Equipment We Love (and use)
We’re all about the right tool for the job, and so we’ve compiled a list of items that are some of our favorite things onboard Twig. Of course this is an incomplete list, and we’ll be adding to it, but it’s a great start of things to keep you comfortable and safe onboard. Most things can be purchased on our company site: Twig Marine.
Personal MOB Beacon
The Ocean Signal RescueMe MOB1 activates upon inflation of an inflatable live jacket. It communicates with the vessel you have been separated from and other vessels in the vicinity (up to 5 miles range dependent on conditions). To alert rescue authorities, an alternative product the rescueME PLB1 communicates directly via a dedicated search and rescue satellite network. We don't want to fall overboard without it.
Uniden MHS335BT Handheld VHF with Bluetooth, DSC, & GPS
This is a must have for use in the dinghy. This VHF has all the bells and whistles, including SMS texting functionality! Other owners of this VHF as well as your cell phone can text this VHF! It has integrated GPS so whoever stays on the big boat can request the position of whoever is carrying it using DSC position requests. Speaking of DSC (Digital Selective Calling) this is a requirement of any handheld VHF that we own. It allows us to call other boats directly using their MMSI number (obtained through AIS or by telling us their MMSI) without hailing them on 16 (important for when you want to get to the secret beach spot without telling the whole world!). It's also waterproof and it floats! We had been loyal to our Standard Horizon HX870, but after many grains of sand in the buttons and the charging contacts breaking (and hearing of the same issue from other users) multiple times, it was time for a more rugged VHF.
Quiquattro Turkish Towels
100% cotton, fair trade, handmade, large enough for all my hair, and 10% of the profits go to educating women. I can get behind each of those things! We use these towels for showering, swimming, at the beach, and to generally be fashionable. Perhaps the best part is you can get 15% off your order when you use the code CH415MEW at checkout on quiquattro.com
Spinlock Deckvest PFDs
There simply isn't a comparable inflatable PFD with integrated harness. We've been wearing these for years and they've stood up to all sorts of conditions. They allow us to tecther onto the boat when things get dicey and keep us safe by having all sorts of bells and whistles: spray hood, LED light, crotch straps, and a line cutter. We have each of ours outfitted with the Ocean Signal MOB beacon shown above and have added extra "Lume On" lights.
Ocean Signal RescueME Electronic Distress Flare
This is a wonderful tool in addition to traditional flares. It's bright....really bright, and it beams for 7 miles. It's waterproof and reusable (we love that, although we hope we won't need to be rescued too many times!), and has a 360 degree viewing angle.
Victron Energy Multiplus 12/3000/120-50 120V Inverter Charger
This might be a little overkill, but it's one of a few luxuries we have on board an otherwise (mostly) modest yacht. We wanted an inverter that we could use to run either our A/C or industrial dehumidifier while running the engine or getting a good output from our solar panels. We also wanted a battery charger that we could monitor wirelessly on any of our devices. This does it all!
Cleans Potties toilet cleaner by Raritan
This item makes the list on behalf of all the happy users that have reported to me that it’s the best, and having used it a bit myself, I can agree. Twig has an Electroscan toilet that prohibits us from using bleach or vinegar, so this is the recommended method to clean it. We normally use muriatic acid in careful doses to eliminate the growth from saltwater, but this is a good everyday cleaner if you’re not into the harsh and caustic muriatic acid. It’s non-toxic and non-caustic and it keeps heads smelling great!