22 Items You Should Have in Your Boat Bag

Being prepared: My must-have items for boating

Whenever I prepare for a boat outing my friend, Aaron, will ask, “What are you expecting an apocalypse?” He likes to poke fun about all the stuff I bring.

I always remind him that as a woman boater, I want to be prepared for any and all circumstances. Of course, there is no reason a man shouldn’t be prepared.

I can’t tell you how many times someone on my boat has asked me for something and I had it on board.

Here is my list of items I consider a must for every boat outing:

• Basic first aid kit
• Pocket knife / pliers combo
• Water shoes
• Rain poncho or foul weather gear
• Waterproof bag
• Cell phone / charger cord.
• Beach towels
• Sunscreen
• Waterproof strobe / flashlight combo & batteries
• Handheld compass
• UV blocking sunglasses
• Binoculars
• Bottled water
• Long sleeve shirt/or sweatshirt
• Medications
• Wego battery charger
• Insect repellant
• Paper clip/bag ties
• Extra drain plug
• West Marine tool kit
• Hand held marine radio with extra batteries and 12v plug
• Ziplock bags, (so many uses)
• Davis instruments, multi key

Is there anything I missed? Send me a note and let me know what is on your must-have list of boating accessories. L.almeida@freedomboatclub.com