Resources for working mariners.
Articles, guides, and checklists from our service team. We write these the way we’d talk through the same questions with a captain at the counter—plain language, real specifics, no filler. Free for any mariner to use, print, or hand to a crew member.
Sorted by what you came in for.
Compliance & regulations
How often do life rafts need service?
Commercial rafts every year, hydros every 24 months, and recreational rafts depend on the raft.
Read →The full 46 CFR 28 checklist
Vessel-by-vessel breakdown of required gear and the inspection traps that catch boats every year.
Read →SOLAS vs. USCG: which one applies to you?
The map for which regulation governs your raft, your suit, and your EPIRB.
Read →Buying & sizing
EPIRB vs. PLB vs. AIS
Coverage, registration, batteries, and the regs that decide for you.
Read →How to size an immersion suit
Crew sizing, hood seal, gloves, what we replace at inspection. Get it right the first time.
Read →ISAF Category 1 raft prep
What ISAF Cat 1 actually requires, plus the lead times for offshore deliveries.
Read →Survival & service
Safety can be fun.
Long before apps and videos, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Cap’n’s Manual taught kids boating safety with cartoons and a captain’s hat. The basics haven’t changed: wear your life jacket, know your boat, and always tell someone where you’re going.
Getting the kids ready for the water? We carry life jackets in youth and child sizes. See life jackets →
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