Picture this -- It's a hot, sunny summer day and you are out on a boat, surrounded by your closest friends and family, with a cold drink in one hand and the breeze blowing through your hair. Your favorite music is playing and you have a cooler full of snacks. Does anything really sound better?
Boat days are truly one of the best ways to spend a hot summer day. Not to mention, going out on a boat is a safe way to gather with friends while remaining socially distant from others. For this reason, boating has become a hot commodity in places all over the world, as it’s a safer way to vacation in 2021. But whether you’re going boating in a tropical island in the middle of the ocean or just your local beach town, it’s important to go prepared. Once you are out in the water, there is no turning back if you forgot something. Go prepared with these 7 must-haves for spending the day on the boat.
UV rays are extra high in the middle of the ocean, so you’ll want to bring plenty of sunscreen. Apply sunscreen before you leave, but also bring some to the boat. You’ll want to reapply throughout the day, especially if you are going to be jumping in and out of the water.
Take it a step further to protect yourself from the sun and bring a hat. You don’t want to come back from your boat day, look in the mirror, and realize you’re as red as a lobster. Consistently reapply sunscreen to your face and wear a hat for extra protection. A men’s wide brim sun hat from Sunday Afternoons will keep your face protected at all times.
There’s a good chance the waves could get rocky at one point and lead to you getting completely soaked. No one wants to spend an entire day on the boat in soaking wet clothes. Stick an extra shirt and pants in your bag, and if you don’t need it, someone else might.
The last thing you want to happen is to be halfway through the boat day, go to reach for a snack, and realize you forgot the cooler. There’s no restaurants in the middle of the ocean, so make sure you come prepared with a cooler stocked with lots of water, ice, and food. YETIcoolers are a great option as they are sturdy and come in an array of sizes.
If your boat day includes jumping off the boat with your friends and spending time in the water, make sure you don’t forget the water toys. Bring some floaties and pool noodles, but if you really want to impress your friends, bring some inflatable tubes that people can use to lay out on in the water.
Accidents happen and you always want to be prepared with a first aid kit. Even if someone just gets a little cut, it’s good to have some bandaids on hand. The My Medic first aid kit comes with everything you could possibly need. Think about the opportunity to get first-aid certification just in case there's an emergency that requires your attention.
Just in case you get tired of playing around with all your water toys, bring a book and some headphones. Reading on a boat in the middle of the ocean on a hot summer day while listening to your favorite music. Does it get any better than that?
You can never go wrong with a good boat day. It’s a great and safe way to bond with your friends and family and spend a hot summer day. But no matter where you go boating, it’s important you go prepared. You don’t want to realize halfway through the trip that you forgot something important. So the next time a boat day is on your agenda, make sure you have these 7 things.