We reach for calipers constantly, but rarely for machinist precision. These cheap plastic ones don't rust, cost almost nothing, and are accurate enough for the everyday 'what size is that?' — rope, cable, glass, screws, you name it.
Goodkit approved
We bought name-brand Sony XS-MP1611 'marine certified' speakers for the boat in 2023. By this season the cones had completely deteriorated — a cautionary tale about what 'marine' on the box actually guarantees.
Pass
When the batteries are full and the sun is still working, we dump the surplus into the water heater — free hot showers from power that had nowhere else to go. Here is the automation that runs it.
Our anchor light switches itself on at sunset and off at sunrise — legal every night without a second thought. Here is the simple automation behind it.
We compared Paddle North's 10ft Loon's Nest to the Sunchill. Two differences stand out — a ring you can actually sit on, and screw-down mounts for drink holders and GoPros — plus a tough rub rail and an overpressure valve built to last.
Worth it
Cheap, disposable, and exactly what you want the moment someone catches a splinter. We keep Splinter Out on the boat, in the RV, and at home.
Goodkit approved
The tracking and anchor alarm we built for WhereIsOurBoat have run our own boat from the Dominican Republic to the BVI. The feature we love most: an anchor alarm you can set from your phone on shore.
A full season on our outboard, one accidental night on the seabed in 15 feet of water, and it still works perfectly. Here is our take on the Show Me Your Dinghy light.
Goodkit approved
Free marine solar sizing calculator. Daily energy need, peak sun hours and realistic loss factors produce a practical recommended panel wattage.
Free marine battery-bank sizing calculator. Enter daily consumption, autonomy, voltage and chemistry to estimate the required capacity in amp-hours.
Free marine DC fuse size calculator using ABYC E-11 standards. Sizes fuses for continuous, intermittent, motor, and inverter loads — and warns if your wire can't safely handle the fuse.
Free marine DC wire-size calculator using ABYC E-11 standards. Enter current, distance, voltage and acceptable drop to calculate the appropriate AWG.
Three years with the Yacht Devices YDNR-02 NMEA 2000 Wi-Fi router on our boat. Reliable, simple to configure, zero drift. The only catch: the company is opaque about its origins.
Goodkit approved