20 Best Boating Essentials: The Ultimate List

Owning a reliable pair of binoculars for your boat is both a smart and safe thing to do, as well as something that can be fun to have on board.

It’s important to be able to recognize landmarks and find the shoreline or other boats when conditions are crummy or when your electronics fail. This pair of 7x marine binoculars by Hooway are a great option for adding to your boat’s gear.

They are completely waterproof and will float – because why would you purchase a pair of nocs for your boat that would be ruined by water or sink? This pair also employs a porro prism system for a particularly wide angle of view, great for observing the horizon line in an effective manner.

The non-slip rubber housing of these binoculars makes them nice to grip and also pretty rugged and shock absorbent. There’s also a tripod adapter included with this model for mounting this pair onto a unit for increased stability.

The most righteous feature of these binoculars is the internal compass and rangefinder — you can determine distance, size, and direction of objects with this pair. All in all, this is a pretty killer pair of binoculars at a great cost to have on board for an array of uses.

If you’re not using your boat for watersports then you’re missing out big time. The Big Bazooka by World of Watersports is a seriously fun tube.

You can ride it solo or pile on up to four people for a wild ride. I love this style of tube – essentially just flat on top. It makes for a really intense ride when there’s no cockpit on the tube and you’re totally exposed to the wake and wind.

The wide platform on this tube allows you to lay, sit, kneel or try whatever you’re feeling up for! The patented flex wing system even allows you to steer the tube with a little practice. Customer reviews claim this is not an easy tube to ride, the best kind!

Whipping some turns on this bad boy looks like a ton of fun – just don’t forget your lifejacket because you can plan on getting tossed!

If you can expect to get wet during your boating outings, then owning a couple of dry bags can be a smart move. A simple, but effective design, the modern PVC dry bag is great for storing and securing gear during wet weather or while rafting or boating.

This dry bag by Leader Accessories is perfect for keeping your sensitive gear away from the wetness, and it comes at an affordable cost. Available in seven different colors and sizes, (5 liter to 55 liter) there’s a Leader Accessories dry bag that’s right for you.

This type of storage should not be overlooked as equally effective for shielding your sensitive electronics and other gear from fine dust or sand as well. Leader Accessories also includes an adjustable shoulder strap on this model, so it can be used as a day-pack if you want to take it to shore with you.

When boating out to your favorite beach or rafting or paddling long distances on more rugged trips, stowing your gear in a couple of PVC dry bags will allow you and your crew to travel stress-free and in confidence.

This cup holder/rod holder combination by Robocup is a simple to use, yet brilliant innovation for boating.

It clamps onto round and flat surfaces up to about two inches in diameter using two powerful rubberized jaws. It’s a nifty cup holder that can come with you anywhere and doubles as a rod holder.

These are perfect for moving around the boat when and where you need them. The unit is made of polyresin material that resists sun damage and the springs are stainless steel as a precaution against rust. A lot of reviews show this unit mounted on the underside of fishing seats on the pole that runs from the seat to the deck.

Boaters love the ease of use and versatility of this unit – definitely a solid buy that can be used on and off your boat.

Having a nice quality multi-tool for your boat can save you a lot of frustration. The Ironwood Pacific DeckMate 6 in 1 Boat Tool is a highly reviewed item that a lot of boaters have fallen in love with.

It’s two deck keys, a shackle key, zipper pull screwdriver and hex driver all in one tool! The tool has a nice, comfortable grip that’s easily grasped compared to a lot of other tools, and it’s great for both right and left hand use.

The blades are stainless steel so it should hold up nicely in the long run. Customers insist this is the perfect tool for frozen shackles and tight gas caps. It’s nice having something onboard to get the job done the easy way rather than struggling to do boat maintenance and upkeep with mediocre tools.

One thing to mention about this tool is that it won’t float — so if you plan on adding it to your boating gear consider pairing it with a floaty key lanyard or something for floatation.

What’s boating without a grill? When it comes to searing steaks or cooking up some dogs, the Coleman Perfect Flow Grill Stove is all you need.

This simple and reliable unit is a great camp stove and grill all in one. The two in one design allows you to use the stove and grill at the same time, so you won’t waste any time cooking your meals. Coleman’s Wind Block panels help to shield the burners from wind and can also be folded down and used as side tables. I can’t speak enough about this feature — when battling high winds on the water it’s really helpful to have some built-in protection from frustrating gusts.

The Perfect Flow Grill/Stove puts out 20,000 total BTUs of cooking power, so there’s not really anything this unit can’t do in terms of boat cooking. It will fit up to a ten-inch pan on the stove and sports 130 square inches of grill space, so despite its compact size, you can cook a pretty decent amount of food on this bad boy!

It packs quite nicely and won’t take up a lot of cargo space compared to other grill units. One last thing to note is that this is a very fuel efficient unit – you won’t burn through fuel too fast with this one.

This pot and pan set by smart Cook is a great addition to any boat kitchen.

The titanium construction of this set makes it super light without sacrificing durability.  All the pieces are tasteless, odorless, and won’t corrode or rust. They are also non-allergenic for those who keep an eye out for that.

The lid-pan and pots can be nestled together to form a double boiler or can be used separately. The whole set nests together when storing so it breaks down nicely. This set will pack nicely if your boat is short on space.

It’s a great, lightweight cooking set that should last years with the proper care. This cookware set is also dishwater safe, so you may even consider using it in the home given the quality of the materials used.

Whether you’re an experienced fisherman with lots of knowledge surrounding fish finders or a beginner to maritime electronics, this piece of equipment by Garmin is probably a great fit for your boat. 

The Garmin Striker 4CV is very highly reviewed for being simple to use as well as highly effective and accurate. The three and a half inch color screen has a 480 by 320 pixel display resolution and provides a nice visual for what’s swimming around beneath your vessel.

High sensitivity GPS is built into this unit, so you can find your way back to the dock with this model as well as find fish with it.

Perhaps the best feature of a fish finder like this is its ability to mark and relocate fishing spots you want to return to. When you’re on the open water and you find some nice structure that holds fish, you want to be able to find it again.

There’s a transducer included here, so mount this bad boy up and get fishing! Although this model Garmin is inexpensive, don’t let the low price tag fool you into thinking it’s an inferior unit – a lot of boaters and fishermen praise the GPS and sonar for being more than adequate for their needs.

A reliable flashlight is a crucial piece of safety gear to have on board your boat. This waterproof, submersible flashlight by Stanley is a nice quality, affordable option for a boating light.

This spotlight is rechargeable and has up to a 10-hour runtime, so it’s in it for the long run when you need it. It puts out up to 520 lumens and is still about 50 percent smaller than most comparable spotlights.

This light will work underwater up to six feet, which could REALLY come in handy if you need to get underneath the boat and inspect what’s going on after dark. Your boat light might as well have underwater capabilities because you just never know what you might need it for!

Here’s a piece of safety equipment you definitely can’t go without on board your boat.

This fire extinguisher by Kidde could save disaster from striking on your vessel. This unit is less than three pounds and is only about a foot in length, so it should mount nicely somewhere on board with the help of a strap or bracket. This extinguisher is suitable for fighting liquid and energized electrical fires, and is US Coast Guard approved.

The discharge range is six to eight feet, so if you own a really large boat you may consider owning a fire extinguisher with a bit more power and volume. For the cost, this is a great buy for a piece of equipment you really oughta have on board for the safety of you and your passengers.

It goes without saying that your vessel needs to be equipped with life jackets. It’s the law in most places to have personal floatation devices on board for every passenger.

These life vests by Onyx are a great affordable option for adequate life jackets. Whether you need to purchase some life vests for your new vessel or are thinking of replacing your current set, these are highly reviewed, Coast Guard approved life vests that come at a very reasonable cost.

The lightweight foam construction and nylon oxford fabric make these jackets comfortable and easy to wear. There’s nothing particularly special about these jackets other than the low cost. These are regular, adjustable floatation devices that will fit most body builds and also pack nicely on board your boat.

If you’re looking for life vests that are more suited for watersports and provide a higher range of motion, then check out this rad model by O’Neill. For women who are looking for a life vest to tear up some water sports in, check out this model also by O’Neill.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been tubing with a poor quality tow rope. It makes a big difference in how the tube performs when you use a nice tube rope – and can be a lot safer than just tying up regular boat lines.

This (up to) four person tube rope has the option to be thrown either 50 or 60 feet behind the boat, so you can decide what’s best based on water and wake conditions. The 16 strand rope is 7/16 inches in diameter and already pre-stretched, so no more tight lines with no play.

This rope is also UV resistant, so it shouldn’t fray due to exposure from the sun. This line floats and has two pre set loops on each end for tying to the boat and to the tube making it really simple to use. AIRHEAD includes a rope keeper with this unit as well, so you can store it nicely.

Here’s a nifty dockline worth owning! This unit by AIRHEAD is highly reviewed by boaters for the convenience in docking it provides for smaller watercraft.

If your boat is under 4,000 pounds, then this bungee dockline might be a good fit for you. There’s a bungee cord hidden within the rope that acts as a built-in snubber and two foam floats at each end that keep the boat from chafing.

It’s a four-foot line that will stretch up to five and a half feet (larger sizes available too!). The tensile strength on this dockline is 2,150 pounds. If your boat gets knocked around by pylons, cleats or other boats – then this could be a good buy. For the cost, this is a pretty convenient item to have on board depending on how and where you dock your boat.

Boaters often overlook the importance of maintenancing the upholstery and interior surfaces of their watercraft.

The interior and deck space of your boat will last far longer and continue to look spic n’ span with a little help from some nice quality protectant spray – especially if you are boating on saltwater. Whether your deck has surfaces made of fiberglass, plastic, rubber, vinyl or leather, this protectant spray by 303 is meant to keep everything looking mint!

Applying this spray protects against fading, discoloration and cracking from the sun, and also repels against dust and stains. It’s a rinse-free formula that’s non-greasy, non-toxic and odorless. This product is water based and minimally detrimental to the environment too, so it’s a safe product to use!

There’s an array of size options offered by 303 at a very reasonable rate here, so check out how this product cleans up your boat and look sharp out on the water!

Having a mask and snorkel to do some free diving can be really fun. Depending on where you are, there may be a lot to look at underwater. When visibility is good, it’s like entering a whole different world with a nice mask on.

Another thing to consider is if you need to get in the water and inspect your hull or engine – you’re gonna need a mask or goggles. This snorkel and mask set by Phantom Aquatics is a great value, and honestly a pretty decent option for serious scuba divers as well.

I myself am a certified diver, and I and a lot of my diving buddies prefer a single lens design rather than masks that separate the lens for each eye. By having only one lens, your field of vision is more fluid and not split by a divider. Furthermore, the lens on this mask curves around the side housing in order to give you a truly panoramic view.

The mask material is silicone, and customer reviews give the comfortability rating a thumbs up. I was taught to always rub regular toothpaste on the inside of a new mask lens before initially using it in order to ensure the mask won’t fog up on you. The toothpaste removes the residues left over from manufacturing that can cause your mask to fog up.

The snorkel here is pretty standard, but it does include a purge valve which is a nice feature. For the cost, this set is a great buy and with the proper care (make sure to rinse with fresh water after use in the ocean!) it should last you years of underwater exploring.

You should never leave home for a boating trip without a complete first aid kit. This 115 piece kit by Reebow Tactical Gear speaks for itself – it’s got just about everything you need to patch yourself and your buddies up in the event of a minor accident, or to get you to adequate medical care in the case of a more serious injury.

The compact and portable bag is about eight inches by five inches and the total weight is approximately one pound. You can’t really trim down a first aid kit any more than this without starting to leave important items out.

There are a few items in particular that could make this kit a good fit for your boat. A rescue whistle, a compass, a light-stick, and disposable raincoat gives this first aid kit the edge over others for outdoor purposes.

This kit comes from a trusted manufacturer at a reasonable price, so whether you want to add some of the included items to your existing medical supplies or need a place to start, this first aid kit is up for the task.

This might not exactly be considered a boating essential… but you can count on popping open some cold ones when you’re out enjoying a day on the water.

I find it’s nice having a bottle opener mounted somewhere on board rather than having to go looking for one every time you want to crack a beer. This stainless steel wall mount bottle opener by Barware Gear is ideal for use on a boat.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make your boat, your boat – so customizing your deck space to accommodate for your style of boating is everything!

The stainless steel material of this opener should ensure it holds up despite the influence of salt water. If it’s “beer thirty” for most of the day on your boat, then go ahead and add an opener on deck!

Having good lines on board your watercraft is really underrated. Having nice quality dock lines is a wise choice for any serious boater.

This double braid nylon dock line by SeaSense is a highly reviewed, affordable option for lashing up your vessel. This line is available in 3/8 to 5/8 inch thickness and 15 to 25-foot length, so there are options that support medium to heavy loads.

There are several color options available but I would recommend the blue line for greatest visibility in low light. Customer reviews insist this line both has a soft feel and holds up to salt and sun. It won’t fray after just a season of use assuming you’re using the line properly.

This product is very reasonably priced considering the quality of the materials used and the potential to last for years.

This powerful little speaker by Boombotix will ensure your day of boating has music. This portable, weatherproof speaker sounds really great for the size and cost – and you won’t be disappointed with how tough this little boom-box is.

I’ve included this portable speaker in several of my top lists because of how versatile, inexpensive and resilient to water and impact it is! I purchased this speaker about 3 years ago, and it has played countless hours of music for me. The powerful clip on the backside of the speaker makes it easily mounted on whatever you’d like! I take mine fishing and to the beach on a regular basis and it sees a lot of splash and a lot of sand – but nothing has stopped it yet.

I like the idea of having a portable speaker for boating rather than an installed sound system because it can come with you on and off the boat if you plan on docking your vessel and hitting the beach for part of the day. On a full charge, my Boombotix will play music for around eight hours – pretty killer battery life if you ask me.

If your favorite music device doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilities then fear not, you can use the auxiliary plug. This speaker can even be “daisy-chained” to other Boombotix speakers for more volume output.

All in all, if you want to bring some music along on your boating excursions this season, definitely check out this tough, dependable and LOUD speaker by Boombotix.

You’re going to need a large cooler for your days on the water. Whether you’re filling an ice chest with the day’s catch and need to keep your fish fresh, or just want to ensure all your beers will stay cold through the day, this unit by Igloo is a solid option for a boat cooler.

There’s a wide array of size options available from 25 quart to 162 quart, so there should be something here sized right for your vessel. I think the 128 quart unit is an ideal size for packing food and drink for larger groups.

The dimensions on this unit are 43 inches long by 18 inches deep and wide – so there’s a good bit of space in there. There’s a stain and odor resistant liner as well as a threaded drain plug for a hose hook up.

A ruler on the top side of the cooler allows you to conveniently measure fish on the spot, and Igloo even includes a cutting board and food tray with this model.

The price is a bit steep, but the quality and durability is what you’re paying for. When you’re spending long days on the water, it’s important to have a nice quality cooler that won’t be full of water instead of ice by days end.