Ship Life Hacks: Making Your Maritime Home More Comfortable

Life at sea presents unique challenges that require creative solutions. After being at sea for 5 years, I've collected these practical hacks to make your floating home more comfortable and the voyages smoother.

Whether you're a seasoned mariner or just starting your seafaring career, these tips will help you navigate the challenges of ship life.

Cabin Comfort

Magnetise Everything: Invest in magnetic hooks, clips, and organisers. Due to bulkheads being magnetic, these are a big hack!

These are the magnets I have. They're from Kmart. But you can get them from pretty much everywhere!

Noise Cancellation: Quality noise-canceling headphones aren't just a luxury—they're essential for sleep and sanity. For budget/comfort options, good earplugs and a white noise app can work wonders. These are a must for watchkeepers!

Bedding Upgrade: If you struggle with sleeping, bring your own mattress topper and pillow. A 2-inch memory foam topper packs down surprisingly small and transforms uncomfortable bunks into proper beds. I have been on one vessel where there was no mattress topper and let me tell you, my back KNEW ABOUT IT!

DIY Humidity Control: A/C on board vessels runs continuously. To stop your skin from drying out, take a small dehumidifier to put some moisture back into the air.

Personal Wellness

Exercise Anywhere: Resistance bands take up minimal space but offer full-body workouts in even the smallest cabin. Loop them around secure points for added exercise variations.

Vitamin D Supplements: Limited sun exposure can affect your mood and health. A good quality Vitamin D supplement helps compensate for limited daylight hours.

Hydration Tracking: Mark time goals on your water bottle with a permanent marker to ensure you're staying hydrated throughout your watch.

Sleep Mask Innovation: Sleep masks are excellent for watch keepers trying to sleep throughout daylight hours.

Sew a pocket into your sleep mask to hold lavender sachets or peppermint oil pads—aromatherapy that helps combat insomnia and reset your body clock between shifting schedules.

My fav Koala eye mask.

Digital Life

Offline Entertainment: Download entertainment before departure. Create a personal media server with a portable hard drive to watch movies in your down time.

Portable Battery Banks: Keep multiple fully charged at all times. When one is charging, have another ready to go.

Digital Photo frame: Load a digital photo frame with pictures of home, family, and land-based adventures. The changing images help combat the monotony of unchanging cabin walls.

Although, I have printed out hard copies of photos and put my favourite ones up every swing.

Practical Tools & Hacks

Binder Clips: Pack several sizes of binder clips. They secure snack bags, hold curtains closed, keep cables organised, and serve for dozens of other purposes.

Velcro Everything: Attach velcro to the bottom of items that tend to slide during rough seas.

Anti-slip matting also is a life saver!

Multi-tool Investment: A good quality multi-tool saves you countless trips to the tool room for minor fixes and adjustments. My leatherman comes everywhere with me.

Life at sea demands adaptability and resourcefulness. With these hacks, you'll not only survive but thrive during your time aboard. The best seafarers aren't just skilled at their professional duties—they're masters at creating comfort and community in challenging environments.

What are your favourite ship life hacks? Share them in the comments below!

~ @theaussieseafarer