Ten Items You Should Keep On Your Boat

By Author: Keith Raven
Total Articles: 3698
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Ten helpful and handy reminders with some of the mandatory and suggested items that you should keep on your boat. Get your boat ready for the inland boating season this summer.

1. Push Button Signal Horn & Aerial Signal Kit- Have an air horn on board incase of emergency, fog or warning signal. Stores just about anywhere on your boat. It's also a good idea to keep an aerial signal kit such as a flare gun kit incase your stranded on a large lake.

2. PDF's (Personal Flotation Device) - Make sure you have enough PDF's on board so that every passenger has one readily available. Also make sure you provide the children with one that fits them correctly. Another must is to have them USCG Approved.

3. First Aid Kit - It's a great idea to have a first aid kit handy incase of emergency. Keep on that has some of the basics such as: bandages, gauze, instant cold compress, alcohol cleaning pads, aspirin, antibiotic cream etc.

4. Boat Anchor - If you plan on docking, going to the beach, or in an emergency situation, it's a must to have the correct size anchor. We suggest that you have an anchor onboard for the ...
... rear of the boat and for the front.

5. Tow Ropes - Keep an extra towrope with you incase you or someone else is stranded on the water. Someone will be able to tow you to shore in the event that you or someone else breaks down and needs a lift.

6. Fire Extinguisher - You must keep a fire extinguisher with you while you're on the water. Get a quality A-B-C extinguisher to keep on your boat. Hopefully you'll never need to use it, but if you do you'll know it's there.

7. Universal Boat Cushions - Keep a few brightly colored boat / life cushions on the boat. Use them to toss to anyone that happens to fall over, or needs a hand swimming back to the boat.

8. Boat Registration - Always make sure your registration is current and on board with you. You never know when the DNR will pull you over to check to see if your boat is legal.

9. Dock Lines - Keep a few dock lines for docking your boat to your pier or to someone else's pier. We suggest you have a few loops already tied into the rope to make it handy when you need different sizes.

10. Cell Phone or Radio - Keep an onboard radio, cell phone or walkie-talkie with you. These come in handy when you need to get a tow back or if someone wants to come out and join you for a ride.

Have a great and safe summer on you boat this year!