Safety Gear Checklists for Your Whaler

Stock your boat with the necessities and stow any other items you think could come in handy. Use the following checklists to make sure you have everything you need to keep your crew safe or to help in the case of an emergency.

Items Required by Regulation

The U.S. Coast Guard requires certain items on your boat at all times.

❏      PFDs

❏      Fire extinguishers

❏      Visual distress signals

❏      Sound signals

❏      Ventilation on boats using gasoline

❏      Backfire flame control on boats using gasoline

Recommended Items

Outfitting your Whaler with the right items will help you and your crew stay safe. Your needs may change depending on where you boat.

For everyone:

❏      First-aid kit

❏      Watersports flag

❏      Anchor

❏      Sunscreen

❏      Extra water and food

❏      Boarding ladder

❏      Carbon monoxide detector

❏      A set of oars or a paddle

For boaters on nearshore waters:

❏      Float plan

❏      GPS

❏      Compass

❏      Depth finder

❏      Tool kit and safety knife

❏      VHF radio

For boaters on offshore waters:

❏      Everything above

❏      Searchlight and strobe light

❏      Radar and radar reflector

❏      Sea drogue

❏      Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)

❏      Man-overboard recovery gear

❏      Automatic identification system (AIS)

❏      Radio direction finder

❏      Long-range communication gear

❏      Weather information system

❏      An emergency position-indicating radio beacon station (EPIRB) or emergency locator beacon (ELB)