There are two boat kit lists. The one people buy in spring, full of gadgets, and the one that is actually aboard three seasons later, when the gadgets have been quietly left in the garage. This is an attempt at the second list: ten boat accessories that earn their locker space, ranked by what I would buy first if I were fitting out a boat from empty.
- 1 The ten, in the order I would buy them
- 2 Safety kit is not an accessory, it is the entry ticket
- 3 Docking gear: unglamorous, cheap, saves gelcoat
- 4 Shade and cold drinks decide how long you stay out
- 5 If you fish, two items change the odds
- 6 Speakers and toys: bought first, useful last
- 7 Before you order anything
- 8 Questions from first-season owners
The ten, in the order I would buy them
| Priority | Accessory | Why it sits there |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Life jackets | Legally required in most waters, and the only item on this list that saves a life |
| 2 | First aid kit, marine version | You are minutes from help on land and potentially hours from it at sea |
| 3 | Dock lines | Cheap, and the thing standing between your hull and the pontoon overnight |
| 4 | Boat hook | Turns two awkward manoeuvres a day into one easy one |
| 5 | Bimini top | Sun exposure is what ends most days early, for people and for upholstery |
| 6 | Marine cooler | Water and food staying cold is a safety item on a hot day, not a luxury |
| 7 | Rod holders | Only if you fish, but then immediately |
| 8 | Fish finder | Doubles as a depth sounder, which is useful even when you are not fishing |
| 9 | Waterproof speakers | Genuinely improves a day out, changes nothing if it is missing |
| 10 | Water toys | The reason children ask to come back, so not as frivolous as it looks |
Safety kit is not an accessory, it is the entry ticket
In United States waters, federal rules require one Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket for every person on board, in the right size, in serviceable condition and readily accessible. Boats of 16 feet and over must also carry a throwable device, and children under 13 must wear a life jacket while under way on deck. Those rules sit in 33 CFR Part 175, with the approval standards for the devices themselves in 46 CFR Part 160.
Two practical notes on top of the legal minimum. Carry a spare or two beyond the headcount, because someone always brings a guest, and check the condition of each one at the start of the season: broken buckles, torn webbing and foam that has been waterlogged and dried out all reduce a jacket to decoration. Requirements differ outside the United States, so check what applies in the waters you actually use.
The first aid kit is the item people assume they have and usually do not. A marine-specific kit comes in waterproof packaging and is stocked for what goes wrong on a boat, which is mostly cuts from cleats and fittings, burns, seasickness and sun. Repack it after every use, and write the restock date on the lid so you are not finding out mid-season that the plasters have gone.
Docking gear: unglamorous, cheap, saves gelcoat
Almost all minor boat damage happens within twenty metres of a pontoon, at low speed, in front of an audience. Two items reduce that risk more than any amount of helm skill.
Dock lines are the ones to spend real money on. Match diameter to the size and displacement of the boat rather than buying whatever length was on offer, and carry more than you think: two bow and stern lines, two springs and a spare. Nylon is standard because it stretches, and that stretch is what absorbs a surge from a passing wake instead of transmitting it into your cleats.
A telescopic boat hook is the other one. It picks up a mooring buoy, retrieves the fender that went overboard, pushes the bow off a pontoon in a crosswind and fishes out a dropped phone if you are quick. Buy one that extends properly and lock the collar before you lean on it.
Shade and cold drinks decide how long you stay out
A Bimini top is a folding canvas canopy over the helm or seating area, and it is the accessory most often skipped by people who then come back three hours early. Sun on open water reflects as well as beats down, and a boat without shade is an endurance test after midday. Fitted properly, a Bimini also protects your upholstery and instruments, which is where it repays itself over years.
The marine cooler is worth distinguishing from a picnic cool box. Marine versions use thicker insulation, corrosion-resistant fittings and latches that survive being sat on, and they hold ice for days rather than hours. Size it to the space you have and then go one step smaller, because a full cooler is heavy and a boat cockpit is not a kitchen.
If you fish, two items change the odds
Rod holders come flush-mounted, clamp-on or rail-mounted, and the choice depends on whether you are willing to drill your boat. They keep rods secure while you are under way, stop tips being stood on, and free your hands for the actual work of moving the boat.
A fish finder uses sonar to show what is under the hull, and modern units combine it with GPS and chart plotting. Two things worth knowing before buying: the transducer position matters more than the screen specification, and even if you never catch anything, you now have a live depth reading, which is a navigation safety benefit in its own right.
Speakers and toys: bought first, useful last
Waterproof speakers built for marine use are sealed against spray, salt and UV, and connect over Bluetooth like any other. The reason to buy marine rated rather than borrowing an indoor speaker is simple: salt air destroys ordinary electronics quickly, and a cheap speaker replaced three times costs more than the right one bought once. Keep the volume within reason in anchorages, where sound carries far further than people realise.
Water toys, whether inflatable tubes, paddleboards or snorkel gear, are what makes a day memorable for anyone under fifteen. Two rules: never tow anyone without a spotter watching them and a driver watching the water, and everyone in the water wears a jacket regardless of how well they swim.
Before you order anything
Most of these items are available on Amazon and through chandleries, and the price spread between the cheapest and the mid-range option is often small compared with the difference in how long they last in salt. My rule of thumb: buy cheap on anything you could replace mid-season without consequence, buy well on anything that is holding the boat, keeping the sun off or keeping somebody afloat.
Measure before ordering. Bimini widths, cooler footprints, rod holder spacing and dock line lengths are all boat-specific, and returning bulky marine gear is more painful than measuring twice.
Questions from first-season owners
What is the minimum safety kit for a small boat?
A correctly sized life jacket per person, a throwable device on boats of 16 feet and over in United States waters, a first aid kit, a means of calling for help and a way to signal your position. Fire extinguishers, flares and sound signals are required depending on boat size and country, so check your local rules rather than a generic list.
Do I need a fish finder if I do not fish?
Not for fishing, but a depth sounder is genuinely useful in unfamiliar shallow water. Many small chart plotters include a basic sounder, which may be all you need.
How many dock lines should I carry?
Enough to secure the boat properly with two spares. Lines get lent, chafed and left on pontoons, and being short of one at the wrong moment is how boats end up rubbing against pilings overnight.
For anything exposed to salt, sun or load, generally yes. For soft goods stored below and used occasionally, often not.
Season over and all this gear still aboard?
Most of it should not stay on the boat over winter, and the boat itself needs preparing before the first hard frost.
Last updated: 5 August 2026. The safety equipment requirements cited are the United States federal rules for recreational vessels (33 CFR Part 175, with device approval standards in 46 CFR Part 160); individual states add their own rules, and requirements in other countries differ. Check the regulations that apply where you boat. Any installation involving drilling, wiring or through-hull fittings should be done by a professional if you are not confident.