2020 Holiday Gift Guide

For many boaters, this time of year marks the end of the boating season and the beginning of our long pontoon hibernation as we wait patiently for spring to find us once again. While the thought of snow can be a little depressing, the good news is it’s never too early to start thinking about the gifts you’d like to give (or get) with Christmas and other holidays on the horizon. We’ve rounded up a variety of true holiday gift ideas that are sure to put smiles on the faces of the boaters in your life.

Pontoon Boat Ornament
The Cape Shore Santa and Reindeer Pontoon Party Boat ornament decoration in reality should be hanging on every Christmas tree this year. The bright colors are truly amazing and the ornament includes those little pontoon details that boat owners are going to appreciate. Available through several different retailers through Amazon.com, it sells for around $15. Worth noting, Cape Shore also offers a variety of other great nautical gifts, but of course nothing is as adorable as this ornament.

Lake Map Mugs
Lake pride runs strong in a lot of us as we love to promote where we boat. When we’re not able to get to the lake, it’s nice to bring the lake to you. Well, kind of. These beautifully detailed ceramic Lake Map mugs from Well Told include topography, roadways and shorelines of popular lake destinations around the U.S., and each high-quality 15-ounce mug is made in the USA and is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.
All Lake Map mugs retail for $22 at welltolddesign.com and include popular pontoon lakes such as Lake Havasu, Lake of the Ozarks, Lake George and many others. Plus Well Told offers several other gift ideas worth checking out.   

HLA Watch
The gift of a watch is great, but the gift of the official Hawaiian Lifeguard Association watch is even better. Created by Time Concepts, each watch is designed to stand up to challenging water environments – and up to 600 feet below the surface.
The HLA watch collection was created to serve the needs of lifeguards on the job so it will easily endure the pontoon life. Priced at $250, these watches may be purchased at timeconcepts.net for the captain in your life who can appreciate such a stylish gift.

Teva Sandals
When on the hunt for gifts for any occasion, West Marine is always a good place to start. That’s where we found the Teva Katavi 2 Slide sandals that are easy-on, easy-off and include a contoured EVA footbed for amazing comfort. Retailing for $60 at westmarine.com, the waterproof suede upper dries quickly which is ideal for boating. The nylon shank stabilizes and supports your foot while the Durabrasion Rubber outsole provides great traction. Give the gift of comfort and keep in mind West Marine offers a huge variety of Teva sandals for men, women and children.

Polar Cap Cooler
You can’t go wrong with giving a cooler this season, especially when it’s the new Cabela's Polar Cap Equalizer 25-Qt. Cooler. It boasts a tall design that fits most wine bottles, plus an R-value of 12 delivers an incredible insulation-to-weight ratio that provides up to 5 days of ice retention! A freezer-grade gasket seals out ice-melting warmth, while elevated slip-free feet reduce ground heat transfer.
This Cabela's cooler ($149.99 at cabelas.com) boasts heavy-duty rubberized T-handle latches with built-in bottle openers for added convenience and is built from a rugged Roto-molded plastic with UV stabilizers to ensure the sun doesn't compromise its toughness!

Muggo Travel Mug
Until coffee makers become standard equipment onboard our boats, most pontoon and deck boat owners will always be in need of a quality travel mug. Muggo, a high-tech reinvention of the traditional travel mug, is capable of keeping drinks heated between 95 and 150 degrees for up to three hours on the go, ensuring you’re able to enjoy every sip of your favorite beverage at the perfect temperature until the last drop.
The 12-ounce, self-heating BPA-free Muggo travel mug features a stainless-steel inner vessel surrounded by space-grade thermal insulation and a microprocessor-controlled heating element at the base of the mug to keep beverages at a precise temperature. A patented conductive wireless charging magnetic battery attaches to the base of the mug to keep it powered for up to three hours while on the go. Muggo also comes with a dual-charging coaster that can power the mug and charge the removable battery, or heat and charge two mugs at the same time. Muggo is available on Amazon.com for $129.99. For more information visit muggocoffee.com.

Security
There are a ton of locks available on the market. But the trouble with all those locks is that you end up with all those lock keys. Wouldn’t it be nice to have all these locks work with just one key … say, even your truck key?
BOLT Locks has designed a series of locks that can accommodate all your needs and can be programmed to match your truck key. Specially crafted tumblers permanently learn the vehicle ignition key the first time it is inserted into the lock.
BOLT has locks to fit receivers, tool boxes, spare tire locks, coupler pin locks, padlocks, off-vehicle coupler locks, collar/kingpin locks, etc. To view the entire lock lineup visit boltlock.com. For our gift guide we’re recommending the Cable Lock ($41.99) that is perfect for securing equipment or kayaks. The 6-foot long coil is coated with quarter-inch thick black vinyl, uses a double ball bearing lock mechanism, is weatherproof and has a stainless-steel lock shutter to keep dirt and moisture out.

Bluetooth Speaker
We all have someone on our list who just loves music. Some boats are loaded with speakers, but realistically most of them are not and this is where West Marine once again comes to the rescue. The marine retailer offers a wide selection of Bluetooth speakers including the Eco Roam 10 from ECOXGEAR.
It’s the smallest (under 5 inches tall) in their new line of fun, fabric-wrapped, waterproof, Bluetooth speakers. The IP67 certified dustproof and waterproof floating speaker retails for $59.99 at westmarine.com, and when paired with ECOXGEAR Surface Mount Suction Cup ($29.99), this setup is ready for the boat.

Boating Hat
When looking for a fun gift for her, Katydid’s collection of trendy and unique hats are perfect for any outdoor occasion. As boaters we were drawn to the “Boat hair don’t care” nautical trucker-style caps, but we must admit the selection of quarantine-themed hats are fun as well.
The curved bill and distressed cap give it a worn look that retails for $22.95 at katydid.com (one size for the adjustable cap fits most). These women’s caps are manufactured from high-quality materials that will look great onboard any pontoon.

Fishing Shoes
For the angler who seems to have everything, try gifting a pair of World Wide Sportsman Grip Current Fishing Shoes for Men ($69.99 at basspro.com). Breathable, quick-drying mesh uppers disperse water for all-day dry comfort and the Defender Repellent Systems with 3M Scotchguard blood- and oil-resistant treatment keep the shoes looking like new for seasons to come. Odor-fighting Ageon linings keep feet feeling fresh and the perforated footbeds not only cushion feet, but also allow water to permeate to the midsoles where it can flow out of the drainage ports.