Though many boaters spend the winter months with their boats stowed securely on the hard, the holidays are still a great time to spark enthusiasm and anticipation for the coming year with its fresh, new boating season. There’s no better way to do this than with a thoughtful gift carefully chosen for your favorite boater.
We’ve selected some of our favorite gift ideas for boat lovers, guaranteed to put some pep in their step and warmth in their cheeks as they dream of clear, sunny skies and fun times in the boat.
Sol-Go Flexible Solar Panel
For the eco-conscious boater or really anyone looking for extra power on the boat, we’ve got the perfect gift idea. The Sol-Go 115W Flexible Solar Panel offers backup power in a sleek, portable, and eco-friendly form. Its lightweight and flexible design and manageable size make it ideal for boat use. This little solar panel really packs a power punch with back contact solar cells that deliver the highest power density in the market.
Available through www.sol-go.com, installation is a snap with the use of adhesives and/or stainless steel grommets, and you can easily take it to the next level by connecting multiple panels to boost your power. It also produces 35 percent more energy and has up to 50 percent fewer power losses when compared to conventional solar cells, not to mention its exceptional durability. The bottom line is that you can’t go wrong with this one. Anyone would be pleased to receive one of these this holiday season.
Sperry Boat Shoes For Men
This next pick is a gift with class. These Men’s Billfish 3-Eye Boat Shoes by Sperry bring sophisticated style and function together in one classic, tailored design. Comfortable hand sewn Tru-Moc construction incorporates a stain- and water-resistant leather upper area and padded tongue with cool and breathable air-mesh panels. A shock-absorbing EVA heel cup, EVA midsole, and non-marking rubber outsole with Wave-Siping provide ultimate comfort and performance in wet/dry traction, and the 360Á Lacing System with rustproof eyelets ensures a secure fit.
Beyond being extremely comfortable and carefully designed, these shoes are also show-stoppers guaranteed to make any man look debonair. We also like the price point—at $99.99, they’re highly affordable. See www.cabelas.com for more information.
Docktail Boat Caddy With Pontoon Rail Mount
Shopping for someone with a thirst for life? Our next pick is a sure crowd pleaser. The Docktail Boat Table Caddy with a Pontoon Boat Rail Mount has a clean and attractive design. It comes fully assembled so all you have to do is attach the mount to the bar with the included stainless steel hardware. This useful mini-bar is available for $229.97 on www.docktailbar.com, and for those who just can’t get enough, additional mounting models are available.
The caddy is sized to hold most bottles and containers 1.75 liters and smaller and also contains a removable cutting board insert, perfect for dicing fruit garnishes or cheese and other small snacks. This convenient little bar contains several sizes of pre-cut slots for convenience, including two 1.75-liter slots, two 2-liter slots, two 1-liter slots, and three 12-ounce slots. With this drink caddy, good times aren’t far away. Anyone you choose to give this to is sure to be the life of the boating party!
Boat Erasers By Better Boat
These boat erasers by Better Boat are an easy stocking stuffer for anyone who likes to keep their vessel ship-shape. We can say firsthand they really work! These erasers easily remove marks and dirt with nothing more than a little water and a simple wiping motion—no harsh chemicals, no damaging or abrasive fibers, and each sponge comes with a reinforced core for extra durability.
Sold in packages of three and nine at www.amazon.com, these nifty little sponges are available starting at $12.99 and have excellent reviews. Not only can they keep your pontoon or deck boat clean, but they can also be used to wipe scuff marks off the soles of shoes, drink coolers, and countless other items as well. We personally love how well they fit in your hand and how efficiently they clean. If you’re shopping for someone who just really enjoys keeping their boat clean, make sure to check out the other popular cleaning and maintenance products made by Better Boat as well.
Garmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv Fishfinder
If you really want to impress someone special with an amazing Christmas gift, this is a great option. The STRIKER Vivid 9sv with built-in GT52HW-TM transducer from Garmin boasts a tilt and swivel mount and 9-inch high-resolution color display with seven color options to create maximum contrast between the target and its surrounding environment. It utilizes CHIRP Sonar technology to process more information than traditional sonar and produces high resolution and a clear definition of each target.
As if that’s not cool enough, the STRIKER Vivid 9sv also allows you to log and graph water temperatures, plan your own routes, view your pontoon’s speed on the water, and use waypoint marking to save hotspot locations and return to them time and time again thanks to high-sensitivity GPS. It’s capable of this and so much more. Find it at www.cabelas.com beginning at $499.99. Chances are good if your loved one opens a package containing this beauty on Christmas morning, they’ll be elated!
Watermelon Island Towable
This next one is great for the kids or for the boater who is longing for warmer, sunnier days ahead. The Watermelon Island Towable has a lay-on construction that fits one to two riders and holds up to 340 pounds. It comes equipped with a nylon cover with comfort chafe pad, a quick connect adapter for the tow rope, and six comfort grip handles. Inflation is quick and easy with the use of an electric pump (not included).
Stow this bright and fruity toy on your boat to take the fun and games with you wherever you go. You’ll get hours of laughs and squeals, guaranteed. Plus, you’ll look really cool with this flying through the water behind your boat and all your stowaways hanging on for the ride! Find it on www.swimline.com for $199.95.
Hoyle Waterproof Playing Cards
This one is fun, affordable, and would make a great gift for almost anyone. These waterproof playing cards by Hoyle are only $6.99 at www.playingcarddecks.com. You can play all day without worrying about ruining your deck from water or humidity. Printed on clear plastic cardstock, you can’t tell which card is which from behind even though they’re all see-through. The deck is flexible, durable, hand-washable, and comes in a sturdy compact carrying case. The cards are also easy to shuffle and handle without becoming slippery when wet, and can even be sanitized for anyone concerned about spreading germs. Basically, this is the deck you never knew you needed but now won’t be able to live without! It doesn’t hurt at all that there’s a subtle aquatic theme to these cool cards with their wavy blue designs.
West Marine Waterproof Binoculars
What better gift can you offer than the gift of sharp vision and perspective? That’s exactly what you get with these Coastal 200 7 x 50 Waterproof Binoculars by West Marine. Ringing up at a highly reasonable price point of only $219.99 at www.westmarine.com, these are a must-have for any boater. You can bring the vistas even closer as you cruise your way into the horizon and never worry that water damage will ruin all your fun—these binoculars are rated waterproof to an IPX7 standard. Nitrogen-purged optics also prevent fogging, so rest assured and enjoy clear, sharp images with BAK-4 prisms as well as consistent brightness even in low-light conditions thanks to the multi-coated lenses. These binoculars come with a padded neck strap in a nylon carrying case. We know this will be a favorite gift, whoever you give them to.
NakeFit
Another great stocking stuffer, this unique and innovative find is a definite attention-grabber and a must-gift for anyone who loves to go barefoot. NakeFits are lightweight, waterproof sole protectors that conform to your feet and stay on for hours to protect your soles from dirty, rough, or slippery surfaces. With NakeFit, you can enjoy boating, walks on the beach, and walking across rocks without any of the risk of splinters, cuts, slipping, or hot surfaces. Available in a range of sizes suitable for children and adults, Nakefits can easily be removed without any pinching, peeling, or irritation of the skin. Find them at www.nakedfit.us in packages of three for $19.99.
VAVA Dual HD Dash Camera
Check out this Dual HD Dash Camera by VAVA for our next pick. This sleek camera simultaneously captures the vistas ahead and action on the boat when towing with HD clarity. It comes primed with superior Sony night vision and takes crystal clear videos and pictures, even at night or in low-light conditions. It also contains a built-in Wi-Fi connector for easy access to the VAVA Dash mobile app. This enables live viewing, real-time photo and video sharing on social media.
The camera automatically captures a 15-second emergency recording using G-Sensor if it detects a collision. Also enjoy one-touch snapshots and create instant, beautiful photos and video hands-free with a quick press for pictures and a long press for videos. Pick one up for a loved one (or for yourself) today at www.vava.com for $199.99.
