A boat is no place to suffer an injury. When you’re out on the water, you don’t have quick access to emergency medical care, and you likely don’t have a fully-stocked medicine cabinet like at home. That’s why it’s important to have a good first aid kit onboard so you can quickly help yourself or others. Here’s what should be in it.

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