Tom Rowland | Safety Gear Every Guide Should Carry | Tom Rowland Podcast Ep. 347

Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys and host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, breaks down the essential safety gear every guide should carry on their boat in this How 2 Tuesday episode. Drawing from years of guiding clients on the water, Tom reveals the most common equipment failures that strand boaters—and the simple, inexpensive solutions that can save your day or even your life. From dead batteries to lost communication, he shares the specific backup systems and tools that separate prepared captains from those who get stuck calling for expensive tows. This isn't theoretical gear-list padding—it's what actually goes wrong out there and what you need to have ready.

Why Dead Batteries Are Your Most Likely Problem

Tom gets straight to the point: the most common issue you'll face on the water isn't catastrophic failure—it's a dead battery. Maybe the bait well stayed on overnight. Maybe a wire connection slowly drained power while the boat sat on the trailer. Whatever the cause, you turn the key at the ramp and nothing happens. Tom's solution is simple and inexpensive: keep a jump box charged and ready in your boat at all times. These portable jump starters have become affordable and reliable, and they can save you from calling for an expensive tow or canceling a charter. But here's the critical detail most people miss—you have to actually keep the jump box charged. Tom explains his system for maintaining these backup power sources and why this one piece of gear has saved more trips than any other item in his boat. His complete dead battery protocol starts at 3:53.

The Two-to-Three Communication Rule That Could Save Your Life

Tom lives by a principle that every experienced guide learns the hard way: two is one, and one is none. He insists on carrying two to three forms of communication on every trip, and his reasoning reveals scenarios most recreational boaters never consider. Yes, your cell phone works great—until you're on the edge of service and the battery drains faster than normal because it's constantly searching for signal. Or you drop it overboard. Or it gets wet. Tom still mounts a VHF radio in his boat even though he admits 99.99% of his communications happen over the cell phone now. Why? Because there are places where the cell phone doesn't work but the radio does. He also likes knowing that his client has a cell phone as a third backup, and he carries a way to charge phones on the boat. The specific moment when Tom realized the radio saved a trip—and possibly more—reveals why this redundancy matters. The full communication system breakdown starts at 4:38.

The Tools That Fix 90% of Mechanical Problems

A pair of channel locks and a pair of pliers solve more on-water problems than any other tools, according to Tom. He's found that many issues aren't actually dead batteries—they're loose cable connections that can be tightened with the right tool. But there's a specific way these need to be stored or they become worthless rusty paperweights in your bilge. Tom keeps his in ziplock bags with corrosion spray, and he explains why the investment in heavy-duty cutters on those pliers serves a dual purpose: fixing mechanical issues and dealing with fish hook emergencies. When a hook goes through someone's hand or leg, you need to be able to cut that hook and remove it properly. The story of when Tom actually had to use pliers for an emergency hook extraction—and what he learned about which tools actually work in that situation—changes how you think about this gear. The complete tool storage and hook removal protocol starts at 7:07.

Why Paper Charts and Compass Still Matter in the GPS Era

Tom makes a case that surprises many younger guides: you must carry paper charts and a compass, and you must actually know how to use them. Modern GPS navigation is incredible, but Tom has watched an entire generation of boaters learn to navigate solely by following a line on a screen. When he asks what happens if that GPS goes out, he gets blank stares. A blown fuse, a loose wire, a drained battery—any of these can take out your electronics. If you're in unfamiliar water and your only navigation method disappears, you're not just inconvenienced, you're potentially in serious danger. Tom issues a specific challenge in this episode: turn off your GPS completely and navigate using only your compass and paper chart. Try it while you still have the GPS as backup. Learn the skill before you need it in an emergency. The moment Tom describes when he had to do exactly this—and how different the experience was from following a GPS track—drives home why this old-school skill set still matters. The navigation backup system and practice protocol starts at 9:38.

Final Thoughts from Tom

I recorded this How 2 Tuesday because Cody Rubner asked a question on Instagram that got me thinking about all the trips I've seen go sideways over the years. The answer isn't complicated or expensive—it's having the right backup systems in place before you need them. A jump box costs maybe forty bucks. Extra boat plugs are two dollars. A paper chart and compass? You probably have them sitting in a drawer somewhere.

What bothers me is watching newer guides—and honestly, a lot of experienced boaters—rely entirely on technology without any backup plan. Your GPS is incredible until it's not. Your cell phone works great until the battery dies right when you need it. I've been in situations where the old-school gear saved the day, and I've seen people get stuck because they didn't have simple redundancies in place.

The core message here is simple: safety first, always. Getting back to the dock is a successful trip. Everything else is secondary. If you're guiding clients or just taking your family out, you owe it to them to have these systems dialed in. This episode walks through exactly what I carry and why. Give it a listen—it might save your next trip.