Boaters can be difficult to shop for. Everyone has their personal favorites and brands that resonate with their favorite pastime: spending time on the water with family and friends. But if you need a few helpful hints, here are our editors’ top choices for gifts which are sure to wow them this holiday season.
Helly Hansen Koster All Weather Jacket
For years now, Helly Hansen has worked with professional sailors and racers in some of the world’s most challenging conditions. The idea is to learn what makes sense and what needs to be improved when it comes to clothing and outerwear for all kinds of boaters.
To give boaters a hand with all of that, the company has introduced pieces that are made with new materials and designed with 3D simulations to improve fit and movement.
Simrad NSS 4 Multifunction Display
While the NSS 4 is aimed at anglers, its eight-core processor, polished user experience, interface options and dual Ethernet ports make Simrad’s newest displays versatile workhorses for a wide range of yachts and tricked-out tenders.
Simrad’s NSS 4 is available in three screen sizes: 10 inches (from $2,600), 12 inches (from $3,800) and 16 inches (from $5,800), with additional versions offering sonar and chart packages.
Huk Rogue Wave Men’s Deck Boots
Odds are good you’ve made a special nonslip shoe when country-music crooners are just as eager to buy it as Florida Keys fishermen.
That’s what is happening with the Rogue Wave line from Huk—which is pronounced hook, if you want to sound like the cool kids out there. The South Carolina-based company launched its Rogue Wave line in 2020, and its 6-inch boot remains popular today.
Costa Diego Sunglasses
Full wrap. Thin temples. Arched brow. Integrated side shields. Vented adjustable nose pads. Bioacetate frames. Recycled fishing-net frames. Upcycled plastic frames. Tri-Pel lens coating. Bio-based polarized lenses. Sports hinges. Spring hinges.
The list could go on for pages when describing all the features and options available these days for buying sunglasses—with styles now also being made not just for use on the water, but in particular for use on fresh or salt water, and during inland or offshore boating and fishing.
Huk Rogue Wave Women’s Clogs
Huk has added a lower-profile men’s shoe(seen above) and a women’s clog, in response to customers from warmer cruising grounds in Florida and the Bahamas, with the company’s Grip-X Slice outsole for traction on fiberglass boats.
The traction in that Grip-X Slice outsole comes from a grid pattern. “Each little pod is a 360-degree traction control,” Smith says. “No matter whether you’re going forward, sideways or backwards, it will rotate with you and really lock you into that fiberglass hull.”
Bajio Darien Sunglasses
Polarized lenses and ultraviolet protection are standard features in performance eyewear these days, as are hydrophobic and oleophobic lens coatings that repel water, sunscreen and more out on the boat and back at the beach. At the same time, there really are differences between, say, needing the best lens and frame shape for spotting fish in the shallows, and needing the best glare protection at high noon on a flybridge slathered in bright-white gelcoat.
It’s the basics plus the nuances that create a great pair of sunglasses for any activity—all the more reason to have multiple pairs on board.
DJI Osmo Action 4 Camera
Color temperature can be hard to get right in underwater photos and videos. The term refers to hue. Just as some lightbulbs throw off a warmer, orange hue compared to bulbs that mimic bright daylight, underwater imagery can have a distorted color temperature that looks awful.
Auto-correcting that problem is one of several updated features on the DJI Osmo Action 4 that can help boaters capture truer-to-life memories. “Probably the best part about our Action series is that they’re incredibly easy to use,” says Brett Halladay, product education manager for DJI. “You don’t have to know any of this stuff to pick up our camera and start recording things and have it look amazing.”
Garmin GPSMap 9000
Modern MFDs combine processing power, memory, data storage, touchscreen capabilities and network connectivity. Garmin’s GPSMap 9000 series adds bigger swaths of glass, better onscreen resolution and faster processors.
The GPSMap 9000 is available in 19– ($9,900), 22– ($11,400), 24– ($13,400) and 27-inch ($16,900) screens with in-plane switching for sunlight readability.
SipaBoards Motorized Inflatable Paddleboards
The SipaBoards Drive Collection offers three updated board-and-power combos: the Neo ($3,255), Tourer ($3,900) and Allrounder ($3,900). Each has a new modular power-pack system that allows for quicker charging, in addition to a self-inflate system to ease the task of getting the boards ready to use.
ACR ResQLink AIS
ACR’s ResQLink AIS Personal Locator Beacon is the first to leverage the automatic identification system (AIS), the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and the 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz frequencies. This multi-signal beacon gets position information from its GNSS receiver, and then bundles and transmits that information to a Cospas-Sarsat satellite via its 406 MHz transceiver. The beacon also shares its position information via AIS frequencies with nearby AIS-equipped vessels; it alternates its AIS bursts with 121.5 MHz transmissions that can be received by rescuing authorities.
Helly Hansen Pier 4.0 Bibs
Designed for the modern sailor, the Pier Bib 4.0 from Helly Hansen offers full coverage with a high back panel, protecting against ocean spray and rain. Ideal for maintaining focus and performance during off-shore expeditions.
Sig Sauer Zulu6 HDX
A good pair of binoculars is critical for any mariner, and it’s especially helpful if they’re gyrostabilized to provide a steady image on the water. The Zulu6 HDX 18x50s from Sig Sauer can cut through the glare while also being rock-steady in the hands thanks to its OmniScan stabilizing technology. The IPX7 waterproof and fogproof performance means they won’t let you down in adverse weather conditions, either. A floating neck strap, waterproof Pelican case and rechargeable batteries are all included.
Yachting Gift Subscription
Yachting is one of the marine industry’s most respected boating magazines committed to enhancing dad’s boating experience. Every issue feeds his passion for the yachting lifestyle with extensive coverage of premium yachts, equipment, technology trends, world-class destinations, luxury charters, electronics and more. Subscribe for just $39 for a full 12 issues delivered right to his mailbox, plus instant digital access, weekly email newsletters and more.
Garmin Quatix 7
The Garmin Quatix7 Marine GPS Smartwatch lets dad manage his day on the water with connectivity to Garmin chartplotters, easy autopilot boat control, a variety of GPS mapping features and more. This GPS Smartwatch comes in three versions: Standard Edition, Pro with a crisp AMOLED display and a Solar Edition featuring solar charging for those long summer days in the sun.
Garmin inReach
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 Marine Bundle helps keep you in touch with pop while he’s off the grid on a boating adventure. The compact satellite communicator maintains signal on the water where cell phones won’t, includes an emergency SOS messaging system to Garmin’s coordination center and boasts a battery life of up to 14 days in 10-minute tracking mode. It also offers location sharing with loved-ones at home.
Penn Squall
The Penn Squall Lever Drag Rod & Reel is lightweight, ergonomic and corrosion-resistant. With stainless- steel gears and a high-speed gear ratio, this lever-drag is outstanding for nearshore trolling for kings and dolphins. This rod comes in medium and heavy power levels, 6- and 7-foot rod lengths as well as 15- to 30-pound and 30- to 80-pound line ratings.
Yeti Tundra Cooler
Help him keep his drinks cold on the water with the YETI Tundra 65 Marine Cooler. This spacious cooler can easily handle a day’s provisions for a family of four. It fits up to 77 cans or 58 pounds of ice, and the YETI Fatwall design provides 2’ of seamless insulation on the walls and bottom with 3’ of insulation on the lid.
Fusion Marine MS-RA210 Stereo and XS Classic Speaker Kit
The Fusion Marine MS-RA210 Stereo and XS Classic Speaker Kit is a gift that will keep dad jamming while washing down the boat. Remember the Garmin Quatix7 from earlier? Advanced connectivity options give you the freedom to control this stereo from a compatible Garmin MFD, smart device or watch, making this a great gift to pair with!
