Boat Safety

The gear that gets inspected

Safety gear is the part of the list that gets checked rather than shopped. The core here is the carriage requirement: an Onyx Select adult vest, a Cal-June S.O.S. distress flag, an Airhead kill switch lanyard, and a way to move water, either a Sea-Dog hand pump or an Attwood Sahara Mk2 1200 GPH automatic.

Two sizing notes. Sea-Dog hand pumps are rated in gallons per hour (6, 10 and 13) and that rating decides whether it is a real backup or a token. Onyx adult vests run Large through 2X-Large by chest size, so buy for the largest person who will be aboard, not for yourself, and keep the transom straps rated above the boat you are hauling.