10 Simple, yet practical items to pack for your next cruise

Sailing, like anything in life, comes with some of its own little issues. You could buy all the latest equipment there is, and still find something going wrong. Those little tips and tricks you find in magazines, books, or the Internet that you would like to remember at the next voyage or when you are doing something around the ship, or advice that will save you time when you have an emergency, those are life savers.

These are few simple items that you might want to bring onboard the next time you`re packing for another cruise.

1.  GET THE FASTEST COOKER

Pressure cookers are large, but they are well made, have a sealing lid and can cook food really fast. You can bake a chicken in it for 15 minutes, or use it for baking bread. Experienced seafarers say, the smaller the boat, the more they needed a pressure cooker.

2.  KEEP YOUR ELECTRONICS DRY

Silica gel is full of tiny pores made from silicon dioxide and is a desiccant, which means it absorbs moisture from the air. Being in a humid environment, you can save your electronics by leaving them in a bag of silica gel – people say it’s more effective than leaving them in a bowl of rice.

3.  STAY ORGANIZED

Plastic containers are great for organizing, but make sure to choose the right shape that will build up, without wasting valuable space. Plastic containers with airtight lids will keep your food fresh and dry, your jewelry and all the trinkets in one place.

4. BRING THE BEAT

Whether you need it to check the current weather or listen to some music, portable speakers are a must aboard! When you’re out exploring the wide open seas, a regular Bluetooth speaker maybe won`t be enough, so think about replacing it with a waterproof one. Take it outside, on the cockpit, in your cabin, or on the beach, wherever you want, as long as you move to the beat.

5. LIGHT UP

If you like to enjoy in an enchanting evening in the cockpit, a romantic dinner after sunset, or to just read a book in your cabin, solar lights will effectively and efficiently light up the areas you need. Mounted outside, they allow you to find your way back to your own boat if you’ve been away from it till dark.

6. WARM YOUR WATER USING THE SUN

Fill up large plastic bottles with water, and leave them in the sun. A few hours later, you`ll have hot water for washing or showering, without using your boat power.

7. SAVE WATER

If you have limited water storage on your boat, spray bottles can help reduce water consumption. The sprayer can come in handy for rinsing the dishes, after you washed them with salt water, or just cool your face with water while sunbathing.

8. FIX IT

Duct tape. Do we really need to explain this one? You can use it for basic repairs, twisting it into a rope, stopping leakage, you name it. Duct tape is the number one item every boater, road tripper od DIYer should always have in hand.

9.  READ

Book addicts can have a hard time deciding which books to pack since they can take up a lot of storage space and are quite heavy. An e-book reader provides an endless supply of reading material without consuming a significant amount of storage.

10. KNOW THE STARS

It`s great that we live in the age of GPS, radio, and other ways that help us move around and find our way easily. But sometimes, technology can fail us, electronics go out, batteries die, and you don`t want to be lost at sea. Celestial navigation has been the oldest and the most traditional way of navigating yourself in the endless seas. Plus, it`s fun!