Sailing is an amazing hobby. Getting out on the water, on your boat, and just enjoying the tranquility of it is rarely matched by other earthly pleasures. However, there are a lot of pieces of sailing equipment you need to enjoy it. First, there’s the boat itself. That’s not a normal purchase for the average person. On top of that, you need specialized gear and clothing for safety, navigation, and overall quality of life.

However, there are some items you’ll probably really want, but you technically don’t have to have. We’ll go over those, now. 

1: Diver’s Watch

A watch is a classic men’s accessory. For some, leaving home without one feels almost as exposed as being fully naked. It’s just something that has gotten hardwired into the male psyche over generations. 

However, bringing a normal watch sailing with you is a horrible idea. Even “waterproof” watches tend to only remain functional if they’re quickly submerged and retrieved from depths of a few feet. On a boat, you can drop your watch and sob as it sinks thirty feet below the surface. 

Also, consider losing it due to your own mistake such as jumping in for a swim without taking it off. That would be embarrassing. 

A good, high-quality, diver’s watch is a great addition to any sailor’s kit. If you drop it into the ocean, it’s likely gone forever, but it will survive things such as jumping in for a swim, getting splashed by a big wave, etc. 

2: Onboard Cooking System

If you’re going to be sailing a lot, you’re not going to want to have to wait all day to go ashore for a meal. You’ll want a safe, simple way to cook while you’re sailing. Of course, you won’t be whipping up anything complicated on a small sailboat, or even most pontoon boats and largely private vessels, but you can get away with a mini barbeque. 

The key is to get something that is safe to use on a boat. Catching your deck or your house on fire is bad enough, but at least you can get out of those situations. Catching your boat on fire puts you at risk of burning, and even if you get off the boat safely, you have to worry about drowning. 

Also, keep in mind that the cooking sets made for boats are extremely small. You won’t have a lot of room. You also won’t have a lot of room to store pots and pans, either. So, don’t try to invite all your buddies for an on-the-water meal, or you’ll take forever cooking in tiny batches. 

3: Telescope

If you thought gazing up at the night sky at home was a treat, you should try it when there is no light pollution around. When you sail at night, as long as it isn’t cloudy, the sky looks entirely different, and it truly is a sight to behold. Make the most of it with a small telescope.