As long as you are just cruising the coast of Maine the only safety gear you really need is a working VHF. A second bit of gear that is a good idea is a chart plotter. There are places where it can be hard to tell which island you are passing. Radar is nice, but not needed. If you are planning off shore passages, then an EPIRB and a life raft might be the sort of things to give your bride some peace of mind. If you are planning to go across oceans then an SSB radio is nice for weather, etc. If you are going north or even cruising Maine at the ends of the season, then warm, waterproof clothing is a good idea - my wife likes her float coat. Like I said, it depends