You love going out on your boat for some sun and fun, but why not “crank it up to eleven” with a little high seas competition. Games are not just for land lubbers - there is plenty of fun to be had with boating games on the water. We've compiled a list of the most fun games to play on a boat.
High Seas Cornhole
If you remember cornhole from your college days, you'll love this upgraded version with inflatable parts that will fit comfortably and lightly on your boat. All you need is a few lightweight balls and some willing participants and you have yourself a great time! If one of the balls accidentally slides overboard, no worries. You can retrieve it quickly and it will dry off in a minute. Avoid using the traditional beanbags unless you want to be fishing out wet fabric. Lightweight balls work just fine.
Nothing brings out a sense of competition and nostalgia quite like a rousing game of cornhole, making this party pleaser one of the most fun boat games around.
Over-Sized Checkers
If the idea of dragging board games aboard your craft fills you with visions of sodden cardboard and pieces being flung into the water, never fear, we have a solution. You can still play plenty of traditional games on a boat with a few minor modifications. Enter the checkers rug! Mostly used by campers, this lightweight and easily dried off rug comes with jumbo-sized pieces that are not likely to get lost. Simply roll it out and get a game going. Life size checkers works best with teams of two but there is nothing to say that you can't rotate people in to play the winner. With a few modifications, you can even make this game into an adult-only drinking game.
Host A Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn't like playing pirate? Engage your guests with a special scavenger hunt! You don't need any real treasure; a few knick-knacks, shells, sunglasses or beer koozies will do the trick in a minute. Simply hide the "treasure" around your boat and put in nautical themed clues to tantalize and challenge your guests. You'll love seeing your friends and family rushing around the boat hoping to find Auntie Emma's pink flamingo snow globe in order to get to the end treasure. For a final gift? Why not have some gift certificates to a local restaurant? Everyone is a winner with this game. The kids will especially love the Scavenger Hunt and you can reward them with special goodie bags at the end. A cute idea would be to get some gold covered chocolate coins so the children can experience their own real-life treasure!
Play I-Spy
I-Spy has gotten many a family through a boring stretch of a road trip and it can work wonders for bringing your boat alive. It is also a really great ice-breaker as it has people talking and engaging in friendly competition. In terms of boat party games, I-Spy requires absolutely no equipment and you only need your imagination. If you know the route you can always play a variation on this theme by compiling a list of interesting landscape features and landmarks and awarding points for the people who see them first. One caveat is to make sure people take turns being the one who "spies", otherwise the game can get tiresome quickly.
There are plenty of other amazing games you can play on your boat this season. Think about fun activities like charades or even board games with very few pieces like Scattergories. With a few modifications, anything that is fit for the dry land can also be fit for the high seas.
