What to bring with me?
#11
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Location: Chesapeake Bay
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Start with USCG required equipment,
http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/reqequip.htm
A few items I keep on board in addition are:
-First Aid Kit
-Water
-Tool Kit
-Few Qts of Oil / Drive lube
-Spare Belts (I keep a set of season old belts in my tool kit)
-Water Pump Impeller (again, I keep last years)
-Cap and Rotor (Ditto)
-Spare Prop and hub
-Hand Held VHF / GPS in my emergency kit
-Paper Charts (depending on where you are going)
-Spare fenders for when people want to tie up with $.99 walmart specials
-Plenty of dockline
-Anchor - When we boat at out home lake, it is very shallow so I keep a smaller anchor with a short line on it just to make life easier when we toss it at the sandbar.
I'm sure there is more... Sounds liek a ton of crap but almost all of it fits under the cabin step, and I keep a "go bag" with the first aid, VHF, etc in it in case of an emergency.
A lot will depend on the environment in which you boat. We are planning a trip in a few weeks accross the Gulf of Mexico to Key West, so we are a bit over prepared for a typical day on the lake, but it's easier to have it all and not need it than to not have it.
Hope this helps!
http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/reqequip.htm
A few items I keep on board in addition are:
-First Aid Kit
-Water
-Tool Kit
-Few Qts of Oil / Drive lube
-Spare Belts (I keep a set of season old belts in my tool kit)
-Water Pump Impeller (again, I keep last years)
-Cap and Rotor (Ditto)
-Spare Prop and hub
-Hand Held VHF / GPS in my emergency kit
-Paper Charts (depending on where you are going)
-Spare fenders for when people want to tie up with $.99 walmart specials
-Plenty of dockline
-Anchor - When we boat at out home lake, it is very shallow so I keep a smaller anchor with a short line on it just to make life easier when we toss it at the sandbar.
I'm sure there is more... Sounds liek a ton of crap but almost all of it fits under the cabin step, and I keep a "go bag" with the first aid, VHF, etc in it in case of an emergency.
A lot will depend on the environment in which you boat. We are planning a trip in a few weeks accross the Gulf of Mexico to Key West, so we are a bit over prepared for a typical day on the lake, but it's easier to have it all and not need it than to not have it.
Hope this helps!
Take a Coast Guard Auxillary Safe Boating Course with your Wife or Crew Mate.
Teach your Crew Mate/Wife how to drive and operate the Boat and read the gauges and understand them.
Teach them to back up the Trailer if applicable.
Definitely charts if applicable to your area.
Cell Phone and Charger
AA AAA Batteries
Flashlight(s)
Duck Tape
Spare Hose Clamps
Spark Plug Wrench in the Tool Kit
Zip Ties - varied lengths and gauges
Kill Switch Tether
Pad or Paper and Pen/Pencil
Extra Sunglasses/Goggles for Guests
Micro Fiber Cloths for cleaning your Glasses only!
Seperate Detail Kit & Cloths for Hull exterior/Interior
303 Vinyl Protector with dedicated Micro Fiber
WD 40
2 Anchors if you have room, much safer in long term raft ups or overnites.
A Throwable Cushion/Preserver
Plenty of Double Braided Lines at least 2 as long or longer than your boat, I keep plenty (over 4 for my 28) and several 20' and 25' for Spring Lines and Raft Ups.
Dont whimp out on the lines or Fenders, size them correctly...going small is going to add chips to your gel or someone elses.
Spring Loaded Plunger / Grabber - available in Auto Parts Stores for retrieving the dropped screw or whatever in the inaccessible areas of the Bilge or where ever? They store coiled up in the tool box.
Soft Boat Cooler - won't bounce around and damage boat, and tends to stay planted in rougher conditions...ask me how I know this?

As you know or will learn there is no substitute for "Seat Time" so when you are out, and think of something or see something write it down. To be honest...getting outfitted is really a process and its not cheap..but if you start out with the essentials the rest will be easy to determine.
Also alot of the items you may just want to have in the Tow Vehicle and not carry on the boat...again thats something only you can determine.
I also highly recommend a Towing Service for wherever you boat or will boat.
As every one knows, there are really only 2 kinds of Boaters, those that have been towed in and those that will be towed in.

Good Luck, Be Safe and Enjoy Your Boat.
Danny

#14
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2 broads( in case one passes out)
2 cases of Bud light( Cans, no bottles allowed, they break)
Bag of Doritos(Lunch and dinner)
Boom box( A back up when you kill the boat battery)
Oh, and a multi purpose 5 gallon bucket:
For the broads to throw up in at night and
For the broads to pee in at the 5AM hour
You may think this is quite an extensive list, but it is ALL needed as a new boater!
2 cases of Bud light( Cans, no bottles allowed, they break)
Bag of Doritos(Lunch and dinner)
Boom box( A back up when you kill the boat battery)
Oh, and a multi purpose 5 gallon bucket:
For the broads to throw up in at night and
For the broads to pee in at the 5AM hour
You may think this is quite an extensive list, but it is ALL needed as a new boater!

Last edited by kreed; 04-13-2011 at 04:55 PM.
#19
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2 broads( in case one passes out)
2 cases of Bud light( Cans, no bottles allowed, they break)
Bag of Doritos(Lunch and dinner)
Boom box( A back up when you kill the boat battery)
Oh, and a multi purpose 5 gallon bucket:
For the broads to throw up in at night and
For the broads to pee in at the 5AM hour
You may think this is quite an extensive list, but it is ALL needed as a new boater!
2 cases of Bud light( Cans, no bottles allowed, they break)
Bag of Doritos(Lunch and dinner)
Boom box( A back up when you kill the boat battery)
Oh, and a multi purpose 5 gallon bucket:
For the broads to throw up in at night and
For the broads to pee in at the 5AM hour
You may think this is quite an extensive list, but it is ALL needed as a new boater!

#20
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Western Ma.
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Saw this and thought of a couple more to add to stowage list that i don't see here.
Trash bags.... priceless when you need one
Koozies
Apirin.. if not in first aid kit
sunscreen
Trash bags.... priceless when you need one
Koozies
Apirin.. if not in first aid kit
sunscreen