Do you go boating regularly?
Maybe you head out on fishing trips, or you take the kids tubing. Perhaps you’re into water skiing, wakeboarding, or some other fun watersport. Whatever you enjoy, if you own a boat, you need certain accessories to make the most of your outings.
Whether it’s a necessity, a toy, or a novelty, here are six boating accessories boat owners can’t be without.
Top 6 Must-Have Boating Accessories
1. A bimini top
Bimini tops are essential for boating in the hot summer sun. These are canvas tops positioned above the cockpit of your boat in order to provide you with shade from the sun. They can be thin or wide, and it all depends on what you need for your boat. No matter what type of boat you have, you can find a bimini top made for your boat.
Protecting yourself from the sun is essential because you won’t feel the impact of a sunburn right away. It’s common for people to get sunburned without realizing it, and only find out the next day when the pain hits. A bimini top will protect everyone on your boat from the sun more than other methods like hats and visors.
2. A dog ramp or ladder
If you take your dog out on your boat, you need a dog ramp or ladder to help your dog get back into the boat. Even if your dog doesn’t usually swim, a ladder will be helpful if they fall in and need to get back in. It’s not easy to manually pull a dog into a boat, so having a ramp will make it easier for you and your dog.
Dog ladders for boats are made to hold a lot of weight; some of them are designed to hold up to 150 pounds. If you’re getting a heavy-duty ladder, you may need to bolt it down to your boat, but keeping your dog happy and safe is worth the extra work.
3. A portable power bank
While some people keep a generator on their boat, that’s not exactly the safest way to get power. However, carrying around a small, portable power bank is perfectly safe. While you won’t get as much power, you probably don’t need much power on your boat.
The items you might need to charge or power on your boat are all easy with a power bank. These items might include:
- Your cellphone
- A small fan
- A cooler
- A tablet or laptop
- A camera
Plus, any other small gadget you might want to bring on the boat. Most of these items can be easily charged with a simple power bank.
4. Sunglasses
Although sunglasses aren’t exactly an accessory for your boat, it’s a good idea to keep at least one pair of sunglasses on your boat at all times. If you go out with other people, you may want to keep several pairs on deck.
In a perfect world, you and everyone else would always remember to bring your sunglasses. However, sunglasses are something a lot of people tend to forget. You might even remember to bring your sunglasses, but leave them in the car when you launch your boat.
5. Seats with cup holders
Where do you put your drinks when you’re out on the water? If you’re out in a standard row boat, you don’t have many options. However, if you’re in a boat with seats, and those seats had built-in cup holders, you’d have the perfect place to keep your drinks secure.
If your boat doesn’t already have cup holders built into the seats, consider getting new seats or getting a cup holder that can be fastened into the middle of your seats to accommodate multiple drinks.
6. A table
Whether the table is bolted down or just something you’ve brought from home, a table will be a wonderful addition to your outings. You can use a table for playing card games, using your tablet, or writing notes. Chances are, at some point, you’ve thought about how you need a table. Why not at least get a small folding table that you can tuck away when not in use?
| Accessories will make your outings more fun Whether they’re practical or not, having the right accessories on your boat will make your outings more fun. Don’t hesitate to get the items you find useful or fun, and then search around for more. There could be a boating accessory out there that you don’t know exists, but when you see it, you’ll know it’s exactly what you need. |
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