time.
- Rigger’s knife with marlin spike – for a quick line cut and more.
- SentrySafe Mini Safe – easy to hideaway and keep your valuables safe.
Docking & Communication
Helpful for maneuvering and communicating onboard when there’s a lot happening around you!
- Wireless intercom headset system – Often called “marriage savers” in the boating world, this system is designed to keep communication smooth when docking or other duo work on the boat.
- EarPods – An alternative to marriage savers, a little less bulky but you do need service to stay connected this way. We went with off brand Airpods in case anything goes overboard!
Lighting
Different ways to save on electric while staying bright!
- Interior lights – Simple touch lights for any room, we love using these in the head.
- Under-cabinet lighting – Long lights great for underneath cabins in the galley or closet shelves.
- Motion-sensor lighting – This is a fun one… Motion lights, again could be great for a dark closet or even under the bed for late night wake up calls.
- Deck lights – and a little outside light for your aft deck or flybridge.
Galley & Cooking
Kitchen items that work well in small boat spaces.
- Blackstone 1813 22” Tabletop Griddle with Hood – Perfect small grill for boats!
- Knife set with magnetic block – No one wants knifes flying about the cabin!
- Magnetic spice rack – …or flying spices for that matter.
- Collapsible silicone food storage – Anything that saves space!
- Ninja Flip Oven & Air Fryer ⭐️ This is a great space saver while keeping an oven for cooking if you don’t have one on board. Even fits a frozen pizza (a must for Andrew)
- Hanging fruit hammock – I feel like every boat has this?! It’s part of the boat dream.
- Our favorite coffee mugs – Leakproof and will keep your coffee piping hot if you, like us, don’t have a microwave on board.
Storage & Organization
Keeping things secure and organized on the water.
- Cup holders that double as soap holders – When on a boat you think of creative ways to hold and store things like this cup holder that can hold your soap from sliding everywhere instead!
- Fixclip storm-proof lockable clothespins – Because a dryer uses up vital electric
- Plastic storage containers
Tech & Comfort
Items that make long cruising trips more comfortable.
- 4K Projector – Perfect for a movie night (or to watch Andrew & Megan on YouTube 😆 shameless plug)
- Turkish Towels – Great for quick dry and we prefer these over the microfiber which we find a little scratchy!
- Dyson Car + Boat Handheld Vacuum – Mini but powerful vacuum!
- Motion Sickness Bands – It’s not a bad idea to keep on board!
- Motion Sickness patches – ^ ditto
Docking & Line Handling
- Boat hook (extendable) – Every boater needs a good boat hook (and this one floats).
- Boat Hook + Loop – Take it up a notch with this hook that also includes a loop.
- Dock lines (extra sets) – Never hurts to have extra lines.
- Fender covers – No one likes a dirty fender! Make sure you have some good covers on board.
- Fender clips / adjusters – Quick release for your fenders!
- Gloves for line handling – This can help keep your hands safe when handling lines and more.
Power & Electrical
These are things that are frequently forgotten before a long voyage and helpful once you’re underway!
- Portable power station – Jackery is a favorite amongst boat lifers and van lifers alike. It’s a great back up power boost to have onboard.
- Extension cords (30amp / 50amp depending on boat) – Andrew says you always need an extra extension cord no matter where you are!
- Shore power surge protector – The surge protector provides an effective way to verify correct power source wiring and to help detect most common faults.
- USB charging hubs – We’ve always traveled with extra charging hubs for the times that outlets are a little more sparing.
Even with chartplotters, it’s good to have some back up displays.
- Handheld spotlight – this one has a reach of up to 1,600 feet! Always good to have back up handheld lights nearby.
- Tablet mount for navigation apps – Locks in place with one simple click
- Phone Mount – Magnetic phone holder
Weather & Comfort
Long cruising trips make these valuable.
- Portable fan (for deck)
- Portable fan (handheld)
- Mosquito Net for hatches – We will do absolutely anything to keep the bugs out!
- Bug net for doorways – Very common for van and RV life, this can be handy on your boat entries too!
Storage & Liveaboard Items
People often underestimate storage on boats! Here are some handy things to save space.
- Magnetic hooks – Could use for holding towels, rain gear, bags, hats… the possibilities are endless!
- Command hooks – You never know where you could use a command hook.
- Under-seat storage bins – These are great flat bins for under seats or beds.
- Mesh storage pockets – Could have many different uses around your boat! Great little handy and discrete pockets to hold little bits and bobs.
- Velcro cable ties – Great for tying together cords and keeping spaces tidy.
📲 Bonus Essential Apps
⛵️ Sea People – Great to community source routes and other tips + to log your own journey.
⛴️ NEBO – Another community boating app to find fellow boaters nearby.
⚓️ AGLCA – America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association, if you’re planning to loop this is a must join community!
💨 Sail Flow – Personal favorite to track wind
🌬️ Windy – Back up wind tracking
🌊 Tides – Apple or Google Play – can you guess what this one tracks?!
