Holiday time is upon us and gift ideas are like gold. If there’s a boater on your gift list, we’ve polled our staff and vendors for gifts that he or she will love!
Your Favorite Harbor in 3D
3D nautical wood maps make the perfect home and office décor. These bathymetric, wood-carved maps are cut to show both an artistic and accurate depiction of a wide variety of locations and terrains. From the east coast to the west coast and beyond, you can find framed, high quality topographic wall maps by Carved Lake Art from $178.
Aqua Lily Pads
Buoyant, rugged foam, on-water portable floating islands where you can rest, kick-back, tan or use for staging a countless number of your favorite water activities. Various models are able to float 900 – 1,600 pounds of distributed weight. When you’re done for the day, just roll-up your pad into a compact tube and secure with the handy hook and loop straps. From $329 at Aqua Lilly Pad
Garmin InReach GPS Communicator
Give your favorite boater some added safety for the next excursion. This handheld GPS is pre-loaded with maps and a satellite subscription capable of sending brief messages or an SOS to a 24/7 rescue center to call in the troops in case of an emergency. Link it to your phone to download U.S. NOAA charts or aerial maps. $329.99 at West Marine or [email protected] (shop local).
Kelvin K36 Multi Tool
Billed as an urban tool kit, we think the Kelvin 36 is a perfect on-board accessory for quick fixes without dragging out the complete tool kit. Kelvin managed to pack 36 of the most commonly used tools and features into a compact, rugged, and stylish design that fits in the palm of your hand. The cast aluminum body, and rubber touch handle are ergonomically integrated to act tough and feel good. $58.99 at Amazon
Ancor 12 Function Snap-Around Meter
The Ancor 703079 Snap-Around Meter will put a smile on any DIY boater’s face. It enables wiring to be checked without having to cut into the wires or disconnect them, and it reads voltage and amperages on both DC and AC systems, plus resistance and capacitance. It features a backlit screen, a flashlight for use in dark compartments, a zeroing function and a carrying case. Range is 600 to 1,000 volts DC, and 6 to 750 volts AC. On sale now for $124.99
The 2020 Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book
The yellow Eldridge book has been “the most trusted guide for East Coast waters since 1875.” Filled with information about tides, currents, navigation and nautical history, this is both an on-board resource and a good read. $17.95 from [email protected] (shop local)
Aqua-Vu Micro Stealth 4.3 Camera
Call it your eyes underwater. Did you drop something overboard? Lower this in the water to find it—or fish. Three infrared illuminators reveal fish, gear or anything else you want to see in the darkest water without getting wet. The camera image is displayed on the compact 4.3-inch LCD screen, and the camera cable is marked in 1-foot increments to 50 feet. It runs for six hours on a charge. $229.99 at Amazon and many other sporting goods retailers.
Your Boat as a Work of Art
How about turning your favorite boat photo into a work of canvas art? From 8X10″ to 36X36″, framed or gallery wrapped. Simply upload your image and watch the magic happen all online. Previewing your canvas is quick and easy. Once you’re finished, place your order and wait for it to arrive at your door step. At GreatBigCanvas from about $45.
Icom Handheld VHF Radio
The M93D handheld VHF radio from Icom packs the features boaters need, including exclusives such as Float and Flash, Aqua Quake, and active noise canceling, which have proven themselves in use during dozens of Boating photo shoots. It also includes built-in digital selective calling.
$249.99 at West Marine or [email protected] (shop local)
Weego Jump Starter 44.1 Portable Charger
Never be stuck offshore with a dead battery again. This Weego portable charger jump-starts gas engines up to 7L, as well as 3.5L diesel engines. You can also use it to charge all your portable electronics devices. $98 at www.myweego.com
