Anyone who goes cruising for extended periods of time knows that the two most important factors to having a fun and fulfilling adventure are safety and comfort. Whether you’re cruising with family or with friends, making sure everyone on board is safe and comfortable are the top priorities for any cruiser, and these four upgrades to your boat can provide both. After all, when you’re off cruising, your boat becomes your primary home, and it should be treated as such.

Anchoring Systems

Most sailboats over 30 feet are equipped with some sort of anchor windlass system, but many are out of date or under-powered. Having a properly-sized electric anchor windlass installed on your boat can vastly improve your cruising experience and give you the confidence to explore more remote anchorages. Having confidence in a reliable anchoring system means you can spend time anchored in deeper waters or in uninhabited anchorages without having to worry about a laborious process of deploying and retrieving the anchor off the seabed floor.  An electric anchor windlass also allows you to use a heavier anchor and larger diameter or more chain than you are willing to lift with a manual or under-sized windlass, which makes resting at anchor safer and more secure, and provides peace of mind when you leave the boat anchored to go ashore and explore.

Interior Lighting

Having the proper lighting in the living areas of your boat is crucial to making it feel like home when you’re cruising for weeks at a time. Whether it’s having the right light in your favorite reading nook, under-cabinet lights in the galley so you can see what you’re chopping while preparing dinner, or a bright utility light in the engine compartment so you can do maintenance without holding a flashlight in your teeth, having the proper lighting specific to each area of the boat is an important part of having a safe and enjoyable time while living aboard and cruising.

Imtra carries a vast selection of interior marine lighting, offering solutions for all areas of your boat and can be tailored to fit your boat’s exact needs. With various different types of fixtures, including downlights, courtesy lights, reading lights, wall lights, chart table lights, flexible rope or tape lighting and more, Imtra is a one-stop supplier for all the lighting needs on any sailboat.