There are just under 12 million recreational water vessels registered for use in the United States. That’s a lot of people getting out there and enjoying the water.
The question is, are you getting all that you can out of your boat?
We’re willing to bet you’re not.
Check out this list of the coolest boat accessories. We’re confident you’ll find a few that will make your time out on the water more enjoyable.
1. Boat Grill
What are you eating when you go out on your boat? If it’s cold sandwiches, then it’s time to amp up your food game. What you need is a boat grill.
Most of the models you’ll find on the market today have a mount that fits into any standard fishing pole holder. There are also some models that hook onto your railing.
Now you can torture your fellow boaters as you grill up fresh hamburgers, hotdogs, or kabobs. Or if you’re really on your fishing game, you can cook up some fresh fish that you just caught.
2. Towable Tubes
Nothing is more fun than riding on a tube, wind in your hair, water splashing your face. The boat then takes a turn, and you feel the G forces as you try to hold on. Eventually, your grip gives out and you go flying through the air and end your ride with a splash.
Whether you get a small two-person tube or a larger four or six-person tube, just make sure your boat can handle towing it. You’ll also want to make sure you have the proper tow rope.
3. Boat Towing Membership
Ok so this isn’t necessarily an accessory, and it isn’t exactly fun. But before you scoff consider this:
You’ve spent the day out on the water having a blast with your family. Now you’re all hot and tired and ready to go home.
The problem is you’re turning the boat engine on, but nothing is happening. Now, what do you do?
If you have a boat towing membership the answer is easy, you call them up and get a tow back to shore. You will save a boatload of money by having their membership.
You may never need the service, but if the day ever comes when you do, you’ll be relieved to have it.
4. Stabilizer
This used to be a tool that was reserved only for the most luxurious of cruise liners. Today though it’s one of the hottest trends of 2019.
You can now get a stabilizing system for your boat. It’s a gyro system that counters the waves of a rolling sea.
A flywheel rapidly spins in response to the motion of the water. As it does this, you’ll go from feeling like you’re on the high seas to sitting at your kitchen table.
5. Floating Pad
These aren’t the personal rafts that you are familiar with. Gone are the days of floating around while you struggle to stay on top of your tiny raft.
Instead, have a floating island that is capable of supporting your entire group. These mats are somewhere around 15 feet long and 6 feet wide.
They are made of a durable, dual layer, heavy-duty polyolefin foam. This means that you could all pile on and get a good tan without fear of it sinking.
Or you could roll it out in the early morning and do your ab workout. Imagine the muscle definition you would get from that kind of exercise.
6. Lithium Marine Batteries
It doesn’t matter if you’re on a luxury yacht or a tiny trolling flats boat, if you’re battery dies, you’re dead in the water. That lead acid battery you depend on is old and outdated technology.
Upgrade your boat with a lithium battery. Instead of lasting 300 daily cycles like your old battery, a lithium one lasts 5,000 or more. Not convincing enough? Check out this link for more reasons why lithium batteries are the future of marine batteries:
7. LED Lighting
Some hardcore boaters may diss this accessory saying that it is too flashy. Don’t listen to them; they’re just jealous.
One of the hottest trends in boating is LED lighting. They are durable, safe, long lasting, and have a low power draw.
You can install them on the outside of your boat and turn them on when night comes. They’ll light up the water around your boat, and you can see the fish life come alive around your hull.
Or you could install them on the interior of your boat. Mount them on deck so that the deck has a nice glow. This will increase visibility which increases safety.
You can find ready-made kits that come with everything you need to install the lights yourself. That means you’ll get the lights, wiring, required fuses, and maybe even a remote control.
8. GPS
What if you could track your specific location with a large full-color display? Then you could mark every point where you find good fishing. Or you could mark a secret sandbar that only appears at low tide.
This is the ideal accessory for any fisherman. To make them even better, most newer models today come with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities. This allows for real-time mapping abilities.
For complete tracking abilities, look for one that offers Sonar for both below and to the sides of the boat. This will give you the most coverage of the water below.
Trick out Your Watercraft with Boat Accessories
As summer approaches take some time to plan how you’re going to upgrade your boating experience with these boat accessories. So what accessory is going to complete your experience?
Boating isn’t just fun; it also has a ton of health benefits.