Outfitting your boat with boat gear is almost as exciting as choosing the boat itself. Of course the first boat outfitting you need to do is with safety equipment. Besides the actual safety devices like life jackets, the first electronic safety item you should get is a VHF marine radio.

Fixed mount VHF marine radios have access to all U.S. and also international VHF channels (marine only). Channel 16 should be monitored whenever the radio isn't being used for communications. Some boaters add a portable VHF radio as a backup. They're great in the event of accidental sinking because most are waterproof or water resistant and can be operated with one hand. Your primary VHF radio should be considered essential boat gear

You probably know how hand GPS systems are for your car, and they are just as useful on the water. You may well come to think of your marine GPS system as essential boat gear. Some of the systems record way points to help you back to where you started as quickly as possible. Some GPS devices are sold with built in fish finders, making them doubly useful on-board. A particularly nifty item you might want, or that you might buy as a gift for a fishing enthusiast is a combination wristwatch / fish finder. They are as low as 100 dollars and automatically shut down the sonar sensor when you are not on the water. And yes, they are water resistant!

To make fishing all the more efficient, rod holders and outriggers are great ideas for boat outfitting, whether clamp-on or flush mounted. For trolling, downriggers are available either by themselves or combined with fish finders. They come in a wide price range and have many different included capabilities. This is the kind of boat gear that makes fishing even more fun.

And of course, if you're going to be trolling, you need a trolling motor, and choosing the right trolling motor is essential. It will depend on whether you are fishing in saltwater or fresh water. Even if you're only going to be fishing in saltwater part of the time, you need a saltwater-friendly trolling motor. The type of boat you have will also help determine the best trolling motor, whether it's a pontoon boat, canoe, or Jon Boat, as will your typical fishing conditions, such as fishing in windy conditions or trolling against a current.

There are also many entertainment devices that may not be essential boat gear, but can make the boating even more enjoyable. There are marine MP3 hookups so you can take your favorite tunes with you, and there are satellite receivers for watching television, and combined audio / video systems.

And while electrical equipment may not be as important as a marine player, it is definitely the kind of boat gear that makes your boating experience much more enjoyable. Circuit breakers, electrical connectors, electrical panels and other gadgets designed for the marine environment are part of equipping procedure, keeping the boating more safe and enjoyable.

Boat outfitting is definitely a lot of fun, but it is also the second most expensive proposition after purchasing the boat itself. When figuring out the kind of boat gear you need, start with the items that are essential to safety, and then see what extras your budget allows.