On smaller boats, dry stowage is limited. Dry bags, and dry boxes like Pelican cases, will come in handy for clothing, sleeping bags, towels, pillows and any camping gear that shouldn’t get wet.
You won’t have to worry about bringing firewood, you won’t smell smoky, and roasting marshmallows will be as simple as turning the unit on.
You may run out of water, or the five-gallon container can get knocked over. Things happen, so we always bring a Sawyer’s two-liter water treatment system (it looks like a Camelbak, and gravity does all the work).
Cellphone reception here is sketchy at best, and even a good GPS can fail. Be sure to pick up a physical lake map or chart before casting off the dock lines.
It doesn’t matter if you empty an entire can of oh-please-don’t-let-the-tent-leak spray onto the canvas. If you get inclement weather, you’re going to need a good rain fly or a tarp to stay dry.
If you take advantage of dispersed camping rather than the established backcountry sites, you won’t have a picnic table. Bring collapsible camp chairs and a small folding table for meal prep and fireside lounging.