This blog post was originally written in 2015, and then updated more than ten years later, after sailing more than halfway around the world. I wanted to indicate lessons learned and what medical gear we actually used.

Our marine medical kit is complete. It includes:

• first aid supplies
• over-the-counter medications
• prescription medications

When I was building our kit, I felt like I was building a field hospital. That is, until our travel doctor sent me a link to a medical list prepared by a cruising doctor.

Disclaimer

I am not a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, or medical professional. I’m a cautious mom on a boat sharing the resources I used while building our family’s onboard medical kit. This is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified medical professional before choosing medications, prescription drugs, medical tools, or emergency supplies for your own situation.

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Summary tables: what we learned after ten years aboard

The full inventory follows below. These summary tables reflect what we learned after more than ten years aboard, including what we used, what we would carry again, and what we would skip next time.

What I would not buy again

Item	Why not	Better option / note
Instant cold packs	Useless in the tropics; became entertainment.	Reusable gel freezer pack.
Save-A-Tooth kit	Limited offshore usefulness.	Saline may be sufficient; get dental care quickly.
Six Dentemp repair kits	Useful, but six packages were overkill.	Carry one or two.
Clove essential oil	Would not buy again.	Skip.
Orthodontic wax	Not essential, even with braces.	Skip unless specifically needed.
Dental cement spatula	Already included in Dentemp repair kits.	Skip.
SOL two-person emergency bivvy blanket	Hot and uncomfortable, though rainproof.	Better in the ditch bag, if anywhere.
Cherry-flavoured tongue depressors	Gimmick.	Plain tongue depressors, or skip.
Extra 60cc sterile syringes	Would not buy again.	Carry fewer.
Sterile lubricating jelly	Never used.	Skip.
Super Glue	Can irritate skin and make matters worse.	Proper skin glue/Dermabond.
Small gauze pads	Larger sizes were more practical.	Buy larger gauze and non-stick dressings.
Antiseptic wipes	Soap and water, or alcohol and gauze, worked better.	Alcohol and gauze.
UTIAZO urinary pain relief	Pain relief only, not treatment.	Consult a doctor for UTI symptoms.
Children’s Benadryl	I would buy Zyrtec instead.	Cetirizine/Zyrtec, after medical advice.

What we used most / would definitely carry again

Item	Used for
Stethoscope	Checking breathing after a shallow-water blackout.
The Ship Captain’s Medical Guide[list]	Medical references aboard.
SAM splints	Twisted ankle, suspected broken wrist, and other injuries.
Elastic bandages	Broken collarbone and sprains.
Triangular bandage	Broken collarbone.
Aloe/lidocaine gel	Sunburn and minor burns, especially with guests aboard.
Dental mirror	Checking suspected cavities.
Dental floss	General dental care.
Ear thermometer	Basic diagnostics.
Blood pressure machine	Basic diagnostics.
Nitrile gloves	Wound care and hygiene.
Hand sanitizer	Especially useful when fresh water is limited.
Bent snips / scissors	Emergency cutting and general medical use.
Duct tape	Frequent improvised use.
Eye wash cup	Eye rinsing.
Bug spray	General cruising necessity.
Betadine	Antiseptic use.
Surgical tweezers	Used often.
Steri-Strips	Wound closure.
First-aid tape	Used often.
Gauze rolls	Used often.
Eye pads	Fish-hook injury near the eye.
Non-stick pads	Used often.
Band-Aids / adhesive bandages	Used often.
Finger/toe protectors	Used often.
Isopropyl alcohol	General cleaning and medical use.

Emergency-only gear I would still carry

Item	Used?	Why still carry it?
CPR rescue mask	Never used.	Emergency-only; worth carrying.
Oral airway kit	Never used.	Emergency-only, though beyond my skills.
Nasopharyngeal airway kit	Never used.	Emergency-only, though beyond my skills.
QuikClot sponges	Never used.	Serious bleeding emergency.
Trauma pads	Never used.	Serious bleeding or wound emergency.
Israeli bandage	Never used.	Compression dressing for major bleeding.
Skin stapler	Never used.	Could be useful if a qualified person is present. I’ve heard that there is no faster way to close a head wound.
Skin staple remover	Never used.	Companion item to stapler.
Kelly hemostats	Never used.	Useful to have on hand.
Mayo Hegar needle holder	Never used.	Useful if a qualified person is present.
Suture/Syringe Medic kit	Never used.	Emergency-only; qualified help may need sterile supplies.
Scalpels	Used once.	Emergency or special-purpose item.

Items better suited to the ditch bag

Item	Best location	Reason
SOL survival blanket	Ditch bag.	Emergency warmth or shelter item.
Stormproof matches	Ditch bag.	Useful survival item, not really first-aid kit gear.

What I would add now

Item	Why add it?
Tourniquet	Severe bleeding emergency.
COVID tests	Practical diagnostic tool while travelling.
Albendazole	De-worming medication; available cheaply in some countries.
Stronger emergency pain medicine	Severe traumatic injury scenario; controlled medications may need declaration.

For consideration

Item	Why add it?
AED	Some cruisers carry one; expensive but potentially life-saving.
Oxygen	Some cruisers carry it, though storage and maintenance are drawbacks.

Offshore medical kit contents and detailed lessons learned

First-aid supplies — consumables

Over-the-counter medications

The following table itemizes our over-the-counter medications.

Ailment	Product	Lessons learned/would carry again
Acid reflux	Tums Antiacid and Calcium Supplement Extra Strength	Essential
Antibiotic (topical)	Triple Antibiotic Ointment and Pain relief ointment	Essential
Antibiotic (topical)	Neosporin antibiotic and pain relieving cream	Essential
Athlete’s foot	Lamisil AT Athlete’s Foot Cream – 1 oz	Essential
Cold sores	Oraljel	Essential — used as a topical pain reliever to treat a splinter and when removing a fish hook embedded in our son’s face. We now own stronger topical anaesthetic of the variety someone might use for suturing.
Constipation	Kirkland Signature Stool Softener Docusate Sodium 100 mg, 400 Softgels/Bottle	Consult with your doctor.
Constipation	Senekot-S	Consult with your doctor.
Constipation	Metamucil (300 capsules)	Consult with your doctor.
Diarrhea	Kirkland Signature Anti-Diarrheal Loperamide Hydrochloride 2 MG Caplets, 200-Count Bottles (Pack of 2)	Essential.
Lice	Nix, and excellent thin-toothed comb, and zapping tool	Never used though we now own scabies soap because it is prudent.
Lice	Cetaphil skin cleanser	Never used for lice.
Hemorrhoids	Equate Maximum strength Hemorrhoidal Cream (1 tube with applicator)	Never used; would still carry
Hemorrhoids	Tucks Medicated Cooling Pads (100)	Never used; would still carry
Rehydration	RecoverORS for Hangovers, Food Poisoning, Diarrhea	Used often; we continue to buy oral rehydration as it makes difference with energy levels in the tropics
Rehydration	Pedialyte Large Powder Packs, Orange, .6 oz, 6 Count	Used often, any electrolyte would do.
Seasickness	Dramamine Tablets Less Drowsy Formula, 8 tablets (14 packs)	Used often though my preference is to use Sturgeron Forte, which is available in many countries. I wrote a blog post about seasickness and why I would never use Scopalamine again.
Seasickness (kids)	Dramamine Motion Sickness Relief for Kids, Grape Flavor, 8 Count	Used often in the early years.
Skin itch, rashes	Caladryl Lotion, Calamine Plus Itch Reliever, 6-Ounce Bottle	Used several times
Skin itch, rashes	Top Care Anti-Itch Cream Diphenhydramine 2%	Used several times
Skin itch, rashes	Top Care Hydrocortisone 1% antipruritic (anti-itch) cream	Used several times
Stomach ache	Equate Stomach Relief Caplets 40ct Compare to Pepto-Bismol	Used a lot. In hindsight, we should have sought a diagnosis for stomach issues earlier than treating the symtoms ourselves without understanding the underlying causes of stomach issues.
Stomach ache (kids strength)	Pepto-Bismol Children’s Pepto, Bubble Gum Flavor Chewable Tablet, 24-Count Units (Pack of 3)	Used sometimes.
Sunburn and other burns	Aloe and lidocaine gel and cream	Used often, particularly when guests visit.
Swimmer’s ear	Ear Drying Aid Ear Drops for Swimmers	Used a couple of times but I think this product may fall under the category of ‘gimmick’.
Tooth Pain	Anbesol Liquid Oral Anesthetic Maximum Strength Gel – 0.41 Oz	Used several times; essential.
UTI	AZO Standard Urinary Pain Relief Tablets, 30 Count	Used but would not buy again as it is a pain reliever and not an antibiotic. If you have a UTI consult with your doctor.
Warts	Compound W Gel	Used though this can be bought as needed.
Yeast infection	Monistat 7 (x1)	Used and strangely difficult to source in New Zealand as it requires an interview with a pharmacist.
Allergy (kids)	Children’s Benadryl (we already own 10 EpiPens)	Used. But, I would not buy again. I’d buy Zyrtec instead. That said, consult your doctor to determine what’s best for you and your family.
Allergy	Kirkland non-drowsy AllerClear (Loratadine 10 mg/tablet)	Used several times. We saw an allergist in Trinidad who helped us manage allergies and asthma.
Coughs, Colds	Kirkland Daytime/Nighttime relief Acetaminophen and antihistamine combination	Used but often available in local pharmacies.
Fever/Pain	Tylenol Extra Strength 500 mg	Used
Fever/Pain (kids strength)	Children’s Tylenol	Used
Muscle ache	Advil	Used
Muscle ache (Kids strength)	Children’s Advil	Used

Prescription medications

I was proactive in purchasing a year’s worth of daily prescription medications for our family. But, before we left Ottawa, I should have also ordered prescription medications to have on hand for our “ship’s medical chest.”

In the end, I approached our Ottawa-based travel doctor for his recommendations and prescriptions. With his help, and with help from some friends and FedEx, I arranged to have antibiotics and antibiotic creams shipped to us in Tavernier, Florida.

It wasn’t actually as easy to ship medication across the border from Canada to the U.S. I’d recommend arranging medications before you leave your home country.

Our prescription medications were based on the OceanMedix Prescription Medicine Kit (now replaced with Ocean Medic 911 OFFSHORE First Aid Kit). However, our doctor in Canada advised us on child-strength medications such as azithromycin, which he prescribed as a powder that would need to be reconstituted by a pharmacist.

In hindsight, I would worry less about filling prescription medication. With the exception of New Zealand, this has been largely a non issue. However, some countries require a prescription for antibiotics.

Further, I would not buy anti-malarials until you are about to enter an area where malaria is an issue, unless you are set on buying Malarone, which is often very expensive and hard to find.

Doctors who sail

There are more cruising doctors than you might expect. After more than ten years of sailing, we have met dentists, surgeons, a neurologist, oncologist, and emergency room doctors from various countries.

In emergencies, we have consulted with our doctor friends long after we’ve spent time together in the anchorage. Dr. Pamela, for example, is an American emergency room physician and cruising mom who we met in the Bahamas. She now lives in Denmark where she first met her husband on a study exchange. She has helped us through several emergencies even with different time zones.

We know of a situation Dr. Pamela and some lay people saved someone’s life — working together and contributing gear as needed to assist during a heart attack. Dr. Wayne is another emergency physician we met in the Galapagos and he glued my finger together after I cut myself on a fishing knife in French Polynesia. A surgeon from Germany did a small surgery on Karen in the cockpit of his trimaran in Tonga.

When I buy surgical equipment I am thinking of emergency situations where we might not have the surgical skills but could perhaps provide the tools to someone who does.

Our reality has been using tools we have on hand. For us, that meant using bolt cutters, vice grips and a stainless steel washer to remove a fish hook from our son’s face.

I have observed that doctors tend to carry their own gear. But just like I would never rely on someone else to carry parts for my boat, I would rather not lean on other sailors to bring medical gear I could have prepared for myself.

Cost comparison summary: DIY vs. prepackaged kit

While consumables were more expensive to buy for a DIY kit, we saved about $500 U.S. buying prescriptions ourselves, outside of a prepackaged kit.

Our prescription medications are stored in a locker in double Ziploc bags. For greater organization, I plan to create an inventory list to attach inside the medical supplies locker.

Related post

DIY Offshore Medical Kit Resources

Family ER at Sea: A fish hook to the face in Munda, Solomon Islands