Hopefully, most days on your boat are tons of fun and trouble-free. But, every once in a while, accidents happen, like slipping on a wet spot on your boat’s deck or maybe cutting yourself while preparing an onboard meal. When you do have an onboard accident, you want to treat any injuries immediately. Because you likely won’t have quick access to emergency medical care when you’re on your boat, you need to have a good onboard first aid kit. Here’s what to put in your boat’s first aid kit.

  • A first aid instruction book
  • Basic items such as adhesive bandages, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic cream and aspirin
  • Chemical ice packs
  • Medical tools such as tweezers, scissors, gloves and cotton swabs
  • Clean towels to stop bleeding or wrap ice
  • Medication for stomach ailments like motion sickness, diarrhea and indigestion
  • Anti-itch lotion or cream
  • Bottled water to rinse wounds
  • Butterfly bandages to close open wounds
  • Burn cream or ointment
  • Bandages to wrap a wrist or ankle
  • Splint material to stabilize a broken bone
  • Eye drops in case you get a substance in your eye