For the safety of the captain and everyone on board, there are a few items that should be on every boat! Life jackets are a must for each person on the boat, and they should be stored where they can be grabbed easily. The captain may even want to require everyone to just keep them on. Don’t forget pets! Most dogs swim naturally, but they can get tired.
A throwable life ring is another item to keep on board a boat so it can be tossed to someone in the water to pull them in.
Fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, signal flags, and a horn or whistle that can be used during fog to alert other boaters are also essential items on board a boat. Finally, boaters should make sure they have a way to communicate with shore – a cell phone, satellite phone, radio, or another communication device is important!