Boating Safety Kit: Emergency Gear for Your Lund Boat

Emergency preparedness is part of boating. You never know what could jeopardize a relaxing day on the water, so having emergency boating supplies on hand is key. Now is the right time to put together a safety kit to keep aboard your Lund boat.

USCG minimum requirements

Start with the barebone minimums mandated by the U.S. Coast Guard. There are five classes of vessel (determined by length) that have different requirements for the emergency gear you must carry. Check out this chart for a comprehensive list by class. 

If you’re missing any of this mandated equipment, then you’re out of compliance and must purchase what you need. 

Checklist

• Lifejackets

• Fire extinguishers

• Visual distress signals

• Sound producing devices

• Navigation lights

Supplemental gear

Although the USCG outlines the minimum, there’s additional gear that will keep you safer or at least more comfortable in case of an emergency. Carry an anchor and line to secure yourself while waiting for help, extra line in various sizes and lengths to secure loose equipment, and duct and electrical tapes to fix a broken mirror, wrap tail light wires on your trailer, or even keep a cooler of bait from coming apart. 

Bring along a paddle in case your outboard conks out 20 feet from the launch ramp. In the event you’re caught out at night, make sure you have flashlights and headlamps with fresh batteries. Make sure also to have some tools including a knife and a multitool with various screwdriver heads for quick fixes. 

Checklist

• Anchor and line

• Extra line

• Duct tape

• Electrical tape

• Paddle

• Flashlights or headlamps with batteries

• Tools

Boating first aid kit

 Always carry a first aid kit because you never know if you’ll get a fishhook in your finger or a headache while out for the day. Medical kits can be barebones versions you put together yourself in a Ziploc bag, or a professionally compiled assortment of supplies. Don’t forget to prepare items you would need in case of emergency, but also items like sunscreen that can help prevent a painful burn.

Checklist

• Disposable gloves

• Antiseptic wipes

• Compresses, gauze, and adhesive bandages

• Instant cold pack

• CPR mask

• Antibiotic cream

• Burn cream

• Sunscreen

• Aloe gel

• Ibuprofen or acetaminophen

• Antacids

• Seasickness medicine

• Antihistamine

• Tweezers

More tips

Check your kit regularly to make sure medicines haven’t expired, and keep it in a waterproof container or bag. If you decide to purchase a kit, don’t overbuy. Bigger kits rarely mean additional equipment – they just have more pieces of the same items that you may not need if you boat with only a few people at a time.