Spending the night on a boat is much more similar to camping than many boaters initially realize. Like camping, an overnight boat trip will require quite a bit of prep and planning to ensure you have everything you need once you’ve left the shore. If you’re making plans to spend the night on your vessel, you’ll want to read through our helpful overnight boating tips below!
Prep for Cold Weather
When camping outside on a warm summer night, you don’t often need more than a small blanket to keep you warm. However, this isn’t the case for overnight boat trips. Unlike the ground, which will retain some heat from the sun even after it’s set, water will quickly drop in temperature, cooling down the air around you. To ensure you don’t stay up all night shivering, you’ll need to bring plenty of blankets and sleeping bags to keep you warm.
Food and Water
Unless your boat has a cabin with a stove or microwave, you may have trouble preparing meals during your overnight trip. While portable stove tops or grills are helpful options, we advise bringing along a few cold-served dishes to keep in your cooler just in case. Just remember to leave enough space to bring along plenty of water for everyone as well.
Emergency Gear
If you’re docking far from shore for the night, we strongly encourage you to prepare for any emergencies that could possibly arise. This includes packing a first-aid kit, as well as other emergency gear, such as a radio, flare, and fire extinguisher. You’ll also want to be sure you have enough personal flotation devices for each of your passengers, as well as a throwable flotation device.
In need of a few accessories to help your overnight trip go off without a hitch? Then you’ll want to visit us here at Superior Boat Repair & Sales in Rancho Cordova and Homewood, California! Both of our convenient locations offer a wide variety of helpful accessories, parts, and boating equipment, and we proudly serve the nearby cities of El Dorado Hills, Roseville, and Folsom, California.
