OUR FAVORITE GEAR

Every item here is something we use daily—on our boats, in vanlife, or while working at sea. When we first moved aboard, we were told we’d need all new specialty gear, but we found that most things work just as well on the water as they do on land. We always try to use what we already own before buying new. Click any item for details, or visit our AMAZON STORE for more.

Super Lightweight Dry Bag

In our work and play, we have used a huge variety of dry bags. Most are bulky, stiff, and heavy. These super-light ones pack down small and weigh next to nothing. They are made of ultra-light fabric and, in years of use, haven’t leaked a drop. We make sure to roll them up with lots of air inside so they will float if they fall in the water. We have two of the 8-liter size.

Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Maker

When we want to make a lot of coffee and keep it warm for a while, we use our all-stainless-steel French press. We’ve had it for years, and it has held up great. Makes great coffee, is double-walled for insulation, and best of all, has no glass to break. I keep it handy in the basket on the left side of the stove.

Wine Aerator and Stopper

These are the perfect travel wine accessory. They cap the bottle and make your wine taste better. Try a blind taste test, aerated wine is better. Aerator, pour-spout, filter, and leak-proof bottle stopper. Reseals opened bottles to keep wine fresh longer.

Salish Sea Pilot Cruising Guide

An interactive, digital cruising guide in PDF format with beautiful chartlets of all anchorages, including where to shore-tie or drop the hook. This isn’t a static book.
It’s a fully interactive cruising guide where you can tap to jump to destinations, tap to navigate different anchorages,  and tap to explore.

Storage Bins with Lid

Rechargeable Lighter

It’s an electric lighter, so you can use it in any conditions – there is no flame and no fuel. It’s also waterproof and rechargeable via USB. It has an extendable flexible neck and an LED battery-level indicator. The lanyard even has a whistle. Great for camping and emergency kits. For everyday use, I have this lighter-only version.

Circuit Breaker Markers

We saw these on our friends’ boat (a beautiful Monk 36 named Mystique), and I wish we had known about them when we still had Limerick. After Mike redid our entire electrical system, these would have been the icing on the cake. Colored breaker pins mark which breakers should be kept on/off, or which ones to turn on before getting underway, or when leaving the boat. You can also get toggle guards to prevent breakers from being switched on or off — great for circuits that should never be turned on/off.

No More Toilet Stink

When we first bought Limerick, she had very old (stinky) head hoses. Before replacing the hoses, we let this digester sit in the hoses and were able to control the stink. This stuff doesn’t just cover up bad odors but liquifies sludge and neutralizes odors. Unlike harmful chemicals or perfumes, it creates an aerobic environment that is environmentally safe.  Now we use a dash a day to keep everything running smoothly. The result? Zero head odors.

Folding Chairs

I really don’t like sitting on those quad chairs that fold into a tube-shaped bag. Sure, they are easy to store, but they are so uncomfortable – you sit all hunched over and can’t lean back. These chairs fold flat, so they are still easy to store, but they are also super comfy, and you can lean back in them. Not as low to the ground as a beach chair either. But be careful when you have a campfire – the mesh melts easily when an ember lands on it. Here we are on the bow of the Alaska ferry on our trip north.

Folding Table

We keep this little folding table and a couple of these folding chairs in our minivan at all times because we often end up having an impromptu picnic. They are also great on the boat because they fold flat and are easy to take to the beach or set up on the back deck.

Not Your Average Towel

These are Turkish towels. I can store six of these in the space of about one fluffy towel, which also makes them great for travel. They are much larger than your average bath towel, they get softer and more absorbent with every wash, and they dry very quickly. They can also function much like sarongs – as cover-ups or for shade. You can get a set of six for about $50.

Sarong

Not only useful to cover up on the beach, but great as a lightweight beach towel and to add more shade to the cockpit. I got this beautiful one in Hawaii, but Amazon has a huge variety. Make sure you attach them with these clothespins I also linked below – they are amazing!

Chafe Protection

Sometimes when we tie up to shore, our dock lines have to be led around a corner. That chafes the lines and the fiberglass. These glue-on stainless steel protectors work great. The glue has held up for over four years now. We just wish we had known about this product on our sailboat.

Dyson Cord-free Vacuum

This thing is a life-changer. I love how small it is, yet I can use it as a regular upright. And I can use it at anchor when we don’t have 110v power. And all those cabinets with the louver doors? Easy to clean now! The only complaint I have is that the charge doesn’t last long enough. I have the 20-minute model, but I should have bought the 40-minute model.

Waterproof Backpack

There is no such thing as a dry dinghy ride! This backpack keeps our stuff DRY. We have the large blue one, and it fits a ton of food or gear. Most dry bags don’t have comfortable straps, so when you are hauling a lot of groceries back to the boat, it can get uncomfortable fast. This is a real backpack with padded straps. If it’s not available, try this one or this one.

Dinghy Tub/Basket

We use it to transport all of our beach gear in the dinghy – sandy towels, snorkel gear, etc. Easy to rinse the sand off the bottom, and keeps things from sliding all over the dinghy floor.

Anti-Fatigue Galley Mat

I wanted a galley rug that would be easy to clean and stay in place. With the fridge and most cabinets below the counter, I seem to spend a lot of time on my knees in the galley. The mat is thick and cushy and really saves my knees. Before I had it, I was developing bruises on my knees! We have another one in the engine room, since that is another place where we spend a lot of time on our knees.

Laundry Dryer

Great for small personal items you might not want to hang on the rail for the world to see. Folds up like an umbrella. If it’s raining, I hang it in the shower stall.

Outdoor Blanket

Great for chilly and damp nights in the cockpit or taking to on a beach picnic. The outside can get wet, yet the inside stays dry. When we are camping, I fold it and line my chair with it to keep warm. Works better than this towel.

Quakehold/Museum Putty

I use this to secure decorative items. Sticks well and doesn’t leave any residue when you want to remove it. It’s not for things that hang on the wall but rather items that are standing up and you want to stop them from sliding around – such as this vase of flowers. Also, note how I stop my wine glasses from breaking with a rubber band.

Removable Hooks

If I need a hook, I add it; if it’s in the wrong place, I move it. Simple, strong, and no holes in the boat. I found that it’s best to wait overnight before hanging heavy items. I like the ones with the metal finish for highly visible locations like my galley.

Portable Inverter

We use this in the car to power the laptop or other gear for which we only have a 110V charger. Also used it on our smaller boats where we didn’t have a full-sized inverter. Be sure to check the wattage needed by your laptop before buying.

Solar-powered Cafe Lights

They recharge during the day and turn on by themselves after the sun goes down. And since they are LED, one charge lasts all night. We use them on the boat and in the van, wherever we need a little extra lighting or ambiance. The solar panel detaches from the light string so I can prop it up on the dashboard to charge while we’re underway.

Traction Socks

Sometimes my feet get chilly, but slippery socks can be dangerous on a boat’s wood floors and decks. These socks have little rubber nubs on the bottom.

Waterproof Solar Flashlights

They are waterproof and recharge with the sun or USB. They also act as a battery bank to charge your phone. We keep one in the dinghy and one in the car. What more can you ask for?? We love these flashlights!

Silicone Pan Lids

Take up a lot less space than regular lids and can be used between pots and pans to stop rattling and scratching. The handles can get a little hot, though.

Dremel Tool

A Dremel comes in handy in a myriad of projects! The more accessories, the better. Mike uses it all the time to grind and sand things.

Microfiber Bathmats

Very cushy on the feet and non-skid on the bottom. Also, it’s microfiber, so it can absorb a lot of water.

Liquid Bandage

It’s waterproof, so you can continue swimming if staph is a danger. Also lets the skin breathe. There is a little brush inside, so we have one for each of us. Do not buy the spray-on kind – it’s expensive and empty in no time.

Handmixer

12-volt galley gadgets are too expensive, and how long do you really need to mix the cake batter? Our inverter has always been able to handle the 110-volt hand mixer.

Silicone Baking Pans

I have a loaf pan and an 8×8 pan. Easy to store because they are flexible, don’t make any noise underway, and are quite non-stick. Easy to clean up, too!

Handheld GPS as an anchor alarm

Want to be able to sleep well at anchor? Get a handheld GPS! It has an anchor alarm and draws a track of your location all night long. Who wants to get out of bed every time the chart plotter alarm goes off?  After a scare with a dragging anchor, we got smart. You don’t need an expensive unit, just one that can draw a track and has an anchor alarm.

Grip Clip Clothes Pins

They are a bit pricey, but after losing a few clothes overboard due to cheap clothespins, I feel they are well worth it! One single pin easily holds a towel in a blow. If you want to avoid plastic, these stainless steel clothespins look great, but I haven’t tried them. If you buy them, let me know how they work out.

Beach Umbrella

While living and working in Florida for half a year, we learned what makes a good umbrella. Too many people struggle on the beach to keep their umbrellas upright in the wind.  It has a screw at the bottom, so it easily screws into the sand and stays put. We use this umbrella everywhere. On the beach, on the boat, in the dinghy. To keep the sun at bay and even to keep us dry. The trade winds don’t knock this thing over. Tip: I paid a lot less at Costco.

Pressurized Outdoor Shower

Kind of expensive but much better material than those black solar shower-bags and no need to find a place to hang it – just use the foot-pump. And it packs down tiny to boot. Though I have to admit, on the boat we use a 5-gallon bucket to rinse on the swim-step. Using a cup, we have more control of how much water to dump where (and we know exactly how much water we are using). But Mike loves this thing after going surfing!

Post-Beach Rinse and Van Mat

Mud and sand fall right through the holes instead of sitting on top, so you aren’t tracking grit back into the van every time you step inside. We also use these as a beach rinse-off station for the minivan—plenty of space to stand while peeling off a wetsuit. Since each tile is 12 x 12 inches, you can snap them together to make any size mat you need. And with 12 different colors available, you can get creative.

Gear or Fruit Hammock

We have two of these in the car. One for each of us. When we are camping in the minivan, they act as a nightstand and provide space for our clothes. And we also use them when we are not camping for hats, gloves, towels, etc. Our car is always ready for an adventure. Many people use these for fruit on their boats.

Inflatable Pedal Kayak

You can pedal, paddle, or stand-up paddle. Since it’s inflatable, it is easy to store or take on a plane or car. It’s very stable, and the seat is super comfortable and dry. I love it because pedaling leaves my hands free to take photos. The best part is that it can’t leave dings in the fiberglass.

Kindle eReader

I can’t say enough times how much I love my Kindle. No need to carry bulky books we have no space for, and I can read in bed in the dark. And this new one is waterproof! And the best part is, I never pay for books since I can get them from my library. Check out how to get free library books for your Kindle.

Plastic Dish Tubs

We use these for everything! To hold tools and parts while doing projects, laundry,  cleaning fish, muddy shoes, rinsing gear, camp sink, temporary aquarium, etc….  We have several, and when not in use, they stack neatly while the top one can still be used for storage.

Waterproof Sling Bag

Perfect bag/purse for the dinghy. I can put my phone in the clear, outside pocket, which allows me to use the phone for navigation. There’s enough room inside for keys, wallet, and a few other miscellany, so I don’t need to haul a backpack or drybag. It’s not a fashion statement, and I’m still searching for something that actually looks nice, but this is the best I have been able to find.

Rechargeable Headlamp

I’m sure everyone knows how useful headlamps are, but these have removable, rechargeable batteries. We have several batteries for our two headlamps, so we can use the headlamp while another battery is charging via USB. It even has a glow-in-the-dark ring to help you find it in the dark, and both white and red light modes.