Simple Ways to Make a Boat Deck Safer & More Comfortable

When you think of boat deck comfort, one of the first things that may come to mind is keeping your feet cool, which is a simple problem that can be solved easily.

Besides giving you hot feet, boat decks can be less comfortable in other ways, and also unsafe due to negligence. In this article, we’re going to focus on several very simple ways you may not have thought of to make a boat deck safer and more comfortable. 

Childproof Your Boat Deck

Before we get to some of the ways you may not have thought of to make a boat deck safer, let’s get the childproofing stuff out of the way. After all, children (especially infants and toddlers) like to touch everything!

Also, if you look away for even a moment, a child could easily fall overboard or just plain slip on the deck. So let’s start with the children first.

Most boats already have childproofing mechanisms built in, but nevertheless, here are some quick ways to make a boat deck safer for kids.

• Have child life vests on deck at all times, one for every child that’s yours and a few extra vests for the children of your guests.
• Cover all electrical outlets to keep children from poking around in them. It’s also a good idea to get a covered fuse block to prevent curious kiddies from snatching fuses.
• Keep cabin doors locked at all times to prevent kids from falling down the stairs, and from going up on deck while there are no adults topside. Also, keep cockpit doors locked as well as cabin doors.
• Lock all boat cleaning supplies safely away underneath the sink or in a cabinet, out of reach of curious little hands.
• Never leave the keys in the ignition, and use a kill switch with a lanyard to prevent children from firing up the engine.

Easy Ways to Make a Boat Deck Safer

Now that we got the childproofing out of the way, here are some very simple ways to make a boat deck safer for everybody onboard.

Keep Lines and Gear Secured

Whether it’s fishing or scuba gear, or docking or electrical lines, keep the deck clear of any obstacles people can bump into or trip over. Use a line organizer to keep dock, anchor and electrical lines neatly wrapped up. Also, have rod holders available on deck for the anglers, and keep fishing lines and tackle neatly stored away when not in use.

Use LED Lights

Something as simple as an LED light strip can make a boat deck safer to walk on by lighting the way in the dark. Companion way lights are also an easy and effective means of keeping obscure deck areas such as stairs, pathways and utility boxes lit. Add some LED rail lights for additional safety. And it doesn’t hurt to add a few puck lights to illuminate dark compartments on deck. 

Install Gate Latches

If your boat happens to be a pontoon, gate latches will help keep passengers from falling through them. These latches secure pontoon gates, which have a tendency to swing open when not properly secured. And of course children and tired (or drunk) adults like to lean on stuff, so leaning on the gates of a pontoon and accidentally pushing them open shouldn’t be a problem with these latches in place.

Use Color-Coding Tape

Something as simple as color-coding electrical tape can help make a boat deck safer. It can be used to mark or cover jagged edges, protrusions or slippery spots on the deck. Electrical tape is a temporary and cheap solution to point out hazards on your boat’s deck that can injure a passenger until you get them fixed. 

Get a Cooler Mounting Kit

To keep a cooler from being an obstacle in the way or from sliding around the deck, get a cooler mounting kit. It’s a cheap and easy to install accessory to secure a cooler in place and make a boat deck just a little safer. 

Grill and Accessories Storage Case

When you’re not using your boat grill and its sharp cooking tools, put them away in a padded grill storage case. This convenient storage case not only keeps your grilling gear and the grill itself in one space-saving location, but also makes it easy to transport them on and off the boat.

Easy Ways to Make a Boat Deck More Comfortable

Now that we’ve covered some easy ways to make a boat deck a little safer, let’s look at a handful of simple things you can do to make a boat deck more comfortable.

Get Folding Seats

Your boat probably already came with built-in, comfortable seats. However, folding seats help make a deck more comfortable, as they provide more room to move around when folded up while not in use. For even more deck space, or to have a spare seat available for unexpected guests, get a removable folding chair with swivel tripod stand. This chair can be set when it’s needed, and stored away in its carrying bag when it’s not. 

Get Removable Tables with Built-in Coasters

Of course with comfortable seats, you’ll want boat tables on deck for your guests to eat and drink on. As mentioned with the removable chairs, you can also get table kits with built-in coasters that can easily be mounted to accommodate extra guests, and then dismounted when not in use to provide more room to move around.

Get a Bimini Top

If your boat doesn’t have one already, the Bimini top is the best way to make a deck more comfortable in the sun. Not only does it protect you and your guests from harmful UV sunlight, plus wind and rain (and bird poop), but it also provides enough shade to keep bare feet cool. 

Lay Down Thick Wet Towels

You packed towels for drying yourself off after a dip in the water, but did you think to pack extra towels to put your feet on? Keep a handful of extra thick towels you don’t care about ruining that you can soak in water and lay out on the deck for passengers to step on.

Install a Washdown System

If you don’t want to throw wet towels all over the deck, get a washdown pump for your boat instead. These washdown systems are simply a water supply and a pump. And they’re not  only useful for keeping the deck floor cool and wet, but they’re also handy for clearing the deck of fish guts, weeds, dirt and other debris. Using a washdown system to get rid of slippery stuff on your boat’s deck can help make it more comfortable and safer. 

Add Traction Tape

Whether you call it non-skid or slip-resistant, traction tape is designed to improve cushioning and surface temperature along the flooring of a deck and on steps. It’s a cheap alternative to improve the safety and comfort of a boat’s deck.