Captain’s Bag Inventory Checklist

Every boat captain should have a few emergency essentials onboard.

Every time I hop on my boat for the day I bring along a durable, waterproof dry sack designed for water travel packed with everything I think we might need and perhaps some things I hope we won’t need (flares, jumper, etc). I call it a captain’s bag and I figure everyone should have one onboard. Of course, if you’re on a big luxury motor yacht, you probably have this covered in one of your cabin closets, storage compartments or deck lockers. In that case, maybe you could call it a captain’s “stow” bag. Nonetheless, whatever type of boat you’re on, and no matter the style of boating you’re doing, there are a few essentials everyone should make sure they have onboard. Plus, it helps to have them all in one place too.

Below we’ve put together a summary of some basic items to carry with you on your boat. Not all boaters will need these items for every outing (and some may need more depending on the trip distance, duration and body of water), but it’s a good starting point to reference when considering your own boating adventures.

Find the entire Captains Bag Inventory Checklist written by Ryan McVinney here.