Must-Have Survival Items To Keep on Your Boat
No matter the state you’re in, weather can take a turn for the worse at any moment and if you’re boating, that means the water will get choppy and dangerous. You could be enjoying a day on the water one moment and trying to outrun a dangerous storm the next—possibly with your family. We all hope for the best but should always be prepared for the worst. Being prepared and having the right equipment could save your life or another's.
We have decided to put together some items that we feel boat owners should have in case of an emergency.
Survival Kits
Save some time and purchase a kit if you find you don’t have items that you may need in the event of an emergency. These three companies have done the hard work for you and compiled survival items together in a pre-packaged kit.
1. The Stealth Angel Survival 5 Person 72-Hour Emergency Survival Kit: At 4.9 out of 5 stars and 59 reviews, this survival kit has carefully chosen items packed in a high-grade, durable backup. Included is food, water, flashlights, bright sticks, emergency blankets, and more. This is a viable option for those who don’t have the time to vet various products for a kit themselves.
2. Boat Medic created by My Medic, which is not only HSA and FSA approved but also the official first-aid partner of the U.S. Sailing Team. This kit is medical based and under the product description on their website, you will see this waterproof, sink-proof, crush-proof, and dust-free kit has everything you need for a medical emergency on the water. Read why fifty-five people felt this kit was worth 5 stars here.
3. 10 Essentials Kit by My Medic is also another highly rated kit that comes with over 110 quality lifesaving products. This bag is waterproof and doubles as a floatation device. Some of the products included in this pack are a LifeStraw, Medipak, paracord, a survival blanket, and more. To see what else is included in this pack, click the hyperlink above.
Stand-alone Safety Items
The first item safety experts recommend is life vests, but if you’re a responsible, law-abiding boat owner then those are already on the boat, so we won’t get into that.
While this item below is pricey, this is one do not want to forgo if you’re usually boating on the open ocean: a life raft.
· Revere Uscg/Solas Liferaft meets the needs of a commercial craft and comes in 4, 6, and 8 person rafts. This raft comes equipped with paddles, hand flares, a survival whistle, and more.
· The Midland - ER210, Emergency Compact Crank Radio: This item has nearly five stars on Amazon and has over 2900 ratings. It is highly recommended based on reviews and consumers alike. This small radio is lightweight but has multiple power sources, an SOS emergency flashlight, NOAA weather scan and alert, as well as a smartphone/tablet charging port.
· Starting a fire is an important survival skill and having waterproof matches certainly helps. The UCO Stormproof Match Kit is rated a whole five stars on Amazon, and how often do you see items rated a complete five stars? The kit includes 25 windproof and waterproof matches, 3 strikers, and a match case that can hold up to 40 matches.
· This may be one of the most important items you can have: a personal locator beacon. The Buoyant Personal Locator Beacon requires no subscription and has a digital display that shows the live status and GPS coordinates. This product has been professionally engineered and tested to guarantee it will withstand the elements and it can be found at most West Marine stores.
As a rule of thumb, the following items are what experts recommend you keep in your boat in case of emergency: life jackets, flares, air horns, non-perishables, water, flashlights, emergency blankets, sunscreen, paracord, whistle, first-aid materials, sunscreen, and a radio. When disaster strikes, these essential items could make a difference between life and death. So next time you’re packing the boat, think about bringing along some of these items that you likely have lying around your home. Safe boating!
