What's in your boat?

[Jmcfarland]

Hey guy's. I loaded my boat today and did some serious reorganizing. I think I got what I need. Lifejackets/anchor/tools/etc. I'm trying to see if there are some things that are out of the ordinary or that you don't think of to often that you find quite handy. Mine would be a small livewell net for tournaments. Saves time and you don't get nearly as soaked getting your fish out if you don't have them pinned.

[Mike S.]

Jumper cables.  I'm telling you, you just never know.  We launched for an NBAA Wednesday nighter, and my cranking battery was dead.  The family and I were all hanging out in the boat, in the garage, and it seems somebody turned the master power on for me.

[Waterfoul]

Um... rods and reels!!  Tackle!!!!

I carry a spare bilge pump with aligator clips and a section of hose.  Something I actually learned from KVD about 10 years ago.  You can fill a livewell if one fails, or use it to bail your boat if the bilge pump fails.  

[TheFishinPollock]

Dirt and a few lawns chairs i stored in it over the winter

[Firefighter Jeff]

  TP  !!!  lol   I carry a quart of engine oil.  Just in case I have let it slip my mind and haven't checked the oil reservoir. If the alarm goes off I'll add the quart and it'll get me to some more.

[SethV]

I carry a spare bilge pump with aligator clips and a section of hose.  Something I actually learned from KVD about 10 years ago.  You can fill a livewell if one fails, or use it to bail your boat if the bilge pump fails.  

Yes - for sure.  I have used it for both.  I once had double bilge failure (long story) and used it to pump the boat out when nearly filled to the gunnels.  I also had my cranking battery totally die once, too dead to even jump, so I moved the leads to a trolling motor battery at the last second before the run in (no pressure!!), but my livewell leads would not reach to the other side.  So, I used the emergency pump while waiting for weigh in.

I also carry a spare prop, tool kit, extra scale, flares, flag, extra gore tex suit, throwable, fuses, duct tape, long rope, anchor, drift sock, helemet, compartment plugs, sd card with waypoint backups, jumper cables

[Jmcfarland]

I like what I'm seeing. I got most of the stuff mentioned so far. One thing I need to buy or make is the bilge pump on alligator clips. I read that before but must have forgot to do it. I usually check my oil before I hook up the boat but that might be a good idea. You just never know. TheFishingPollock-If your ever running low on dirt you can come take some out of my boat. I won't even charge you.

[detroit1]

A rope to either tow or be towed with, spare spark plugs.

[Eric]

A paddle.

[REEL_MAN]

Seth you have just about everything but the kitchen sink.You did forget to mention survival food and water. You can tell who has the time on the water by what they carry and it is called experience.

[Manxfishing]

I Have a hoodie and pair of dry socks in a zip lock bag
Just in case
spare hats and sunglass's
And I keep a 1/2 doz of the plastic grocrey bags for trash, portable tolit etc.

[PIGSMALLIE]

It would take way to long for me to list everything!!!

[bsimpson]

Besides most everything listed, I also keep a roll of toilet paper in my boat!!! 

[Jmcfarland]

There are some really good, really simple suggestions on here that honestly I haven't thought of til its to late sometimes. Especially the toilet paper. Nothing like getting a sunburn on the upper part of your arms cuz your sleeves are missing.  Anyhow when this thread slows down maybe I will gather up all the suggestions and see if I can get Dkimmel to sticky it. It should help out the new boat owners a ton.

[bigmojet]

I carry an extra drain plug for my aluminum boat.

[SethV]

BTW, co-anglers are not impressed when you are 10 miles out with the boat filled to the gunnels 15 minutes before weigh in.  Even with the 250 pushing as hard as it could, it was too much weight to get on pad.       Thanks to all the right extra stuff in the boat, we made it in and both of us got nice checks.

[motocross269]

I carry everything that Seth does.....With my older Evinrude I carried an Extra Prop.....With the new Flow Torque hubs do you guys really think it is necessarry to carry an extra prop or can you get buy with carrying just the hub...I would think it would be a rare occurrence to smoke a Stainless prop...

One other benefit of carrying an extra pump is if you are using a cartridge pump you have one readily available to swap out if you need too...I have used the spare pump multiple times.....

I also carry a splitter rope with a bouy in case I have to tow someone in....Voltmeter, various panduit, Wire strippers and crimpers, 20 foot of wire....(I had to use this during a tournament to temporarily direct wire a livewell pump to the switch when a wire went bad),,,,Spare trolling motor prop and nut kit..Dry clothes vacuum packed, spare handheld GPS with graphics..

[SethV]

You should see the brand new blueprinted Boger prop I "tweaked" at the Mississipi river thanks to an unmarked wing dam.  Rolled the blades right up.  Without a spare prop I would have had a very long idle home.  Props are heavy and I have only needed a spare once, but that one time I sure was glad I had it.

[TheFishinPollock]

Well now the dirt is outa the boat . I went through all the tackle I got.  I need more boxes or a bigger boat with more storage 

BTW  Dan,   That tackle bag we got at the  tourny here was awsome. If I was smart I would have dug into it last season and  had certain soft plastics I needed. But of course I went and bought some before looking. 

[Revtro]

Ditto on the jumper cables.  I have had to help out someone on a couple of occasions with them.  I carry a dry bag with a change of clothes, a swimsuit, and a towel on my boat all summer.  You never know when you're gonna fall in if you're a little clumsy like me.