The Most Important Item

[Johnathon123]

What, to you, is the most important piece of safety equipment on your boat?

The one that gives you the greatest peace of mind.

Only one!

[Pelagic]

Training

[sailfish2008]

the Anchor

[s/vPainkiller]

I agree with Sailfish. You have to have confidence in your ground tackle. And your anchoring technique. Both are essential to getting a good night's sleep.
Scott

[Unicorn Dreams]

Harness/Tether

[S/V Illusion]

This may not be a common answer but I'd put proper maintenance as the foremost safety consideration for any boat. If you don't have that, it's just a question of time until you need all the secondary things like a PFD, EPIRB, etc.

[CharlesFCook]

Trained, Experienced, Sober, Drug Tested Crew.

Most of the time the Captain and I are the only ones who know how to sail. The rest of the crew are free and paid their own way to the boat.

[Ram]

Anchor and rode, ect. Like Brakes on a car!

[MarkJ]

What, to you, is the most important piece of safety equipment on your boat?

The internet.
Before I go somewhere I can better research where and how.

On long passages the internet doesn't work, of course, but the folks with sat phones can still download weather. And off-line I can still use the saved wealth of the net.

[daddle]

Hull integrity. All the bits that keep the water on the outside of the hull. Several people said anchors? Anchors are only useful on about 0.01% of the earth's surface. Hull integrity is useful on 71% or more. And usually when anchors are useful one could simply swim ashore. What good is an anchor when one is in deep water? Not needed if you're not floating.

[highseas]

Liferaft,or EPIRB.The canadian sailor just rescued in the southern ocean proves that.

[Intentional Drifter]

I agree with Pelagic. Training leads to good sense and the judgement needed to assess all the rest.

ID

[osirissail]

A well funded ATM card. Without it you won't get far enough to worry about the other things.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by osirissail

A well funded ATM card. Without it you won't get far enough to worry about the other things.

unless your a $500 a month crusier!

[s/v Beth]

Common sense.
With it, anything floating has a good chance to make a journey.
Without it,
Any superyacht is in peril.