Outfitting your boat with the right equipment is essential to a safe and satisfying venture out to sea. Before you cast off, you need to double-check that you have everything you need. Do not just assume that you do, or else you risk being insufficiently prepared in a rough situation.
The question then is, what exactly do you need? The answer is quite a long one. Boaters need a variety of marine hardware to cover various aspects of operation and navigation. We will try to list off and describe the must-haves in this blog post, for the benefit of boaters everywhere.
Marine Lumber
Despite what the name suggests, marine lumber is not wood. It is a specially treated polymer sheet, designed by TACO Marine for resistance against the sea, salt, and sun. Though not exactly marine hardware, you can cut, drill, and apply the material in spaces where you will insert marine hardware. Cabinets, shelves, electric boxes, hatches, and instrument panels are just a few of the potential applications. Marine lumber will provide a firm foundation and one that is built to last.
Rail Fittings
When your boat hits the waves, and especially when the waves hit your boat, you and your passengers need to hold on tight. Handholds and barriers are crucial to keeping people from falling overboard, and rail fittings help you build them. They come in various shapes and sizes, but all are tubes that can be screwed onto the vessel. Plugin the handrails, dodgers, lifeline supports, or similar forms of protection. Before you consider yourself finished, make sure that everything is tightly secured.
Steering Wheels
When you picture boat steering wheels, you may envision the wooden ones of the olden days, with all the spokes sticking out. Modern ones more closely resemble those of automobiles than those of antique ships, but they are no less useful. Your vessel’s wheel, also known as the helm, should be responsive. If it is unable to turn on a dime, swap it for a new one. Otherwise, changing direction in water will be next to impossible for anything bigger than a rowboat.
Swim Platforms
Jumping off a boat into the sea is easy enough to do. Hoisting yourself back on board, though, can be tougher. Between the wet hull and your wet hands, getting a grip is tough. Swim platforms make it easier. These fixtures attach to the boat and offer not just a board for leaping, but a means of exiting the water. You should get a swim platform even, or rather especially if you do not plan on getting in the water. Not everyone goes overboard on purpose.
Anchor Rollers
Weighing an anchor is not always easy, but anchor rollers can make it easier. This type of marine hardware attaches to the bow, where it offers a simpler means of dropping and hoisting the weight. Both processes go faster, too, as the ride slides along the length of the roller. Thanks to its jutting design, the anchor is not even at the risk of scraping against the ship. Anchor rollers are especially important for ships with windlasses.
Cleats
Even in modern times, no boater should leave the shore without plenty of rope and comprehensive knowledge of knots. Of course, neither would be of much use if you cannot tie the rope to anything. Your ship needs plenty of cleats, which are fixtures of short metallic bars, scattered throughout the hull. As part of regular maintenance, check that every cleat is strong and secure. Anything that shifts needs either a little screwing in or outright replacement.
Deck Fills
What do your boat’s water tanks, fuel tanks, and waste tanks have in common? They all need to be filled in from time to time. Furthermore, they all need to be covered the rest of the time. Deck fills help with both. When you uncap them, they serve as funnels. When you cap them again — and, in some cases, lock them with a key — they seal the contents of the tanks inside. You may want to keep a few spare caps around, just in case one gets lost.
Bow and Stern Eyes
Bow and stern eyes are bolts, usually U-bolts, that are affixed to the front or back of the vessel. The former is essential if you do not plan to keep your boat in the water at all times. You can tow the whole ship by attaching a cable to the eye. The latter is also used for towing, except the boat does the tugging in the water. You can use it to haul other vessels, as well as for showing water skiers and tube riders a wild time.
Hinges
All the marine hardware mentioned above is designed for marine purposes. While you look at the boating-specific stuff, make sure not to neglect the more mundane sort of hardware. We are talking about the little things that make everything else function, with hinges as one great example. Every door needs a couple to open smoothly, as do many compartments. If your hinges are rusty, sticky, or otherwise faulty, your voyages get just a bit more aggravating. Give them a look every so often and save yourself some hassle.
An Array of Accessories
“Accessories,” by definition, are not necessities. You can cast off without taking any lead-acid battery chargers, swim ladders, power cables, or pedestal guard mounting feet. With that said, these tools are designed to make life easier for any boater. Some do not need to accompany you on every trip but help with maintenance, such as rust and corrosion solutions. Others can just be convenient to have around, such as mobile device holders. Feel free to choose the marine hardware accessories that most benefit you.
Outfit Your Ship with Essential Marine Hardware Right Away
Despite all our efforts, the list above is not comprehensive. Any expert would tell you that a wide variety of equipment is required for proper boating. Fortunately, these ten types of marine hardware represent a small amount of the selection available at Less Is Always More. We can help you get everything you need for your vessel and more — for less.
