Boating Supplies

You’re ready for a relaxing day out on the water, but you’re wondering what boating supplies you’re going to need. You’ve already got all the necessary boating supplies to make your boat legal, but what will you need for a really great getaway?

The first thing you need to consider when it comes to boating supplies is who will be with you on this excursion? Are you bringing your family, a bunch of friends, or will it just be you and that special someone? That makes a difference. It also matters if you will be on just a day outing or an overnight one. Let’s look at each scenario.

For a family boating trip, the supplies you’ll need should reflect the needs of everyone. You’ll want some healthy foods for snacking like trail mix, cut-up vegetables with a low-fat ranch dip, and some fruit. If you want to make the day special, consider some junk food as well. Bring along lots of water and juices for the kids. Try to stay away from the soda as you don’t want some hyperactive kids running around!

When cruising with a group of friends, boating supplies will be a lot different. Cruising with friends is usually a party time, so have along some snacks that are considerably more grown-up. Get a cheese and cracker platter, but have a place to keep it cool so the cheese doesn’t spoil. Chips and dip are good choices as are finger sandwiches like ham salad and egg salad.

Beverages will probably be quite different as well. Have lots of coolers on hand to hold canned beer, some wine coolers, and soda for your non-drinking friends. As a note here, if you are driving the boat, consume alcohol moderately or you risk a boating while intoxicated violation.

What if it’s just two people on a romantic sunset cruise? Boating supplies necessary for this type of excursion should be in keeping with the romantic atmosphere you want to create. Have some strawberries and champagne for toasting each other. Again, some fine cheese is good as are aphrodisiacs like oysters and shrimp. Candles really make the atmosphere romantic as you can watch the sun set while floating on the water.

A day trip will require much fewer boating supplies than an overnight trip. On a day trip, you won’t need to plan for multiple meals. If you are over-nighting, have some easy breakfast foods around like granola bars, fruit, and bagels. Lunches should be simple with sandwiches and some chips. You can go crazy at dinner if you want, but we would suggest finding a great stop-off along the way with a waterside restaurant where you won’t have to worry about dishes!

Boating supplies are more than just life jackets and tow ropes. When you look at boating supplies from a different perspective, you see that the essential supplies are the ones that help make your day on the water a real trip to remember!