Most owners can recall the moment, usually an hour or so into the day, when they realise something has been left behind. Often it is minor. Occasionally, it is the one item that changes how the afternoon runs, and there is no turning back for it once you are on the water.
This is the boating essentials checklist worth keeping on board permanently, restocked at the start of each season and checked before you leave the ramp. It is the kit that a considered owner carries, and the first thing we run through with anyone taking delivery of a new Cobalt.
A note before the list: required safety equipment varies by state and vessel type. The items below cover the universals that apply to almost every owner. Always confirm the specifics with your state maritime authority for your vessel and the waters you operate in.
1. Lifejackets that fit the people on board
The requirement to carry them is straightforward. Sizing is where most owners come unstuck. Lifejackets bought when children were eight no longer fit them at thirteen, and a spare adult jacket sized for a slim build is little use to a larger guest.
Audit the full set at the start of each season. Check the service dates, test the buckles, and keep a guest jacket or two on hand for visitors who arrive without their own. It is the most important safety equipment on the vessel, and the one piece worth getting exactly right.
2. Flares, EPIRB and a working VHF radio
Carry them, register them and know how to use them. The EPIRB should be registered to you and the vessel with AMSA, the flares need to be in date, and the VHF radio needs the correct channels programmed, along with someone on board who can send a Mayday distress call with confidence.
If that last point is uncertain, your local Marine Rescue base will run you through it at no cost. It is half an hour well spent. This equipment is only mandatory for offshore work, though it is worth carrying for the days you decide to head further out.
3. A proper marine first aid kit
A general household kit is not enough. A marine-specific kit is set up for fishhook injuries, deep cuts, sunburn, seasickness and the more serious incidents that take time to reach help. Keep it dry and within easy reach, not buried beneath wet towels in the bow.
Restock it at the start of each season. Supplies expire, items get used, and small tools have a way of disappearing.
4. More fuel than you think you need
One-third out, one-third back, one-third in reserve. It is an old rule because it holds up.
Conditions change. The wind comes up, the crew want one more run, you take the longer way home around the headland. Running low offshore is a real hazard, and on inland water, it leaves you waiting on assistance well after everyone else has packed up. Check the fuel level before you leave the ramp rather than when the warning light appears.
5. Sun protection: the full kit, not just sunscreen
Australian sun on the water is severe, and the reflection off the surface adds to it. Treat sun protection as a priority rather than an afterthought:
- High-SPF sunscreen, reapplied throughout the day
- Wide-brimmed hats for everyone on board
- Polarised sunglasses, which cut glare and are a safety measure as much as a comfort one
- Long-sleeve UV shirts for children and anyone fair-skinned
If your Cobalt is fitted with the arch and sunshade, an aft shade sail or a hardtop, set them up before you leave rather than once the sun is overhead. A bow shade sail earns its place on a long day at anchor.
6. Water and proper food
A day on the water dehydrates you faster than the same day ashore. Heat, salt air and sun all contribute. Allow at least two litres of drinking water per person, more in summer, kept cold.
For food, choose things that travel well and need little preparation. The cockpit cooler does most of the work. If you are running an R35 with the AutoDeploy Galley, the options open up considerably. For every other model, a well-packed esky with ice that lasts the day is the sensible approach.
7. Towels, dry bags and warm layers
Wet stays wet on a boat, and the cold sets in faster than people expect once the sun drops or the breeze picks up.
Allow one towel per person, plus spares. Keep dry bags or waterproof pouches for phones and wallets. Pack a warm layer for anyone going in the water, and ideally for everyone else as well. A winter afternoon on the Broadwater catches out anyone who came aboard dressed only for the morning.
8. Anchor, rode and the gear to set it properly
Sized for the vessel and the conditions you are likely to see. Many newer owners under-specify the primary anchor. If you are unsure, your dealer or local chandlery can advise, but the difference between an anchor that holds and one that drags is the difference between a relaxed afternoon and a tense one.
Carry more rope and chain than you expect to need, a backup anchor for offshore or busy waterways, and gloves for handling the chain.
9. Mooring lines and fenders
The boat deserves a clean landing. Carry enough lines for stern, bow and spring, along with fenders sized to your hull.
If you regularly visit the same marina or pontoon, keep a dedicated set on board. If docking is still new to you, practise in calm conditions before taking it on at a busy ramp like the Spit.
10. Tools, tape and a basic spares kit
The owners who carry a kit are the ones who make it home under their own power.
A compact marine toolkit should cover screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable spanners, a knife and cable ties. Add gaffer tape, a length of rope, spare fuses, a torch with fresh batteries, a short length of fuel line, and spare spark plugs with the correct spanner. A spare propeller is excessive for most owners. A spare prop nut and key are not.
It is also worth checking your navigation lights, horn and bilge pump before each trip. These are the small items nobody thinks about until they fail.
11. The watersports gear, matched to the day
If you are heading out to surf or ski, set the gear up properly.
For wakesurfing: boards sized to the riders, a surf rope, and a tower speaker setup if music is part of the day. For wakeboarding: boards, bindings, a stiff-handle rope and helmets for younger riders. For ski and kneeboard: a proper ski rope, the right board and an observer who understands the role.
Brief the driver and observer before anyone enters the water, covering hand signals, fall protocols and who is watching the rider. The Surf System makes the wave easy. Good crew habits keep the day safe.
12. The accessories that quietly make the day better
This is the category that separates a good day from a very good one:
- A boat hook for moorings, fending off and retrieving anything that goes overboard
- Insect repellent for mangrove anchorages and late-afternoon stops along the coast
- Cash or card for the fuel docks that still do not take contactless
- A waterproof phone case or camera for the photographs worth keeping
- A weather check before you leave: the BOM marine forecast and a reliable wind app. Conditions shift quickly.
- A bottle opener is kept in the cockpit rather than the kitchen drawer at home
Each is a small expense that pays for itself every time.
The boat does the rest
A well-prepared Cobalt handles almost anything you ask of it. The build quality, layout, and standard safety inclusions all do real work on your behalf. Your part is to pack the items that the vessel cannot carry for you.
If you have recently taken delivery and would like a hand assembling a proper day-trip kit for your model, visit the showroom or give us a call. We have helped many Cobalt owners get set up exactly right.
