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5 Easy Sailboat Exterior Upgrades

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Simple, inexpensive improvements that take an hour or less.

Few sailboat projects can be described as quick, simple, and inexpensive. New canvas and sails are costly. Polishing, waxing, and painting are time-consuming. Happily, there are a few exterior upgrades that cost little to nothing and are readily affected by even the most work-shy sailor. Here are five ways to refresh a well-loved yacht and show her at her best.

After washing, hang lines to dry or tumble in the dryer. (Photo: Fiona McGlynn)

1. Clean The Lines

Dirt and salt make lines unpleasant to handle and shorten their lifespan. Fortunately a quick cold-water run through the washing machine is all that's needed to make nylon and polyester ropes look and feel like new . Optionally, presoak rope in a bucket of water for a few hours. Be sure to coil the rope or pile it into a pillowcase prior to washing (unless of course you're a Gordian knot enthusiast). Hang ropes to dry or tumble in the dryer on low heat.

Rust can easily be removed from fiberglass with a dab of oxalic acid. (Photo: Fiona McGlynn)

2. Remove Rust Stains

Nothing mars the image of crisp white sails or gleaming fiberglass like an unsightly rust stain. Fortunately, these are easily eradicated with a small amount of oxalic acid, often sold at hardware stores as wood bleach. Simply dab the oxalic acid onto the stained area to soak for a minute, then rinse with water and repeat as necessary. No elbow grease required! Beware that oxalic acid can bleach and discolor if left on for too long. It's also toxic and corrosive, so take the appropriate safety precautions and avoid rinsing it into waterways.

"Stainless" steel is a bit of a misnomer. (Photo: BoatUS)

3. Restore Stainless Steel

Despite what the name suggests, stainless steel does in fact rust. Oxidization or "surface rust" can be removed with baking soda paste or a metal polish. I've used a product called Nevr-Dull (about $10 for 5 ounces through Amazon) to great success on our stainless-steel pulpit and stanchions. Regularly hosing down your stainless steel with freshwater will also cut down on oxidization.

The boat's name may last forever, but the vinyl lettering isn't. (Photo: BoatUS)

4. Replace Peeling Vinyl Lettering

Replacing scratched and sun-damaged vinyl lettering is a quick and satisfying job. Most graphics can be removed by applying heat with a hair dryer and peeling back the vinyl by hand. Use a razor blade to carefully scrape away any tricky sections. Once removed, thoroughly clean the area with an adhesive remover before applying new lettering. BoatUS members get 10% off BoatUS Boat Graphics & Lettering and 50% off duplicate graphics .

Time to clear the decks! A cluttered deck makes it challenging to quickly maneuver onboard. (Photo: Fiona McGlynn)

5. Clear The Decks

This old adage comes from the times of wooden ships, but is equally salient on today's cruisers. Taking the time to clear and organize the deck will make for safer and more pleasant sailing.

• Remove any cleats, winches, or rope guides that are broken or part of legacy systems.
• Add rope bags to help tame mess in the cockpit. They often come with pockets for winch handles and cup holders and are a convenient place to stash sunglasses, phones, and sunscreen.
• Stow empty fuel jugs, fenders, toys, and fishing gear in a secure locker.
• Consider an inflatable kayak or paddleboard that can be brought below while underway rather than stored on deck.
• Secure any deck cushions or upholstery in place with hook-and-loop tape or snaps.

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Fiona McGlynn

Contributing Editor, BoatUS Magazine

BoatUS Magazine contributing editor Fiona McGlynn and her husband sailed their 35-footer trans-Pacific for two years. Now living north of 59, she’s part of their local search and rescue team and edits WaterborneMag.com, a millennial boating website.

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C420, ILCA, and Opti Ex Charter Packages Available - Find Out More

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Zim Sailing is the leading provider of small sailboat parts in North America. We specialize in the C420, Opti, FJ, ILCA (Laser) and RS Sailboat Parts. We have over 2500 SKU's and TONS of items in stock! Shop by boat below or check out our range of universal parts and fittings.

C420 Spinnaker Guy Large Roller Pin (1/4 inch) *New Spec*

Gelcoat 8oz - grey usa.

ILCA Daggerboard Friction Pad MK2

C420 Spinnaker - Charter

C420 Spinnaker - Blue and White Stars

C420 Spinnaker

C420 Forestay (LP)

C420 Pro Hiking Strap (Rooster)

Opti Fighter Daggerboard - Medium

Opti Fighter Daggerboard - Flex

Pram Sail 0+ Colored

C420/FJ Tiller with Horn Cleat and 33 in Extension

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Sailboat Upgrades and Tips: Pictures from Walking Around

It’s time to get your boat ready for sailing season. We love sailboat upgrades and tips that make boat handling easier, reduce distractions, or reduce wear on the boat.  Here’s a recent collection of pictures shot while walking around at regattas. Please send your favorites upgrades to [email protected] .

Velcro Water Bottle Holder

Keep your water bottle handy and off the floor without installing a conventional holder. Add sticky-back velcro strips to your water bottle and the location(s) you want to keep it. Use strong velcro and the bottle will stay in place on contact.

Portable Urinal

Tape Your Mainsheet Cleat

You know you shouldn’t cleat your mainsheet. If you hold the mainsheet near the deck while hiking in a breeze. you can  inadvertently cleat it, which is trouble. You could remove the cleat, but it’s useful for holding lines while trailering. A wrap of tape is one solution.

Bicycle Handlebar Grip for Tiller Extension

When the wrap on your tiller extension wears out, try bicycle handlebar grip. It’s light, durable, and some varieties have a slight cushion. You can get it with adhesive already applied or just use double stick tape as a backing. Be sure to tape the ends tightly so the spiral doesn’t unravel.

Nylon Washers for Forestay Stability

Richard Blake added these nylon washers to keep his forestay shackle for flopping around.  Get the right thickness to fill the gap.

File the Edges of the Forestay Shackle

The forestay shackle will eventually put serious wear on the bow plate. Some sailors use a round file to ease the edges of the forestay shackle as shown below.

Extend the Ratchet Block

The ratchet block on an MC is fairly low in the cockpit. If you hold the mainsheet low on the deck, it will rub on the hiking straps. Melges sells an extender to raise the ratchet block, or you can make one by coupling two shackles together and taping them so they stand up.

Add Padding to Your Trailer

Saw this on an E-Scow trailer. Not sure what type of foam it is, but it had the right amount of give to it. Looks like it would be easier on the hull while trailering.

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Sailors Helping Sailors

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MC-Scow Spreader Bracket Modification Reduces Failures

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32 DIY Boat Upgrades & Ideas to Improve Your Vessel

Are you a new boat owner? Regardless of whether you bought your beauty off the showroom floor or pre-owned off Craigslist, it’s a significant purchase. Boats cost thousands of dollars, and it’s a big investment into your recreational activities for the years ahead.

Most boats come as standard models for the dealer. When the original buyer closes the sale agreement, the dealer typically presents them with a list of optional extras and accessories. You can add these OEM features to your boat for an extra cost over the retail price.

However, dealers often overcharge for these accessories and upgrades. As a result, boat owners can end up adding as much as 20% to 30% to the base model price tag with their accessories. So, many boat owners choose to pass on the extras offered by the dealership.

If you’re buying the boat new, aftermarket parts and accessories for your boat are far cheaper than getting them from the dealer. However, if you have limited experience in fitting accessories, you’ll want to choose options offering you easy installation.

We put together this list of 32 DIY boat upgrades to personalize your boat. Most of them are easy to fit, regardless of the manufacturing brand, size, or purpose.

Interior Upgrades for Your Boat

1 compact trash can.

Are you one of those boat owners that use a plastic carrier bag for a trash bag onboard your boat? This strategy not only looks unsightly but there’s a good chance the bag ends up going overboard, polluting the environment.

A compact trash can gives you a dedicated space for your waste. It sits out of the way, offering you easy access and disposal of your waste on board the vessel. They clean out in seconds, and it’s a low-cost upgrade every boat needs.

2 Marine Cup Holders

Simple upgrades are often the most satisfying, offering you utility out on the water that leaves you smiling from ear to ear. Most boats don’t come with cup holders, and if the manufacturer has to cast them into the boat’s body or the chairs, they’ll cost you a fortune as an extra.

There are several models of aftermarket cup holders available. They come in a range of mounting configurations to suit fitment anywhere on the boat. Let your passengers keep their beverages off the deck to avoid spilling, and keep them within arm’s reach.

3 Fishing Extras

If you’re keen on fishing, then you’re going to need a fish finder to locate the best spots in dams, lakes, rivers, and out on the ocean. This handy piece of tech can draw data on shoals around your boat, leading you to the most productive fishing grounds.

Rod holders are another essential accessory for sports fishing. Rod holders keep your rod and tackle secure and out of the way while sailing to and from the fishing spot. Most OEM rod holders cost a fortune, but aftermarket parts are a fraction of the price and an affordable DIY upgrade for your boat.

4 Pedestal Seats

Replace the factory seats with pedestals. Pedestal seats are a great choice for fishing, allowing you to get high above the water to see the fish as you’re fighting them in the water. They also make for excellent captain’s chairs, providing a 360-degree view of the water.

You get a pneumatic arm on the seat, allowing you to raise or lower it to your required height. You have options for various designs and finishes in a range of materials.

5 Swivel Seat

If you have a Jon boat, you understand the hassle of seating on the vessel. It’s uncomfortable, and it’s challenging to shift the seating position between the motor and the side of the boat.

Adding a swivel chair to your Jon boat lets you pivot from one seating position to another. The swivel chairs also come in a range of materials and design options, allowing you to add more comfort to the boat and your passenger’s experience with you out on the water.

6 Improve Your Dining Experience

If you have a cabin cruiser or yacht with a living area and galley, upgrade your living experience by adding gas burners, microwaves, kettles, and coffee machines.

You also have the option of investing in some classy dinnerware for your guests. Look for non-skid nautical dinnerware sets and shatter-resistant melamine cookware sets that won’t chip if a rogue wave collides with the vessel.

7 Replace Carpets

Carpets are one of the high-wear components on a boat. After a few years, the fouling of the material makes it in need of dire replacement. Most boats come with marine carpeting that allows for waterproofing of the material and easy cleaning.

However, most boat owners don’t bother with cleaning the carpets; they just replace them when they start looking grubby. You have options for snap-in carpets that are easy to fit and remove, allowing for easier cleaning than most OEM carpeting.

Adding a new set of carpets to the deck of your boat gives it a fresh look, increasing its aesthetic appeal and resale value.

8 Upholstery Detailing

If you have a bay boat, cruisers, or center console with plenty of seating, it’s a good idea to maintain the upholstery from time to time. Mold can grow in between the cushions on the seats and underneath them.

Severely fouled upholstery requires replacement, and it’s an inexpensive and effective upgrade that improves the boat’s looks in the eyes of other boaters and buyers.

Keep the mold away by detailing the upholstery on the seats and seat cushions every other month. Please make sure you spray it down with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal treatments before replacing it in the boat.

9 Storage and Organizers

There never seems to be enough storage on any boat, regardless of the model. Purchasing some low-cost plastic organizers from Amazon or your local Walmart is a great way to bring organization to your gear onboard your boat.

Install hanging hooks and bungee cords/nets and fit a few bookshelves to the living quarters of your berth for additional storage space.

10 Portable Head

Being out on the water and needing the toilet is a terrible experience when you’re miles from shore. Unless you feel like feeding the fish, you’re going to need to install a portable head on the boat.

Fortunately, you don’t need a huge amount of room to add a portable head to your boat. Most models over 18-feet with a front cuddy will have sufficient space for a portable toilet.

11 Cleaning Stations

This fishing accessory is common on fishing boats. However, if you’re fishing from a bowrider or center console, add a portable cleaning station to the boat.

It’s a great way to improve your fishing experience. Gut your catch and prepare your bait on the station, and keep the guts and mess away from the deck.

12 Insulated Coolers

There’s nothing like a refreshing ice-cold beverage on a sunny day out on the water. Some boats come with built-in coolers, but many dealers and manufacturers only offer it as an optional extra. Even worse, the OEM coolers often don’t feature any insulation.

As a result, your ice ends up melting too quickly in warm locations around Florida and the Gulf coast. With an aftermarket insulated cooler, you get the best temperature control for your beverages, your catch, and your ice.

Electronics Upgrades for Your Boat

13 usb power ports.

There’s nothing worse than being out on the water, only to have your radio die on your, right as a storm is approaching. Never get caught without power again by installing USB charging ports on the captain’s console.

The ports are available in a wide range of configurations and mounting options, and they connect directly to your boat’s electrical system.

You don’t need to be an electrician to handle the installation, and it’s a simple, affordable upgrade to your boat, offering you plenty of practical utility out on the water.

• 【9 IN 1 Function USB Wall Outlet】- Fit duplex outlet perfectly, just plug in to use. Please NOTE: For some outlets, the white plastic prong can be cut off before using. You get 5 AC outlet splitter (3 sides) with wide space in between; 4 USB charger ports; 1800 joules surge protector protect electronics by improving your power quality
• 【USB- C Fast & Smart Charge】- 4 USB ports total 4.5 A, each USB A port features 2.4A Max output. USB C charging port features 3A MAX. Built- with smart technology, detecting charging devices and deliver optimal charging speed automatically, compatible with most USB devices. NOTE: The UCB-C port doesn't support any other devices which need 14~22V charging voltage
• 【1800J Surge Protector Outlet】- 3 complementary Surge Protection Circuits, TVS(transient voltage suppressor) MOV(metal oxide varistor) GDT(gas discharge tube), with response speed less than 1Ns, and minimum energy-absorbing capacity of 1800 Joules, much more quickly and reliably than the traditional MOV surge protector circuit. ("SURGE PROTECTED" indicator light on to show your devices are protected)
• 【Super Safety】- ETL Certificates. This power strip has overload protection, short-circuit protection, over current protection, over-voltage protection and overheating protection. It will automatically cut power to protect connected devices when voltage surge is overwhelming. Combined with fire-resistant casing- keeping you and your devices completely safe
• 【Wide Space】- With 3-sided Power Strip design, 5 AC outlets with long space in between, larger than a standard socket- Making it easier to use for all kinds of equipment and without blocking each other

14 WiFi Extenders

If you need to be online out on the water, consider buying a marine WiFi extender. These systems help you stay connected when you’re out at sea or out on the lake, allowing you full access to the internet from your vessel.

Share photos of your catch, live stream your wakeboarding, and chat with friends on your favorite social media and messaging apps without missing a beat.

Marine WiFi extenders offer simple installation on any boat, and they work by amplifying cell signals to your phone, connecting you to the internet from almost any location.

15 Solar Panels

Why take the risk of running out of power when you’re out on the water. If you have a cabin cruiser or yacht you intend on using for island hopping, we recommend installing solar panels for your battery bank. Solar charging ensures that your system is always topped up and ready for action.

Solar panel technology continues to innovate, creating compact, affordable panels that effectively charge deep cell batteries, providing a sufficient trickle charge, even in low-light conditions.

The panels are easy to install yourself and wire into the boat’s electrical system without the need for professional assistance.

• 【High Conversion Rate】This 20W solar panel with monocrystalline A+ solar cell has an excellent cell efficiency of 21%-30%. Designed to charge and maintain 12V rechargeable batteries like LiFePO₄, Lithium Ion, AGM, SLA, GEL, EFB, MF, etc. Keep batteries in charged for trailer, tractor, truck, boat, motorcycle, RV, car, lawn mower, water pump, gate opener, electric fence, etc.
• 【Built to Last】 Low-iron tempered glass surface and corrosion-resistant aluminum frame, make this solar panel 100% waterproof and rustproof, and provide the prolonged lifespan up to 25 years. This 12V solar panel can withstand all weather conditions such as sandstorm, strong wind, thunderstorm, blizzard, hail, etc. It can withstand up to 2400Pa wind pressure and 5400Pa snow load.
• 【Smart Charge Controller】The charging efficiency of this upgraded 8A controller is 20%-30% higher than other controllers on the market. Its intelligent three-stage charging design effectively prevents the battery from overcharging, over-voltage and short circuit. It takes no power from the battery. You will clearly know the charging status of the battery through the two indicator lights on the controller.
• 【Easy to Install & Angle Adjustable】- Equipped with a 360 degree angle adjustable mounting bracket. Helps solar panels always have the best angle to face the sun. It’s very easy to install this bracket on the solar panel with pre-drilled mounting holes and needed screws. All cable connections are plug and play.
• 【What You Get】 1 solar panel + 1 charger controller + 1 mounting bracket +1 alligator clips +1 O-rings + 1 set of mounting pieces. We provide one year after-sale service and lifetime technical support. 7×24 hours After-sales service ensures that your question is answered within one day.

16 Sound System

Everyone deserves a sound system on their boat. If you enjoy hanging out with friends on your vessel or wakeboarding, then adding a speaker system and mp3 player to your boat is a great way to bring the party to the water.

There are dozens of speaker and amplifier setups and configurations from leading brands like Sony, Rockford-Fosgate, and more. Upgrade the marine radio while you’re at it and get a handheld system that’s compact and user-friendly.

17 Deck LED Lighting Kits

Create an ambiance onboard your boat with a set of LED lighting strips. These strips light up the deck, ensuring that no one trips over the gear and other objects in low light conditions. They also add a mellow tone to the boat and an air of mystery when you’re out on the water at night.

These strips are easy to install. Fit the wires to the side of the edges around the side of the boat, and they give you a great lighting effect from a concealing position with no visible cables hanging in the way.

Link the lights to your battery panel, and you’re ready to go. The LEDs consume next to no electricity, and they offer you the most energy-efficient method of bringing light to your boat.

• Music Sync: LED light strip changes color with the rhythm of sound and music for a romantic, relaxed atmosphere.
• Easy Use: Control the LED strip lights via remote control or app for selecting colors, changing modes, and adjusting brightness.
• Easy Installation: Stick the LED strips on a clean, dry surface and start enjoying the lighting.
• Wide Use: Ultra long LED lights for bedroom 100ft (2 rolls of 50ft strip lights) suitable for decorating rooms, ceilings, desks, and parties.
• Satisfaction Warranty: Quality LED strip lighting with 24-hour quick reply in case of problems.

18 Underwater LED Boat Lights

You also have the option of installing underwater LED lighting on the boat’s underside. These lights come in various colors and RBG options for a spectacular underwater lighting effect.

The light coming through the water from under the boat creates an eerie effect that looks mesmerizing. The LEDs are easy to secure to any vessel and easy to maintain. Like the strip LED lights for your deck, these LEDs consume very little electricity.

Exterior Upgrades for Your Boat

19 duck blind.

If you’re a keen fisherman, then you’ll love a duck blind for your Jon or bass boat. These blinds act like camouflage drop nets that conceal your position and the look of your boat from the game in the area.

The nets feature a design with specialized materials to look like organic material and fool the local bird population into thinking you are just an inanimate object.

You have several options for colors and pattern designs and duck blinds to suit any size or fishing boat model.

20 Smart Tabs

A bowrider boat is plenty of fun for use on calm waters. However, if you want to go offshore on a windy day, the boat lacks stabilization in the rough water you get from other boats. The lightweight design of the boat makes it bounce over waves rather than cut through them.

As a result, you get an uncomfortable ride that’s brutal on your buttocks. Installing smart tabs on your bowrider can make all the difference in ride quality in rough waters. They are easy to install, and you need about an hour to complete the job.

21 Grab Bars

If you’re keen on deep-sea fishing, there will be those times where you’re fighting game fish and wondering if they are going to pull you clear of the deck.

Installing grab bars around the sides of the boat helps you prevent yourself from landing in the drink. They also make it easier to get back into the boat if you fall overboard.

22 Wake Tower and Bimini Top

If you’re keen on watersports, then wakeboarding is one of the best pastimes you can enjoy out on the water. Wakeboarding is thrilling, but it requires specialist gear. Your boat will need a wakeboard tower to allow the rider to maneuver from one side of the wake to the other.

Wakeboard towers are available in several configurations, and some even come with built-in stereo speakers. A Bimini top is essential for providing you and your passengers with shade on hot days. When you’re out on the water, the sunlight intensifies, and you’ll catch a sunburn fast.

A Bimini Top ensures that everyone stays out of the sun, providing them with a relaxing experience out on the water. Biminis are available in a range of sizes and designs to suit any boat model and length.

23 Propeller Upgrades

If you’re a wakeboarder or interested in performance boat racing, you need the right propeller to handle the task. Specialized props are available for wakeboarding, producing a bigger wake that makes for better ramps and wake surfing.

Similarly, there are props designed to provide optimal propulsion to the vessel, pushing it through the water at the fastest speed possible.

Prop technology can also affect your boat’s fuel consumption, allowing you to save on the fuel costs associated with running your boat throughout the year.

24 Anchor Winch

After a hard day of fishing offshore, you probably have minimal arm strength left to pull up the anchor and head home. Fortunately, an anchor winch offers you a convenient way to claim the anchor without using any effort.

You have options for electric or mechanical models using gears to reduce the effort required to withdraw the anchor.

25 Electric Trailer Winch

When pulling the boat from the water, a trailer winch reduces the effort required to trailer the vessel. A trailer winch is a must-have item if you have a boat over 12-feet, weighing more than 400-lbs.

We recommend you go with an electric winch to avoid the manual winch arm causing knuckle-busting effects if something goes wrong when withdrawing the boat from the water.

26 Replace Wing Nuts

Sailing on the ocean is fun, but it results in plenty of bumps and vibrations moving through the boat’s structural frame.

These vibrations pass through all boat components, and they even pass through you without you realizing it in most cases.

These small vibrations can undo wingnuts on batteries and other components throughout the boat. We recommend replacing all wingnuts with locknuts to ensure they stay tight.

27 Keel Coating and Protection

The keel is susceptible to faster rates of fouling than the hull. It also requires protection from knocks and scrapes underwater.

Keel guards feature construction with strong polymers, covering the boat’s keel and protecting it from any contact with objects.

A keel guard is easy to install, and it’s relatively inexpensive considering the protection it provides and the amount of maintenance it saves the average yacht owner.

28 Graphics

Set your boat apart from all the others in the marina with a set of custom graphics. You have options for a genuine livery or vinyl graphics set that are simple to install. There are thousands of graphics kits available from designers online.

You get model-specific graphics kits and universal kits that fit any boat. You can choose from OEM kits that feature classic designs to the wildest anime and intricate graphics kits. Give your vessel a unique design flair and a set of graphics that make it stand out from the crowd.

29 Windscreen Tinting

When you’re sailing into the sun on a bright day, the sunlight can reflect off the water. The effect makes it challenging to see through the glare, even if you’re wearing sunglasses.

Tinting the windshield provides your console dashboard with protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, and it allows you to avoid the glare off the water when driving the boat.

30 Boarding Ramps

If you’re finishing your dive, hauling yourself from the water after a dive is more challenging than it looks. If you struggle with pulling yourself over the edge of the boat, opt for a boarding ladder you can drop into the water.

Boarding ladders feature design and construction with corrosion-resistant materials, and they come in models to suit any boat design.

Top models from manufacturing brands like JIF Marine Products and Extreme Max are your best options. These lightweight ladders are compact and easy to store away until your need them.

31 Trolling Motor

There are times when that large outboard motor gets in the way. If you’re fishing the flats, then the propellor churns with cloud the water with silt and scares off the fish with the noise.

However, a trolling motor offers you a low-power engine that is ideal for use in the flats and shallows in estuaries and lakes.

The trolling motor is easy to set up as a temporary engine for the vessel. It’s lightweight and produces very little noise.

32 Weather Cover

Keep your paint and graphics looking great for years. Reduce cracking on your dashboard during the storage of your boat with a weather cover.

Adding a cover to your boat is essential for preventing the sun’s UV rays from fading the paint and graphics.

The cover also prevents pests like spiders, wasps, and other critters from setting up shop in your boat while it’s not in use. Covers are available in a range of colors and designs to suit any model or size of boat.

• 25'-28'L to 96” BEAM WIDTH: This waterproof protective boat cover is used universally for pontoon boats. Works with 25'-28'L beam width to 96” pontoon boats. Its full cut allows extra room for accessories such as bow rails, running lights, etc
• INCLUDES STORAGE BAG: Made of high strength polyester Hurricane fabric designed for extra durability and all-weather protection as well as rugged heavy duty safe storage. The cover also comes w/ a storage bag for portability and safe keeping
• WEATHER-RESISTANT: Features marine grade fabric coating technology and heavy duty fabric for maximum weather resistance. With an adjustable transom flap and an elastic cord sewn into the bottom hem that provides a tight and custom fit
• INTEGRATED STRAP SYSTEM: Equipped w/ integrated buckle and strap system for easy fitting and trailering, adjustable straps snap into quick-release buckles on the cover. Rope attaches to rugged non-scratch D-rings, no grommets to pull out or scratch

John is an experienced journalist and veteran boater. He heads up the content team at BoatingBeast and aims to share his many years experience of the marine world with our readers.

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10 Easy, Affordable DIY Boat Improvement Projects

Whether you love wakesurfing , freshwater fishing is your game, or sailing across the bay is how you enjoy your time on the water, one thing is for sure: you love your boat. But no boat is perfect, and virtually every great boat could be made even better.

Ready to roll up your sleeves, and get involved in a little DIY boat improvement? These 10 projects are easy to complete, low-cost, and guaranteed to boost your boat’s cool-factor.

Read to Upgrade Your Boat? Explore the Boat Finder

1. Install a Cell Phone Cradle

When stepping aboard a boat most people stow their cell phone in a glove box (where it bangs around), pack it away in a stowage compartment (you’ll have to dig it out whenever it rings, if you hear it in the first place), or sit it on top of a console (until the first big wave sends it tumbling to the deck). Wouldn’t it be nice to have a cell phone cradle, right by the helm?

These can be had for a few dozen dollars, are uber-easy to install either via peel-and-stick adhesive, suction cups, or by driving in a couple of screws, and they come in all kinds of different adjustable mounts and cradles. If you don’t mind spending a bit more (slightly over $100 in most cases) and running a power wire, you can even get one that has wireless charging built-in.

2. Add More Fishing Rod Holders

Can a fishing boat ever have enough rod holders? We think not! And adding them is very easy as long as you stick with clamp-on rail mounts, or surface-mounts. All you need to add those clamp-ons is a wrench or Allen key, and surface mounts generally get held down with three or four screws.

Prices for rod holders varies by material but even if you eschew the cheaper plastic versions and go for aluminum or stainless, steel, you’ll hardly break the bank.

3. Add More Cupholders

Your boat almost certainly already has a few cupholders, and you almost certainly wonder how they all seem to fill up so fast. Most boaters agree that having more would be a good thing, and there are plenty of inexpensive models out there that can be suction-cupped or peel-and-stick mounted in moments.

4. Install USB Charging Ports

Sick and tired of your electronic accessories running out of juice when you’re 10 miles from the dock? The problem is easily solved by adding USB charging ports to your boat. F

or about $20 you can get a double-port receptacle that has a round one-inch cut-out (read: all you have to do to mount it is drill one round, standard-sized hole) and requires just a positive and negative power feed from the boat’s 12-volt system.

5. Upgrade Your Fish Finder

Many people think upgrading to a new fish finder is a big, expensive job, and in some cases it is. But in other cases, not so much. Many modern units can be upgraded on the cheap in a matter of minutes with a software update and a new transducer.

Software updates are usually free and easy to accomplish (visit your unit’s manufacturer website to determine the exact process, which in some cases is as simple as getting a WiFi link and pressing “go”), and a new transducer rarely costs so much as a couple hundred dollars. Spring for it, and your old fish finder may suddenly have new functions and features galore.

Don't have a fish finder? Learn how to use one , and then install one yourself!

6. Turn a Cooler into a Seat

Most major cooler brands offer seat-conversion kits that can be installed in a matter of minutes.

Cost will depend on the size and brand of the cooler you use, but all you have to do is screw in the snaps that secure the cushion to the top of the cooler and then snap it in place. Poof! You just gained another spot to sit down.

7. Add a Cabinet Door Trash Can

Many boats don’t have trash cans designed in and as a result, you’re always looking for a place to stow those empties.

Solve the problem by getting a behind-the-cabinet-door trash can, which costs next to nothing and can be mounted with screws or adhesive. Then, whenever you swing the cabinet door open the trash can will be right there waiting for you.

8. Get a Rear-View Mirror

If your crew enjoys watersports But your boat doesn’t have a rear-view mirror, adding one would be a great upgrade. There are a number of models out there (most of which go for well under $100) which can be mounted to a windshield frame in moments with hand-screw clamps.

9. Install a High-Water Alarm in the Bilge

Having an alarm belowdecks will give you some serious peace of mind and expand your safety margin. And the project can be incredibly easy, because there are battery-powered units which can be mounted with peel-and-stick pads.

If you don’t want to worry about changing the batteries, just opt for a hard-wired unit (you’ll need to run a power line from the bus bar or battery). What about cost? Prices range from $20 or so up to a couple hundred dollars for hard-wired versions with both audible and visual alarms.

10. Add Multicolor LED Lighting

You wish your boat had mood lighting that changed colors at your command? Not only is it do-able, it’s easy to add. Multicolored LED rope lights that mount with sticky-back foam tape can be placed under the gunwales, around seats, and in cabins. All you’ll have to do is wire in the power supply, and get ready to wow your crew with the colorful display.

How Will You Upgrade Your Boat?

There are much larger, more expensive projects you could get involved in, like adding a sub-woofer to the stereo system or mounting a windlass at the bow. But big projects like those command a serious budget and a serious amount of time.

These 10 KISS boat improvement endeavors, on the other hand, can be done on the cheap in a matter of minutes. Choose one or choose them all, and congratulations—your great boat just became better.

Read Next: First Time Boat Owner's Off-Season Checklist

You May Also Like:

• Basic Boat Electronics for Beginners
• Boating Accessories Guide
• How to Make Your Boat Go Faster
• Boat Maintenance Checklist for New Boaters
• Find the Right Boat for Your Lifestyle

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20 Must-Have Sailing Accessories

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

While some sailing accessories are simply nice to have, others are a must if you want to have a safe and enjoyable sailing experience. From safety equipment to navigation systems and communication devices there are must-have sailing accessories.

Leaving the dry land and going sailing is, without a doubt, a lifetime opportunity. But you can only stay safe and enjoy this opportunity if you outfit your sailboat with the right accessories. While you'll hear a sailor saying he/she can't go sailing without a plumbed-in washing machine, we aren't sure if this is a must-have accessory. But going out there on a sailboat that doesn't have a wind vane self-steering gear is unthinkable. Although we all have our eccentricities, there are several accessories that you shouldn't even think about sailing without.

Sailing, of course, requires preparation, training, and practice. While accessories such as life jackets are a must-have in any sailboat, there are other must-have items that you should always have before setting out. These accessories are critical not just for safety purposes but also for an enjoyable sail.

This article, therefore, provides a handy guide to the 20 must-have sailing accessories that you should have before going out there on the water.

Table of contents

Safety Equipment

How do you escape from the sailboat should the worst come to you? Well, life raft becomes the order of the day. This is essentially a type of lifeboat that must be carried in the sailboat for emergency evacuation purposes if there's a disaster on the sailboat. Keep in mind that a life raft is a lot easier to launch than a lifeboat. This is because a life raft is designed with an auto-inflatable system, so you won't have to launch it manually.

When choosing a life raft, a rule of thumb is that the life raft should be big enough to carry more people than the sailboat typically carries. For instance, if you have a six-person sailboat, the life raft should be able to carry 8 people. Make sure that the life raft has a hydrostatic release and is kept on the deck where it can be easily accessed when there's an emergency. More importantly, make sure that the life raft is regularly serviced so that it doesn't work with a hitch.

This bag should contain all the important emergency supplies that you can take with you in the life raft. In addition to being waterproof, the grab bag should be able to float and have interior pockets where you can keep safety items. You can also add a lanyard that makes it impossible to lose the bag even if the life raft capsizes.

A grab bag is a perfect place to store all your essentials including the survival gear, vessel's signaling, medical kit, spare battery pack, flashlights, SOLAS flares mobile phone, EPIRB, and many more.

• 406 MHz EPIRB

Connected to a global satellite network, an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) is a small radio that can be used worldwide to alert Search and Rescue agencies about an emergency in the seas. For instance, you can use the EPIRB to alert the agencies that your sailboat is sinking.

The EPIRB is one of the most important safety items when sailing. When buying this device, you can look for an upgraded model that comes with a built-in GPS. This is essential in the sense that your position can be instantly transmitted to a nearby rescue agency. You should always keep the EPIRB in the grab bag in case things go wrong.

• Handheld VHF Radio

This is an excellent backup to the boat's VHF radio. This is because a handheld VHF radio is independent of the boat's antenna and DC system. As such, it makes sense to have one in the grab bag but do not forget additional alkaline batteries.

Some of the best handheld VHF radio models to consider include Standard Horizon and West Marine. You should keep in mind that some models can float if thrown overboard. Such models have several features such as an integral GPS receiver with full Digital Service Calling (DSC) safety features.

• SOLAS Grade Signals and Flares

Any sailboat that's going out there on the water must have SOLAS grade signals. These flares are of great importance when you want to give out a signal and call for help when disaster strikes. You should have handheld red flares as well as rocket parachute flares and at least two orange smoke canisters for daytime signaling.

It's always advisable to have at least a pair of the red, rocket parachute, and orange flares with you. You can consider placing one each in the cockpit while keeping the rest in the grab bag. You should always remember that SOLAS flares are a very powerful way of sending out signals, so you must be very cautious when using them. In other words, don't just use them; use them only when you're in serious help.

• Emergency Watermaker

Having SOLAS flares and the EPIRB will, of course, increase the likelihood of having a quick rescue but what happens if the rescue doesn't come as fast as you had thought? Well, you should have an emergency Watermaker. This is essential in producing enough fresh water that can keep nearly 24 people hydrated for days on end.

• Radar Reflector

This is an important accessory while sailing in the sense that it's what alerts other vessels, both big and small, of your presence. Although these radar reflectors may vary greatly in their performance, you should use something that's effective such as Trilens and Echomax reflectors.

Most ships out there generally use a 24-mile scale on their S-band radar but such radars are unlikely to notice a small craft in their radar reflectors until they're within a range of six-mile or less. This means that these ships can sometimes detect your sailboat when it's a little too late. As such, you shouldn't take chances. Instead, use your radar reflector and detect whether there's a huge ship or any other vessel, for that matter.

• Portable Fire Extinguisher

You should have several portable fire extinguishers to help the crew fight fire. The locations of these fire extinguishers should be clearly labeled to make sure that everyone is familiar with their locations and how to operate them.

• Patching Materials

There are certain instances when your boat may suffer from collision or any damage that may put a dent on your hull. Without appropriate patching materials, this may spell doom as there will be a constant flow of water on the deck.

You should, therefore, have patching materials that can help you prevent water from flowing into the deck, thereby allowing for emergency repairs. Some of these patching materials include underwater-cure epoxy putty and pre-cut pieces of waterproof plywood.

• Throwable PFD

Whether it's a horseshoe buoy, a throw rope bag, or a rescue stick, a sailboat must have a lifeline sling that can be used to save someone in the water. Some of these devices throw well for long distances and with good accuracy and can be used to provide flotation. Most of these devices remain connected to the vessel, which makes it a lot easier to pull the victim out of the water and to the boat.

Medical Equipment

• The Boat's Medical Kit

A medical is a must-have accessory in any sailboat. It should have partitions with each partition meant for a particular class of injury. The kit should also be readily available to the crew and have common drugs, bandages, and a first-aid kit. It should have sunscreen, common painkillers, tweezers, bandages, and many more.

Additionally, you should also get a doctor to write prescriptions for non-OTC. You can as well consider using a telemedicine service that can help you in case of a serious emergency.

Personal Equipment

• Inflatable Life Jackets

This is a personal safety gear that's not only comfortable to wear but will also offer great performance in the water. When used together with safety harnesses, you'll have a single piece of gear that has nearly all the safety gear that you need on the deck.

Inflatable jackets are great especially on the open water and should also be available for guests and everybody on the boat.

• Safety Harnesses and Tethers

Although safety harnesses and tethers may be too heavy or too hot to wear especially in warm climates, they're of great importance in keeping you safe should things go wrong. It's advisable to integrate them with inflatable life jackets and must be worn in almost all conditions. In fact, it would be appropriate if you make them mandatory on the deck.

You should make sure that the tethers do not have hooks that can accidentally unhook and cause injuries. The safety harness should also have an easy-to-release snap shackle at the chest.

Sailing requires foul weather gear just the same way a corporate business director requires a three-piece suit. Don't just buy any gear. Instead, go for a quality gear that fits lightly and can allow you to put shielding garments beneath. The fabric should be breathable for additional comfort. Some of the brands to consider include West Marine, and Henri Lloyd.

Part of this gear should include fleece jackets and pants. Fleece garments are excellent in providing warmth and cushion and shouldn't be bulky. They are also great for sleeping during long passages. You should also have long underwear to keep you from freezing. You should go for a synthetic material. Something like polyester or polypropylene fabric is appropriate. This is because such materials can cling to your skin, thereby transporting moisture away from your skin. That being said, you should never use cotton or any other natural fiber.

• Deck Shoes , Hats and Gloves

Nothing arguably ruins a fascinating sailing trip than a broken ankle or foot. It doesn't matter the type of shoes that you prefer, you must have shoes with better grip while on the deck. This is not only to secure your feet but also to prevent you from skidding, which can cause serious injuries.

While a hat may make you look like a dork, it's of great importance in protecting your head and face from sunburn and also from insects at night. Floppy canvas hats are the best thanks to their wide brim but you can also use baseball caps for extra protection.

You should also have line-handling gloves to protect your hands from wear and tear. The gloves should be manufactured from either synthetic or genuine and should remain flexible even after several exposures to saltwater soaking. They should also be waterproof to keep your hands warm.

Electronic and Communication Gadgets

• Shortwave Receiver

You should get a quality Sony, Sangean, or Grundig receiver that can work with WFAX software as a shortwave receiver. You can also choose an SSB (Single Sideband) radio as a shortwave receiver, though it will drain the battery banks quickly as it tends to draw a lot of currents.

• Spare Antenna

Although they don't have to be elegant, they're of great importance particularly if you lose your mast. There are many affordable models out there, so you can't lack something that can work for you.

• VHF Marine Radio, Antenna

This is one of the most important communication devices on a sailboat and can enable you to communicate clearly for up to 60 miles. You can use a base-loaded stainless steel whip with antennas at the masthead. They also offer remote stations as an option and are like large microphones. This is to allow you to have full-power radio that's accessible from the helm while the main radio remains at the navigation station.

• Weather Map Solutions

Good weather is of great importance if you want to enjoy safe sailing. While the Furuno FAX207 used to be the standard device on most sailboats, you can now use a laptop, an iPad, or a Xaxero.

This can work in tandem with a fixed mount network GPS that can be used to perform many tasks. The model that you choose should have a large and sharp display, as well as a good interface.

• Depth Sounder and Knot Log

Speed and distance are some of the most important navigation information. You should use a knot log to measure speed and distance and use depth sounder to measure the depth to avoid unintentional grounding while enhancing safe sailing and navigation.

• Main Compass

This is to ensure that you can know the latitudes and, of course, the direction that you're traveling at.

Whether you've been sailing for decades of just starting out on this incredible adventure, preparation is key to safe and fun sailing. Part of this preparation is being aware of all the must-have accessories that you should have in your boat. Hopefully, you're in a much better position as far as must-have sailing accessories are concerned.

Related Articles

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Learn How to Sail a Small Sailboat – 1. The Parts of the Boat

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Typical Small Sailboat

The Hunter 140 shown here is a typical centerboard sailboat used for learning how to sail and for sailing in protected waters. It can hold two adults or three children. It is easily rigged and sailed. We will use this boat throughout this Learn to Sail - Full Course.

Shown here is the boat as it is typically left on a dock or mooring, with sails and rudder removed.

If you know very little about sailing, you might want to learn some basic terms referring to the boat and sailing technique before starting this course.

The mast and boom are usually left in place on the boat. The forestay holds up the mast from the bow of the boat, and a single shroud on each side of the boat holds the mast side to side. The shrouds are mounted back of the mast, so they also keep the mast from falling forward. The stay and shrouds are made of flexible wire that can be disconnected to trailer or store the boat.

On most large sailboats, there are multiple shrouds to support the mast, along with a back stay support to the stern. Otherwise, this boat is representative of the basic standing rigging of a sloop, the most common type of modern sailboat.

The Mast Step

Here’s a close-up view of the bottom of the mast atop the boat. The stainless steel mounting piece affixed to the boat is called the mast step. In this boat model, a pin emerging from the mast on both sides simply fits into a slot in the mast step. The mast is lightweight and easily raised by hand.

Once the mast is stepped, it is held securely in place by the shrouds and forestay, as shown in the previous photo.

On most small sailboats, the rudder is mounted on the stern of the hull, as shown here. The rudder is a long, thin blade hanging vertically from a simple set of hinges (which varies somewhat among different boats). The rudder pivots on a vertical axis, swinging side to side, which turns the boat when it is moving through the water. (We’ll describe steering in Part 3 of this course.)

The rudder may be stored on the boat or removed, like the sails, after sailing. Here, the rudder is being reinstalled. On this model the rudder has a kick-up feature, which allows it to swing up if the boat strikes bottom.

The rudder is turned side to side by the tiller, the long metal arm seen here extending from the top of the rudder about 3 feet into the cockpit. On many boats the tiller is made of wood.

Note the black handle on top of the metal tiller arm. Called a tiller extension, this device mounts near the end of the tiller and can be moved far out to the side of the boat or forward. The extension is needed because when sailing close to the wind, sailors may need to move their body weight far out to the side (called “hiking out”) in order to keep the boat balanced. We’ll see this in Part 3 of this course.)

Most large sailboats use a wheel apparatus to turn the rudder, because the forces on the boat’s rudder can be so much larger that it would be difficult to steer with a tiller.

Boom Gooseneck

The boom attaches to the mast with a fitting called a gooseneck. The gooseneck allows the boom to swing far out to both sides as well as to pivot up and down.

This photo also shows the vertical slot in the mast used to hold the mainsail's front edge (the "luff") to the mast (as you’ll see in Part 2 of this course). The sail “slugs,” fittings on the sail's luff, slide up the mast in this slot.

A similar slot can be seen in the top of the boom, to hold the foot of the sail.

The L-shaped metal pin at the forward end of the boom holds the forward bottom corner of the mainsail, called the tack.

Note the two lines (never called “rope” on a boat!) running up the mast. These are the halyards, described in the next page.

The Halyards

Halyards are the lines that pull the sails up the mast. A typical small sloop like this sailboat has two sails, the mainsail and jib, and thus has two halyards – one to pull up the top corner ("head") of each sail. (We’ll see this is Part 2 of this course.)

At the end of a halyard is a fitting, called a shackle, that attaches the sail to the line. The line then runs up to a block (pulley) at the masthead, and comes back down alongside the mast as you see here. Pulling down on this end of the halyard hoists the sail up.

When the sail is up, the halyard is tied off tight to the mast cleat using a cleat hitch, as shown here.

Halyards are part of the boat’s running rigging. "Running rigging" refers to all the lines that control the sails or other rigging, which can be moved or adjusted while sailing - unlike the fixed rigging, the usually metal, fixed parts of the rig (mast, boom, stays, shrouds).

Mainsheet Block and Tackle

Another key part of a boat’s running rigging is the mainsheet. This line runs between the boom and a fixed point in the cockpit (as shown here) or cabin top. As the line is let out, the boom and mainsail can swing farther out from the boat’s centerline. As described in Part 3 of this course, moving the sails in or out, called trimming the sails, is necessary for sailing at different angles to the wind.

Even in a small sailboat the force of the wind in the mainsail can be considerable. The use of a block and tackle in the mainsheet provides a mechanical advantage so that the mainsail can be managed by one person, with one hand, while sailing.

On most larger sailboats, the mainsheet mounts from the boom to a traveler rather than to a fixed point. The traveler can move the attachment point side to side for better sail shape.

Finally, notice the cam cleat where the mainsheet exits the block and tackle. This cleat holds the mainsheet in place after being adjusted.

Jibsheet and Cleat

When the jib sail is put on the forestay (“bent on”), a sheet is run from its aft corner (the “clew”) on each side of the mast back to the cockpit. The jib sheets allow the sailor to trim the jib, as described in Part 3 of this course.

Each jib sheet is led back through a cam cleat, as shown here, which holds the line in place. The jaws of the cam cleat allow the line to be pulled back but not slip forward. To release the jib sheet, the sailor jerks the line up and out of the jaws (into the open space below the top red piece shown).

The Centerboard

The final part we’ll look at in this boat introduction is the centerboard. You can’t actually see most of the centerboard, however, because it is in the water below the boat. This photo shows only its top edge protruding from the centerboard trunk down the middle of the cockpit.

The centerboard is a long, thin blade mounted at one end on a pivot point. When its control line is let out, the centerboard swings down into the water – usually about 3 feet down on a boat of this size. The thin board slices cleanly through the water as the boat moves forward, but its large flat side provides resistance to prevent the wind from blowing the boat sideways. In Part 3 of this course we’ll discuss how the centerboard is used while sailing.

Note the centerboard control line running back on the right side of the centerboard trunk. The cleat that holds the line and keeps it from moving forward is called a clam cleat because of its shape. With no moving parts, this cleat holds a line squeezed into it. It is not as secure as the cam cleat for the mainsheet and jibsheets, but the force on the centerboard line is much less.

This completes our introduction of the basic parts of a small sailboat.

• The Sunfish: A Perfect Lake or Urban Sailboat
• How to Gybe a Sailboat
• How to Raise the Mainsail
• Best Sailing and Boating Apps
• Choosing an Inboard or Outboard Engine
• Choosing a Centerboard or Fixed Keel Sailboat
• When to Adjust Sailboat Sails for Stronger Winds
• How to Tack a Sailboat
• Using AIS on Your Sailboat
• How to Use a Sailboat's Outhaul
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Planning a Sailboat Electronics Upgrade

• By David Schmidt
• Updated: May 19, 2021

Contemporary electronics can add a lot to a cruising sailboat. For starters, the gains often include easier-to-understand information, and therefore better situational awareness and increased safety. The catch, however, is that new plotters, radars and other instruments can be expensive, both to purchase and have installed. And then there’s the issue of getting new equipment to interface with older-but-still-functional gear. Because of this, plenty of cruisers manage just fine with older electronics that—while dated—still work and help get them from here to there.

But, as with all things marine, even once-high-end equipment eventually reaches its endgame. Trouble is, determining when checkmate is inevitable isn’t always obvious, so I reached out to two experts—Nigel Barron, sales and marketing manager at Seattle’s CSR Marine ( csrmarine.com ), and Rufus Van Gruisen, owner of Cay Electronics in Portsmouth, Rhode Island ( cayelectronics.com )—to learn more about when it’s time to (literally) pull the plug on old kit. In doing so, they also helped shed light on the performance and safety gains that can take the sting out of new-equipment purchases.

“Electronics typically work or don’t,” Van Gruisen says, adding that shy of a catastrophic event such as a lightning strike, obsolescence is the biggest gravedigger for most marine instruments. For example, Van Gruisen points to chart plotters: “New charts often don’t work on older plotters because they take up too much memory. A lot of products become obsolete because they can’t load modern software. A cruiser would need to find old, out-of-date charts to make it work.”

This might suffice in places such as Maine, where the seafloor is generally stable and where up-to-date cartography sometimes relies on old bathymetric surveys, but this certainly doesn’t hold true for places such as Chesapeake Bay or the Bahamas, where seafloors morph with storm events and time.

Another vintage-equipment killer, Van Gruisen says, is that manufacturers eventually stop supporting updates for older electronics. For example, older chart plotters can eventually stop working with current GPS configurations.

Barron agrees that obsolescence can be a problem; seven years, he says, is a reasonable life span for most electronics. He points to issues such as inconsistent data from sensors or transducers, speed information failing to display, or screen pixels going dark as signs that it could be time to upgrade. Plus, he believes, seven years is enough time for the market to offer significantly better products. “A cathode-ray tube television might still work, and an older radar might still work, but there are way-better products available that offer better reliability, lower power consumption and new features.”

Prime examples of this are digital, solid-state Doppler-enabled radars that depict dangerous targets in one color (typically red) on a chart-plotter display, and stationary or benign targets in another color (typically green or blue). This functionality not only makes it easier and more intuitive to read a radar display, but these radars are also designed to overlay this imagery atop cartography on a chart-plotter screen, thus improving the user’s situational awareness.

“In 2010, radar was analog,” Barron says. “In 2021, it’s digital.”

While these technological gains are to be celebrated, especially by cruisers who have plied waters shrouded in Down East pea-soup fog or Pacific Northwest rain, adding a modern Doppler-enabled radar to an older marine-electronics ecosystem isn’t usually a plug-and-play possibility.

“If an owner wants a new peripheral sensor attached to the chart plotter, they might need to replace the plotter,” Van Gruisen says. “It’s sometimes hard to replace one piece of electronics because it might not integrate with other equipment on the boat.”

Because of this, both Barron and Van Gruisen point to a new chart plotter as the place to start for refits both mighty and modest. “If you’re on a budget, you can buy a plotter and add sensors later,” Barron says. “It all starts with the plotter.”

Another common roadblock to easy upgrades involves data networks. While the older NMEA 0183 network protocol allowed discrete instruments to share some data, newer NMEA 2000 (commonly referred to as N2K) data backbones make it easy for owners to add new equipment to their network with considerably less fuss. Moreover, most new equipment is designed and built to work with N2K networks. While manufacturers still commonly support NMEA 0183 by making equipment “backward compatible” or by making an NMEA 0183 version of a new piece of equipment, this could change as N2K becomes increasingly dominant.

The problem, Barron says, is that converting to N2K “isn’t something that’s done in a vacuum. It’s part of a larger installation. There are upfront costs, but it will save you money down the road because it makes it easier to add new equipment.”

Another game-changer that both Barron and Van Gruisen agree on is the advent of the automatic identification system, or AIS. While recreational-level AIS has existed since 2006, recent years have seen a massive embrace of this technology by mariners of all stripes.

“The rate of uptake took us all by surprise,” Van Gruisen says. “AIS is now more useful than radar. It won’t protect you from all targets in pea-soup fog, but it’s easier to read than radar.” This is especially true if AIS targets can be overlaid atop cartography on a chart-plotter screen. (Or better still, overlaid atop radar and cartography.)

“AIS is a fraction of the cost of radar,” Barron says, adding that AIS costs roughly $1,000, while a new radar can fetch $3,000. Moreover, he says, falling prices have also encouraged mariners to embrace newer technologies. “The price difference between an AIS receiver and an AIS transceiver has become so narrow, why not transmit your position?”

While AIS and Doppler-enabled radar are two great examples of modern technologies either usurping older gear (such as analog magnetron radars) or revolutionizing marine safety (in the case of AIS), there are other gains to be had by upgrading, especially as prices on no-longer-bleeding-edge technologies fall. Some examples of this include forward-looking sonar, side-scanning sonar, thermal-imaging cameras, and bigger, easier-to-use screens and user interfaces.

“For Alaska cruising, it’s nice to have something more than a numerical representation of depth,” Barron says, noting that more adventure-minded cruisers are investigating forward-looking sonar. Van Gruisen agrees, adding that some Bahamas-bound clients who want to navigate through skinny waters have been gravitating toward forward-looking and side-scanning sonar.

Other new technologies worth a look include Raymarine’s ClearCruise AR (the “AR” stands for augmented reality), which uses cameras to place AIS-like tags above aids to navigation and other targets on a video feed that’s displayed on the chart plotter. And then there is B&G’s SailSteer, which takes numerical instrument data—apparent wind angles, true wind direction and course over ground—from the boat’s nav system and creates an easy-to-read onscreen graphical representation of the wind, which can make sailing easier and safer.

“I don’t see people coming in saying, ‘I want ClearCruise AR,’” Van Gruisen says. “But when it’s time for an upgrade, that’s the kind of technology they’re looking at.”

Ultimately, Barron says, sailors typically upgrade their electronics for two reasons: “Things break, or they go out on their friend’s boat and realize that it’s time to get out of the Stone Age.”

Should either of these descriptors apply to your sailboat, the good news is that today’s electronics offer far-better user interfaces, situational awareness and safety features than old-school gear. And while there’s no escaping the associated upgrade costs, this investment should deliver a significantly better time on the water.

David Schmidt is CW’s electronics editor.

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30 Inexpensive Boat Accessories

• By Boating Tech Team
• Updated: February 21, 2019

Who says you can’t find a great deal on accessories for boats? Yes, it’s true: a lot of marine accessories cost a pretty penny, but there are plenty of great products that don’t break the bank. Whether you’re searching for fun boating accessories or something a little more practical, both can be found at a reasonable price.

Below you’ll find our 30 best boat accessories that cost under $30. You may consider some of the items to be must-have products, while others are just cool gadgets to keep on board. Either way, we think the majority are worth more than their price tag indicates.

West Marine Flip Lock Drain Plug

If you’ve ever forgotten to put the plug in, then you know it makes sense to keep a few drain plugs handy.

Taylor Made Port and Starboard Mini Keychain Floats

Red, right, return? Keep track of port and starboard with these keychain floats .

Benetech GM816 Handheld Anemometer

Need a wind reading? Yes, there’s an app for that. But to get accurate real-time wind measurements at your location, a handheld anemometer is the boat accessory you really need.

Survival Puck First-Aid Kit

Space is always at a premium on boats and personal watercraft, which is why this compact first-aid kit is great to bring aboard. The palm-size container holds bandages, antibiotics, antiseptics and sterile tools to use should a medical need arise.

Sea to Summit 20-Liter Dry Sack

This lightweight, waterproof bag has taped seams and a roll-top clip system to keep your gear safe from water. It’s available in five different colors.

Overton’s Four-Buckle Nylon Vest

These closed-cell foam flotation vests come in different colors and can be used on board or during watersports.

Davis Queaz-Away Relief Bands

Slip on these wristbands to apply acupressure to your wrists to help combat seasickness symptoms while at sea.

Rite in the Rain Large Waterproof Spiral Notebook

Some of us still like to keep manual ship’s logs or maintenance logs. Whatever your need, a waterproof notebook is the right way to go on a boat.

Flambeau 14-Inch Marine Dry Box

This hard case has a water-resistant O-ring seal that, when latched down, keeps the gear inside dry.

Olixar X-Ranger iPhone X Survival Case

Keep your iPhone protected with this rugged case that has a flip-out kickstand and a concealed multitool that’s about the size of a credit card.

NoCry Cut-Resistant Gloves

If you plan on working with knives or sharp tools on your boat, these gloves will protect your digits. Made from polyethylene, fiberglass and spandex, they are cut-resistant and machine-washable.

HUK Watch Cap

Made from 100 percent acrylic fabric, this classic cap will help any boater keep his head in the game while venturing offshore in cooler climes.

Pelagic Gear Circle Bottle-Opener Keychain

One thing about bottle openers is when you need one, you can never find one. Change that with this keychain from Pelagic.

MagBand Magnetic Wristband

When working on boats, dropping drill bits and other tool parts into the bilge or some hard-to-reach place is always a risk. Keep them attached to you by wearing this Mag-Band magnetic wristband while you work.

Fireboy Xintex SS-775 Smoke and Fire Alarm

This general-purpose smoke and fire alarm runs on a 9-volt battery so you don’t have to hard-wire it to your boat.

Smith’s Adjustable-Angle Pull-Through Knife Sharpener

This manual sharpener lets you adjust the settings to course or fine to sharpen a wide variety of knives.

Whistles for Life Tri-Power Whistle

This clip-on emergency whistle can be added to your life jacket, used as a keychain or kept handy aboard your boat. The plastic waterproof whistle creates 120 decibels of rescuer-alerting sound.

Meguiar’s Boat/RV Air Refreshers

Use the fog canisters to get rid of annoying odors belowdecks. After fogging an enclosed area for 15 minutes, open the area and let it air out, and the odors will be gone.

Airhead Complete Folding Anchor System

This 3.5-pound four-fluke anchor is designed for use with small boats, dinghies, kayaks, canoes and PWC. Packs into a bag along with a 25-foot nylon rope and a float.

Snow Peak Titanium Spork

Eating aboard a small boat can be civilized if you pack the right cutlery. Slurp or chew with this lightweight, durable spork made from titanium.

Cleatus Cups

Cleatus cups use a 6-inch cleat as a handle, giving them the perfect nautical look while holding a 24-ounce beverage. They can be customized.

Lead Masters Stretch Wrap Finger

Protect your fingertips from line cuts or any other kind of abrasion while fishing or doing general boating maintenance.

Suunto Clipper L/B NH Compass

Underrated and under-appreciated, a magnetic compass should be part of every boater’s tool kit. Use this clip-on as a backup to your fixed mount to help find the way home.

Sheldon SFD Fish Descender

Designed to safely return fish to great depths, the Sheldon SFD Fish Descender clips to the fish’s mouth. Tie your line to one end and a heavy sinker to the other end, and send the fish back home.

Double Parachute Camping Hammock

Part of the boating life should always include a time and a place to hang a hammock by the water. This one, made of parachute nylon, squishes down into a portable sack and hangs with straps instead of ropes. Holds two adults.

Ironwood Pacific Top-Snapper Tool for Boat Snaps

Snapping and unsnapping boat canvas is a job that nobody loves. Make it easier with this snapper tool that helps align snaps for fastening and also helps unsnap without breaking snaps or tearing the canvas.

Buff Aquatic Camo Headband

Smaller than traditional Buff head wear, the headband is a great way to keep out of the sun and keep the sweat off.

AFTCO Spin Strap

Use the Spin Strap to get better pulling leverage with your spinning rod when using a harness and belt.

Dock Edge MFP Fender Line

Get this multicolored fender line to keep your fenders safe and secure at your boat or mooring. The nylon mesh rope will stand up to the elements yet remain soft and pliable.

Blacktip Vertical Three-Rod Rack

Stow rods aboard any boat with this one-piece rack made of corrosion-resistant polypropylene . It’s easy to install and lets you create space for rods on any boat.

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How does mpox spread and what is the risk to the rest of the world?

Africa's top health body has declared a public health emergency after more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths were reported on the continent this year.

Thursday 15 August 2024 11:06, UK

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Mpox has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), with a new strain spreading across Africa at an alarming rate.

Officials announced on Wednesday that an outbreak of the strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was now a "public health emergency of international concern".

It is the second time in three years that the WHO has designated an mpox epidemic as a global emergency.

It comes as the number of cases reported so far this year has already exceeded last year's total, with more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths according to the WHO.

But what is mpox, what are the symptoms, how is it treated and what's being done about the outbreak?

The viral disease occurs mostly in central and western Africa. The recent outbreak has spread to 13 African countries, including some that have never reported mpox cases before.

It was first identified in laboratory monkeys, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

It used to be known as monkeypox, but was renamed in 2022 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after receiving complaints that the original name was "racist and stigmatising".

Most cases are mild but it can be deadly.

The disease spreads through close contact with infected people, including via sex, with the latest outbreak in the continent beginning with the spread of an endemic strain known as Clade 1.

The new variant that has emerged, known as Clade 1b, appears to spread more easily through close contact, particularly among children.

Jean Claude Udahemuka, from the University of Rwanda, said last month that Clade 1b is "undoubtedly the most dangerous so far of all the known strains of mpox".

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last two to four weeks.

The rashes can be located anywhere on the body and some people may only have one, while others can have hundreds or more.

These are other symptoms listed by the CDC:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Muscle aches and backache
• Respiratory symptoms (e.g., sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)

The WHO says people may start to feel unwell before they get a rash or skin lesions, while for others the skin symptoms can be the first or only sign.

The new strand has the same symptoms as others but they are more severe, according to Leandre Murhula Masirika, a research coordinator in South Kivu province.

An analysis of patients hospitalised from October to January in eastern Congo suggested the new form of mpox initially caused milder symptoms and lesions mostly on the genitals, making it harder to spot.

How is it treated?

Currently there is no treatment approved specifically for mpox infections, according to the CDC.

It says that for most patients with mpox who have intact immune systems and don't have a skin disease, supportive care and pain control will help them recover without medical treatment.

However, a two-dose vaccine has been developed to protect against the virus, which is widely available in Western countries but not in Africa.

Scientists from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) say they need more than 10 million vaccine doses but only 200,000 are available.

How did things get worse in Africa?

Mpox has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades after it was first detected in humans in DR Congo in 1970.

But the Clade 1b strain first emerged in September among sex workers in the DRC mining town of Kamituga, about 170 miles (273km) from the border with Rwanda .

Africa CDC has said 96% of all cases and deaths were in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but it has also spread to neighbouring countries, with 18 nations reporting cases.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Could this affect the UK and the rest of the world?

A milder version of the virus spread to more than 100 countries in 2022, largely through sexual contact, prompting the WHO to declare a public health emergency of international concern on 23 July 2022 - its highest level of alert.

A total of 2,137 cases had been confirmed in the UK at that stage, but by 31 December 2022 that number had soared to 3,732 cases - 3,553 were in England, 34 in Northern Ireland, 97 in Scotland and 48 in Wales.

The WHO ended the emergency 10 months later, saying the health crisis had come under control.

Infections have since slowed down significantly in the UK, with only 239 cases detected in 2023 and 2024 (up to 30 June) - 225 in England, nine in Scotland, four in Northern Ireland and one in Wales.

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There were no reported deaths in the UK during the entire outbreak.

Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads WHO's outbreak department, has called for an urgent response.

"We do not want the world to sit and watch and wait," she said. "The time [to act] is now."

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