Whether you’re looking for something to wear, ride, read, cherish or use, you’ll find it here. Maybe you’ll even give a few to loved ones.
Lists can be controversial. Lists can be antagonistic. Lists can be the center of a storm. But lists can also be just what the reader ordered. Which is why we make the effort every year to put together a list of potential smile-bringing items for our Holiday Gift Guide. This year’s edition includes 30 items that will fulfill boaters’ wishes on, off and even under the water.
OK, so we did the hard work, but we can’t force you to start early and avoid the last-minute rush. That’s up to you. Good luck.
The first gift, of course, is a subscription to Sea. Right now, you can get two years of the magazine, 24 issues, for just $10. Might want to make more than one person’s day — year — with that offer.
Yacht Toys
01 – Underwater Jet
Seabob F5 S is a jet-driven mini PWC that can pull prone riders at 12 and a half mph on the water and about 1 mph less under the water. It can dive to a maximum of 40 meters and delivers roughly one hour of operating time. One camera records the action in front and another takes action selfies. As far as yacht toys go, this is a good one.
$11,860
02 – Inflatable SUP
PopPaddleboards.com
For the giftee who wants a SUP but doesn’t have a ton of room aboard, an inflatable SUP from POP Paddleboards can help. A non-slip EVA pad covers military-grade inflatable fabric for strength, and a diamond traction pad delivers solid footing. A manual pump and a backpack are included.
$849
03 – Paddle Bag
Cool and convenient, an SUP Paddle Bag from Rareform is made from recycled billboard vinyl, so every bag is unique. The one you order on the website is the one you receive. At 83 inches long and with a padded handle, the bag is big enough for two paddles and is comfortable to carry.
$49.95
04 – SUP Paddle
Give someone who already owns a standup paddleboard a paddle that will make her life easier. The DaSail Econo SUP Paddle has a 12-square-foot sail hidden inside its carbon-fiber shaft, so the user can paddle against the wind and sail with it, ensuring at least half of a workout off the boat.
$199
05 – Inflatable Sailing Dinghy
If someone on your list and your boat is looking for a new on-the-water activity, maybe the Tiwal inflatable sailing dinghy can offer an escape. It fits in two carrying bags, can be assembled in 20 minutes and can carry two adults or one adult and two children (up to 418 pounds).
$5,200
06 – Tandem Kayak
Give your partner something that will benefit you too. The Walker Bay AIRIS Tandem Kayak is an inflatable, easy-to-transport, easy-to-store kayak that accommodates two people but can convert to a single by removing a backrest. It comes in an AirPack backpack and includes a skeg, an air pump and a repair kit.
$999
For the Boater
07 – Foul-Weather Jacket
For the boater who often goes out even when the conditions aren’t perfect, West Marine has the Afterguard Jacket for men. Water- and windproof, the jacket breathes and its taped seams keep the wearer dry. Its generous cut provides full range of motion.
$129
08 – Girls’ Jacket
Helly Hansen is a much-respected name in boating outerwear, and the Amalie Jacket for girls offers full weather protection. The seams are sealed, the lining is warm and dries quickly, and the hood is detachable. Its blue-and-white stripe print includes 360-degree reflectivity, for safety.
$115
09 – Insulated Jacket
Cool evenings returning from an island or simply enjoying dockside cocktails call for warm outerwear. The Nightwatch 2.0 Insulated Puffy Jacket from Grundens uses a bio-based fiber fill material inside a nylon mini-ripstop fabric to cocoon the wearer in warmth.
$119
10 – Sunglasses
If you have a big guy on your list who likes to fish and needs sunglasses that fit and offer UV protection, Jaxon V2.0 sunglasses from Fatheadz might be the answer. They come in wide, wider and widest designations and have frames and lenses that can be mixed and matched.
$136.48
11 – Men’s Shoes
Sebago is known for its boat shoes, and the Clovehitch Lite style for men is the latest option for boaters with a fashion sense. The rubber outsole is non-marking, the upper is leather, they come in three colors and they’re lightweight.
$110
12 – Women’s Shoes
With a non-marking rubber outsole, ventilation gills, and a flexible fabric upper, a pair of Braided Lace Loafers from SWIMS would be a good fit for the boating woman on any list.
$160
13 – Fishing Pants
Providing sun protection and a moisture barrier called hydro-
Repel, Tidal Pants from Field and Stream could make an angler’s day. Seven pockets provide room for lots of tools and other necessities, and with 10 percent Spandex they’ll stretch as the wearer moves.
$59.99
14 – Sunglasses
Costa’s Ocearch Half Moon sunglasses offer several lens choices, but the Blue and Green Mirror are made for the water. Give an Ocearch style to someone on your list, and Costa will give to Ocearch, an organization fighting to save sharks and the oceans.
$249
15 – Dive Watch
The Poseidon Titanium watch from Reactor can go deeper than anyone on your gift list. With a triple O-ring screw down, an interchangeable titanium or rubber strap, and true mechanical automatic movement, the limited edition Poseidon Ti can withstand depths up to 3,300 feet.
$1,500
16 – Dive Watch
Water-resistant to 200 meters and powered by light, the Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Diver features a dark blue dial, a stainless steel case and a dark blue polyurethane strap. Since it never needs a battery, its recipient will never have to open it and risk compromising its water-resistant quality.
$295
For Life Aboard
17 – Marine Wall Clock
Yes, this wall clock is a reproduction of a 1940’s French naval clock, but its realistic looks, steel case and solid brass hardware will make it right at home on a boat, hanging on a wall in either a stateroom or a salon.
$150
18 – Marine Gift Set
For the nautical instrument aficionado on your list, check out the Gift Sets from Master-Mariner. The White Nautical Flag Cabin set is one example. It includes a nautical flag clock and a comfort meter, both cradled safely in a luxury leather-finish gift box with a felt lining and magnetic closure.
$189.99
19 – Recycled Rope Mat
A welcome mat made from recycled lobster rope will feel right at home on a boat’s swim platform or cockpit. Each mat from Stern Lines is uniquely patterned and colored, and all of them are durable. Choose from dozens of styles, all of which will last years and complement most any boat.
$44
20 – Custom Wood Maps
Is someone on your list a map and chart junkie? Surprise him with a custom 3-D wooden contour map of his favorite U.S., Canadian or Australian coastline. Pangea Maps can create a unique map that will add to a boat’s décor.
Starting at $390 (custom)
21 – Boat Blanket
Make someone’s late- or early-season boating adventure warmer with an Eco Anchors Away Throw blanket from Yacht Bedding. They’re made of recycled cotton yarn and acrylic, come in six patterns and they’re 50 inches by 60 inches.
$175
22 – Wine Carafe
The Savino Enthusiast carafe can hold the contents of a standard bottle of wine and keep it fresh for a week. If wine enthusiast boat owners on your list don’t like having bottles aboard, let them try the Enthusiast.
$59.95 (glass)
$29.95 (plastic)
For Leisure Time
23 Book o’ Wrecks
While shipwrecks are usually reason to mourn, their remnants inspire curiosity, respect and awe. “Wrecks” by Stefano Benazzo is a photo-rich look at shipwrecks around the world, bringing them to the salon for examination and reflection. Give it to someone on your list with a special affinity for the mariners of the past.
$35 (Rizzoli, October 2017)
24 – Book o’ Drinks
With drink recipes from harbors in five regions — Atlantic, Mediterranean, Baltic, Pacific and Caribbean — “The Boat Drinks Book” by Fiona Sims gives boaters many options for a dockside cocktail, whether they’re in a harbor near or harbor far. Recipes for boat nibbles are included too.
$20 (Bloomsbury, May 2017)
25 – Boat Calendar
There is beauty in wooden boats, and marine photographer Benjamin Mendlowitz captures that beauty in the 2018 edition of the Calendar of Wooden Boats, from NOAH Publications. Now in its 36th year, the calendar includes wooden boats from 1914 and 2016, and the decades in between.
$16.95
For the Dinghy
26 – Propane Outboard
If anyone — perhaps you — is looking for a low-horsepower outboard for a dinghy, Lehr’s 2.5 hp propane-powered outboard is worth a look. Running on 110-octane propane and releasing zero evaporative emissions, the Lehr outboard delivers ship-to-shore power at 1/50th the pollution level of gas.
$1,059.99
27 – Dinghy Cleat
Cleats always come in handiest when there isn’t one available. Give your dinghy, or someone else’s, a treat with the Quick Cleat for inflatables. The peel-and-stick adhesive is strong, and the cleat holds up to a quarter-inch line and doesn’t require any knots.
$22.95
28 – Electric Outboard
Torqeedo’s Travel 1003 Electric Outboard is an environmentally friendly dinghy motor that everyone in the marina or anchorage will love for its silence. Powered by lithium-manganese batteries, the Travel 1003 uses push-button starting, and its four-function display shows percentage of battery power remaining, speed over ground and remaining range.
$1,999
29 – Repair Kit
Help someone on your list be prepared with a dinghy repair kit from Tear-Aid. The manufacturer makes two kinds of kits. Type A works for Hypalon tenders; Type B works for PVC tenders. The see-through patch is easy to cut, won’t turn gummy and bonds instantly.
$35
