5 Essential Boating Safety & Survival Accessories

When it comes to essential boating accessories, the old saying “safety first” really should be applied to whatever you to add to your boat.

We’re all for having cool stuff on your boat too, but we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t put together a list of the some of the most basic, bare minimum, yet crucial boating safety and survival accessories. Here are 5 essential safety and survival accessories you should have on your boat. 

Life Jackets/Vests

We’ve covered boating safety equipment at length, and life jackets/vests are usually at the top of the list. That’s because not only are they required by law, but it’s just common sense to have at least one life jacket or personal flotation device for each person on board.

Throwable Personal Flotation Devices

Speaking of personal flotation devices, it’s not enough to have wearable devices like life jackets and vests. You should also have throwable PFDs such as life rings and floating cushions. These safety devices come in handy for people who have fallen overboard, and are usually tied to a rope or line to make it easier to pull them back in. 

Noisemakers 

While visual distress signals such as flares and orange smoke are highly recommended, it’s always good to have a little backup. Situations may arise where you can’t be seen but still be heard, and that’s where noisemakers like air horns and whistles come in. Keep these safety accessories on board for emergency situations such as foggy conditions, so your distress call can be heard even if your visual signals fail or you’re not readily visible to potential rescuers.

Search Lights

We just mentioned visual distress signals, and one you should always have readily available is a search light. At the risk of sounding redundant, situations may arise where you’re not immediately visible to rescuers, so having a search light on you makes it easier to signal for help. A portable search light you can attach to a life jacket is ideal, as it’ll make you visible to others if you fall into the water and can’t get back on the boat. 

USCG-Approved Boating Safety Kits

Why buy individual boating safety accessories when you can get the total package? There are boating safety Coast Guard Kits that come with life jackets, first-aid kits, air horns, boat fenders, ropes and more, depending on the kit. And if you don’t need a comprehensive kit because you already have life jackets and whatnot, there are cheaper, smaller kits that come with just a few items such as flashlights and whistles. 

These are just a handful of basic safety and survival items we recommend having onboard your vessel. Boats.net carries these and many other marine safety and survival accessories at discounted prices for safer boating experiences.