The Liveaboard Toolkit: 10 Gadgets We Use Every Day on Our 44ft Sailboat

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Living on a boat full-time in the UK is a bit of a balancing act. You want to be off-grid and independent — but you also want things to actually work day-to-day.

After a year aboard, we’ve realised it’s not just the big systems that matter. It’s the small bits of gear you end up using constantly that make the biggest difference.

If you’ve read our Liveaboard Essentials: What Actually Matters guide, you’ll know the bigger picture. This is the everyday stuff we rely on.

A lot of this gear falls into the “hidden costs” of boat life — things you don’t think about until you’re actually living aboard: Hidden Costs of Living on a Boat in the UK

1. The Humidity Battle: Small & Efficient

If you live on a boat in the UK, your number 1 enemy isn't the wind—it's condensation. We actually tried the famous Meaco Zambezi, but we had to give it away! While it’s great for shore power, it was a total power-hog for our off-grid setup.

• Our Current Solution: We now use a smaller, low-wattage dehumidifier and run it during peak solar hours. It’s a bit of a balancing act between power use and actually keeping the boat dry. See how we manage power onboard: How to Power Remote Work on a Sailboat

• Link to our Current Dehumidifier

• Read More: See how we manage our power in our DIY 780W Solar Guide.

2. Our Floating Office Hub: Starlink Mini

We couldn't live this life without high-speed internet. The Starlink Mini is small enough to mount anywhere and draws significantly less power than the older dishes.

• The Gear: Starlink Mini + a 12V DC power cable (to avoid using the inverter).

• Link to Starlink Mini & Accessories

• Read More: Check out our Full Starlink Mini Review for the power-draw breakdown.

3. The Unsung Hero: Rechargeable Headlamps 🔦

This was a Christmas present that my husband was initially "meh" about—now he uses it several times a day. Whether it's checking the bilge, working on the engine, or walking down a dark pontoon, a good headlamp is a literal life-saver.

• Why it’s a winner: USB-C rechargeable means no hunting for AAA batteries in the dark.

• Link to our Favourite Headlamp

4. The Galley Game Changer: The Omnia Oven

No room for a full-sized oven? The Omnia is a "stovetop oven" that lets you bake bread, pizza, and even cakes on a single gas hob burner.

• Link to Omnia Oven & Silicone Liners

  
  

5. Professional Electrical Tools (For DIY Success)

Building our solar setup would have been a nightmare without the right tools. If you’re doing your own boat electrics, don't skimp on these:

• Ratcheting Wire Crimpers: Essential for safe, vibration-proof connections.

• Ancor Marine-Grade Heat Shrink: To keep the salt air out of your wires.

• Link to Boat Electrical Tool Kit

If you’re building your own setup, this is the system we installed from scratch:

DIY Boat Solar Installation (780W Setup)

6. Cordless Vacuum (Unexpected Favourite)

I absolutely love it.

Boat life gets messy quickly — sand, hair, crumbs, all of it — and in a small space you notice it straight away. We use a cordless Shark vacuum, and even though it’s only advertised as around 10 minutes run time, it’s actually perfect for the boat. It gives you enough time to get round everything, and it starts to warn you before the battery dies so you’re not caught out halfway through.

It’s quick, easy, and means I actually keep on top of things instead of putting it off: Cordless vacuum we use

7. Alexa (Way More Useful Than Expected)

I didn’t expect to use this as much as we do. We mostly use it for:

• timers when cooking

• music in the background

• quick questions when our hands are full

On a boat, your hands are often busy — cooking, holding onto something, cleaning — so being able to just say “set a 10 minute timer” is genuinely useful. It’s one of those small things that just makes daily life feel easier: Alexa we use onboard

8. Handheld VHF Radio

We use this every single time we leave the marina. Our built-in radio is down below, which is fine in theory — but in reality it’s hard to hear from the cockpit, especially with wind or engine noise. So we always bring the handheld VHF up with us.

Ours floats (which is a huge bonus 😅), and it just makes everything easier — calling marinas, communicating when manoeuvring, or just having a backup if anything goes wrong. It’s one of those things you don’t think about until you need it — and then you’re very glad you have it. Handheld VHF radio we use

9. Multimeter

If you’re doing anything with electrics onboard, this becomes essential very quickly. We use ours for:

• checking battery voltage

• troubleshooting when something stops working

• testing solar input

It’s not exciting, but it saves so much time when you’re trying to figure out what’s going on. Without it, you’re basically guessing. Multimeter we use

10. Phone / Tablet / Camera

This probably sounds obvious — but we rely on these more than anything.

Between us we use:

• phones for maps, weather, banking, everything

• a tablet for watching things / planning / general use

• a camera for capturing everything onboard

When you live on a boat, these devices basically replace:

• a TV

• a laptop (sometimes)

• navigation backups

• entertainment

They’re not “boat gear” in the traditional sense — but they’re absolutely essential to how we live day-to-day.

⚓ Liveaboard Gear FAQ

What is the most important tool for a new liveaboard?

A high-quality Multimeter. Whether you're troubleshooting your lights or checking your solar output, you can't fix what you can't measure.

Do I really need a dehumidifier on a sailboat?

In the UK? Yes. Without one, you will fight a losing battle against mold. However, be careful with "desiccant" models—they are great at drying but can be massive power-drains if you aren't on shore power.

Is it better to have 12V or 240V gadgets?

Whenever possible, go 12V. It is much more efficient because you don't lose power running an inverter. We even converted our Starlink to run directly off our 12V house batteries.

Final Thoughts

Boat life is expensive enough without replacing things every few months. We’ve tried to stick with gear that actually lasts in a salty, damp environment — and these are the things that have held up so far.

If you're setting up your own liveaboard setup:

• Liveaboard Essentials: What Actually Matters

• DIY Boat Solar Installation (780W Setup)

• How to Power Remote Work on a Sailboat

• Hidden Costs of Living on a Boat in the UK

What’s the one gadget you can’t live without on your boat? Let us know in the comments below!