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7 Best Gadgets For Your Boat

7 Best Gadgets For Your Boat

October 26, 2020

Adventurous boating trips are meant to be fun and full of discovery. To make the most of them, it is always a good idea to plan and figure out what you may need for your trip. Adequate food, drinking water, and some helpful gadgets go a long way in keeping you comfortable out on the water.

Finding the right gadgets can be particularly tricky. Nevertheless, it all boils down to your needs and being prepared for eventualities given how unpredictable live water can be. Your trip would also be incomplete without some fun gadgets to keep things lively.

To help you with your shopping list, here are some of the best gadgets to have onboard.

A GPS Tracker

It is easy to lose direction when boating. Unlike navigating land, there are no landmarks on water. Therein lies the significance of a GPS tracker. You can use it to view your location in real-time and as a guide to get to your destination. It is equally helpful when trying to locate your dock in a crowded marina.

Additionally, GPS trackers can be a safety tool. Some of them, for instance, can be configured to share your coordinates with authorities if you need to be rescued. You could also use them to track your vessel in the event of theft.

Smart Watches

Smartwatches designed for nautical adventurers are quickly gaining traction. Manufacturers are continuously adding more helpful features to ensure that you enjoy your boating experience fully. You can look forward to features like:

Aim for smartwatch brands that are waterproof and not just water-resistant. Consider other key factors as well such as battery life and how far out in the water the smartwatch will maintain reception.

Boat Hook

Boat hooks are an indispensable necessity for docking and undocking. The standard design has a hook for mooring and a flat tip for pushing off the dock. While there are other improved versions in the market, try not to buy anything too unique. You may find that it is incompatible with the conventional mooring rings found on certain types of docks. Keep an eye out for useful design details instead like telescopic elongation and the ability to float on water.

Boat Erasers

How well you care for your vessel will determine how long it will serve you in return. As such, it would be prudent to ensure that you keep it clean and tended to after every use.

Boat erasers are one of the ways you can keep your boat in top shape. They are designed to get rid of any stubborn stains and scuffs on fiberglass boats. For the best results, clean your boat first so that you can see which areas need the extra attention of a boat eraser.

That said, not all scuffs may be mended by an eraser thus try and avoid them as much as you can. Consider safe docking options like drive-on boat docks that protect your boat from water stains and discoloration. You can also confidently dock your boat on them without worrying about scraping off paint as they are made of plastic.

A Safety Box

The idea of a safety box is to ensure you have some contingency supplies in case of emergencies. In it you could have:

A First Aid Kit

When injurious falls, cuts, or bites happen away from shore, you will need resources to manage them. A standard first aid kit with gauze, bandages, antiseptic and similar supplies would be adequate for such mishaps. However, consider any special medical conditions anyone on the boat may have as well. An epi-pen, for example, would be handy for unexpected reactions to seafood. Motion sickness pills and painkillers may equally prove essential.

Flare Gun

In the unfortunate event that your boat stalls far off from land, rescue signals may be the only way to get help. Always ensure that you have a flare gun onboard and that its flares have not been used up. It should also be stored safely at all times as they can be dangerous.

Thermal Blankets

The temperatures out on open water can be extreme; it can get really hot or unbearably cold. If you underestimate the coolness of the water, you could get back on board with a serious case of hypothermia. Moreover, there are no trees or structures to slow wind down ,and consequently you experience the full blast of it.

Thermal blankets are designed to warm you up and retain said warmth for a long time. They are an effective way of preventing hypothermia and other complications from cold which could be life-threatening. It is thus wise to invest in a few of them for your safety box, you never know when you might need them.

Trash Bins

Aquatic life is under multiple threats. Between pollution, climate change, and oil spills, it is a wonder that there is still any life underwater. As a boating enthusiast, it is only right that you do your bit in protecting water bodies and their ecological systems. Having lined trash bins on your boat and proper disposal measures is a good place to start.

A Boat Seat Umbrella

Sunny days are great for boating or fishing but sometimes the sun is a bit too hot to bear. A boat umbrella is built to solve that very problem. You can mount it on the back of your boat chair and enjoy being on the water without risking sunburns. It can also be taken off the boat and used when you choose to fish from a dock or floating platform.

Conclusion

The list of gadgets you can get could be a mile long. The trick to making the right choices is to slowly learn what you need and prefer then keep improving your boat. Remember to also perform maintenance checks on all gadgets before trips. Consult experts as well on the suitability of certain gadgets to ensure that they will not affect the functioning of your boat’s systems.

7 Best Gadgets For Your Boat

Table of Contents

A GPS Tracker

Smart Watches

Boat Hook

Boat Erasers