MUST HAVE Boat Essentials!

Here's my growing list of MUST HAVE sailing gear for living aboard as a family.

1. Turkish Towels are amazing! They are super lightweight, wick moisture away quickly, and dry even faster! They are large enough to wrap around as a light blanket if needed and fold up very small = super storage saver (and on a boat, that means a lot)! The fact that we can use these several times before washing is fantastic and saves this mama loads of laundry in the long run! I even took it a step further and tested these babies on our BVI trip last year. I never needed to use any of the towels the charter company provided. I cant' recommend these towels enough as I just LOVE them! In action in the BVI pic:

2. Biodegradable sunscreen is just a no-brainer. Protect your skin while protecting the environment at the same time. Here is one we used in the BVI:Biodegradable, Reef Safe Sunscreen  

There are quite a few others out there on Amazon.

3. Besides sunscreen, some other items to provide protection from the sun: 

Hats (preferably with a strap incase the wind picks up) These are what the kids have.  

Polarized sunglasses with a floating strap (no more lost sunglasses). I recommend the straps that float. These are the ones we have, but there are lots of other options out there. 

Long-sleeved rash guards are also a good idea. They help keep your skin protected while out in the water, as well as from stings from jellies.

4. Dry bags (waterproof storage): These help keep everything dry whether you are traveling from shore to the boat or just sightseeing in the dingy.

Dry Pack duffle bag

Dry Bag Backpack

Universal Waterproof Case

5. Boat toys:

SUPs: We got three stand-up paddle boards on sale at Costco last year and they are an awesome way to get around! Watch for their end of summer sales. We got ours for about $100 each, marked down from $400! We are bringing these with us, as well as a couple of surf boards (also purchased on sale at Costco).

Swing: We have a swing that can hang from the boom or one of the shrouds. Ours is similar to this one.

Hammock: We like to hang ours from the boom!

Beach Mat: This one is awesome! The sand just falls through to the bottom. We also have the tote that is made from the same material. No more bringing sand back on board!

That is the top of our list for now. We will add more as we go!