Six months in the Caribbean left the Draw-Tite OML 0127 rusted solid. Then its key broke—and a screwdriver defeated the lock in about three minutes.
Pass
Beautiful, genuinely great insulation, and too expensive for what it is. An honest review of the Oyster Tempo — the cooler equivalent of the $40 Yeti tumbler.
Mixed verdict
Home Assistant turns a boat or RV's mix of gear into one dashboard and a set of quiet little robots. The setup, the first automations worth doing, and the AI trick that writes the YAML for you.
After two years, the Mantus M3 chain hook is a massive upgrade over a standard chain grabber — beefy, built to last, and it latches to the chain even when slack so your bridle never falls off. Plus the trick for opening it when it gets sticky.
Goodkit approved
We ran this SE Sport 200 hydrofoil on multiple small outboards, with it and without it. The verdict: it planes a loaded boat far faster — at the cost of a little top speed. Here's when that trade is worth it, plus install tips.
Worth it
We've hauled this Helinox Beach Chair onto the boat, across dozens of beaches, and up a trail to go salmon fishing. It sits low but it's comfortable, packs down tiny, sets up in seconds, and the feet don't sink in sand.
Goodkit approved
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.