Whether you deck the halls, light candles, or celebrate in your own way, if you exchange gifts this holiday season, we’ve got some great ideas for the boater in your family. And let’s face it, when there’s a boater in the family, there is always something they need. So, leave the ties and desk sets for other people to buy. Here are 40 great gifts for real boaters.
If you need more gift ideas, check out some of our previous gift guides. Happy Holidays!
Kicker Premium Marine Media Center
Give the boater on your gift list a sound investment with Kicker Marine Audio’s Premium Marine Media Center. It is loaded with features, including a 240-watt source unit with a color, nonglare LCD screen; RCA output for front and rear subwoofers and a second zone; Bluetooth; four sets of RCA output for easy expansion; an aux RCA input; USB charging; thumb-drive playback; and camera/video input with a trigger wire or push button. It can power up to 12 speakers with six channels. It also includes NMEA 2000 interface, AM/FM/weather band and SiriusXM (with a subscription). $569.95; amazon.com
Veratron VL Flex Battery Monitor
This holiday gift will make any serious boater happy. The VL Flex battery monitor provides critical information on battery health and state of charge. It can display voltage, current and percentage of remaining capacity for 12- and 24-volt DC systems. Featuring a compact 1.44-inch-diameter gauge, the system works with flooded-cell, AGM and gel batteries, and is configured with Veratron’s mobile app. With an optional liquid-level sensor, it can also monitor fuel or water-tank levels. Nine bezel colors available. $229.99 for the 12V model, $329.99 for the 24V; veratron.com
Lowrance Elite FS Series MFDs
Give the gift that keeps on giving—a new Elite FS series MFD from Lowrance. These displays combine high-resolution ActiveTarget Live Sonar, Active Imaging, SideScan, DownScan and C-Map Contour+ fishing charts. The series includes networking capabilities with Ethernet and NMEA 2000, allowing anglers to add a Halo dome radar or Outboard Pilot, or share sonar, charting, waypoints and other user data between multiple displays. Available in 7- and 9-inch color displays, the Elite FS series includes a variety of model options with and without Active Imaging, as well as ActiveTarget Live Sonar transducer solutions. Starting at $899; amazon.com
Garmin Striker Vivid Fish Finders
Boating anglers will be thrilled to receive a Garmin Striker Vivid series fish finder. The high-contrast color options and choice of 16 palettes make it easier to distinguish fish from structure. Featuring Garmin’s chirp traditional sonar and chirp ClearVu and SideVu scanning sonar technology, these fish finders are designed to ensure that anglers see crystal-clear fish arches. Available with 4-, 5-, 7- or 9-inch color displays, this series features a keypad interface and comes with a built-in GPS receiver and Quickdraw Contours mapping software. $179.99 to $599.99; buy.garmin.com
Standard Horizon GX2400 Matrix
Make sure the boater on your list stays in communication with the GX2400 GPS VHF from Standard Horizon. It integrates a dual-channel AIS receiver and GPS to display AIS-equipped vessels in relation to your position on the radio’s LCD screen. NMEA 2000 connectivity allows networking with compatible equipment. A noise-canceling function reduces ambient noise during transmission and reception. There’s also a 30-watt loudhailer system (loud speaker not included) and an integrated voice scrambler. The display offers day and night modes to improve readability. $449.99; standardhorizon.com
Clarion GR10BT Audio Receiver
The boater on your shopping list will love this compact, water-resistant, round audio controller that fits in a standard 3-inch-diameter gauge hole. The oversize LCD screen offers clear visibility day or night, and built-in Bluetooth provides stereo streaming with a wide variety of devices. A multiband tuner receives radio stations just about anywhere in the world, and you’ll always have the latest marine forecasts with weather band. Equipped with four-channel, RCA-type line outputs, you can boost the bass by connecting a subwoofer. $241.99; amazon.com
Glomex weBBoat 4G Live EVO
It seems every boater wants internet connectivity on the water, and that’s what makes the compact, lightweight Glomex weBBoat 4G Live Evo dome a great holiday gift. It can provide stable, high-speed internet connectivity as far as 15 miles from shore, and is ideal for smaller boats with limited space. It incorporates two 4G/3G antennas, one Wi-Fi antenna, and an integrated 3G/4G/Wi-Fi router to create a hotspot that allows use of up to 24 unique Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously. It can also automatically switch from cellular data to Wi-Fi signal, such as at a marina. The router uses a single SIM card slot in the 8-inch-tall-by-5-inch-diameter dome. $373; amazon.com
ACR Bivy Stick
A great holiday gift for cruising boaters is the ACR Bivy Stick two-way satellite messenger. The 4-inch-tall device works with a mobile app to provide an affordable option for sending SMS messages, tracking and sharing locations, accessing charts, viewing weather forecasts and initiating a distress call. Requiring a subscription fee, the easy-to-use device weighs just 3 ounces and works with a smartphone anywhere with a view of the sky. An SOS button contacts rescue services in an emergency. $349.95 plus $58.33 per month for six months; amazon.com
Techron Protection Plus
Offering a comprehensive fuel additive, Techron Protection Plus offers detergency, corrosion resistance and fuel stabilization. This three-in-one system will offer the boater on your gift list great fuel-system protection and conditioning. Recommended for use at every fill-up, and for storing fuel during winterization or other layup, of course. One ounce treats 10 gallons of fuel. $9.30 per 10-ounce bottle; chevronlubricants.com
Spot Gen4 Sat Messenger
The Spot Gen4 makes a great stocking stuffer. It offers tracking features, mapping interface, water resistance and a sleek, ergonomic design. It is engineered to provide affordable communication with friends, family and other boaters, as well as the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center using GPS location and satellite connectivity powered by Globalstar. The interface makes it easy to share a location. $99.99; amazon.com
Pettit EZ Fabricoat
If the boater on your gift list suffers from faded, sun-damaged vinyl, Pettit EZ Fabricoat offers an inexpensive way to return bright, clean colors and extend the life of marine upholstery. It comes in a variety of colors and covers 12 square feet per can. It works on vinyl upholstery, and also on PVC panels, inflatable boats and more. $17.88; defender.com
Flotool Large Conductive Portable Fuel Filter
Give the boater on your list peace of mind while fueling up. The Flotool Large Conductive Portable Fuel Filter inserts into the fuel fill to remove water and particulates pumped from the gasoline or diesel stored in the retailer’s tanks. It’s capable of removing contaminants down to 50 microns in size. Anti-static and self-cleaning, it allows fuel to flow at 5 gallons per minute. $40.99; westmarine.com
West Marine Manual Oil Changer
If the boater on your list runs an inboard, sterndrive, jet or four-stroke outboard, she has the need to change oil. Of course, the best way is to drain from the oil pan at the bottom. But for midseason changes for boats stored in the water, the West Marine Manual Oil Changer makes the job doable without hauling the boat. (Be sure to drain from the oil pan at season’s end.) It extracts oil through the dipstick tube using a vacuum, so no heavy pumping is required. Holds 6.9 quarts (6.5 liters). $74.99; westmarine.com
Humminbird Mega Live Imaging
Watch the eyes of the boating angler on your list light up when opening Humminbird’s Mega Live Imaging system. With a transducer that mounts to the shaft of a trolling motor, the system shows fish and structure in real time. Mega Live Imaging can view out to 150 feet in one of three modes—Down, Forward or Landscape—by manually twisting the transducer. It won the Best Electronics category at the 2021 ICAST fishing-tackle industry trade show. $1,499 for the transducer package; humminbird.com
Star brite Salt Off
Cleaning off salt after a coastal trip is essential. Removing it from towers, T-tops and clear canvas enclosures requires extra time and effort, making sure to clean all the corners and joints, and being careful not to scratch anything. That’s why the boater on your list will appreciate Star brite’s Salt Off. Using an in-line spray applicator that attaches to a hose, it dissolves salt without scrubbing. It leaves a protective film that retards future salt buildup, and is excellent for fishing-tackle care and flushing marine engines after use in salt water. $28.44 for 32-ounce bottle with applicator; starbrite.com
YoloTek
YoloTek has revolutionized POV camera use on boats by creating this new powered monopod that plugs securely into any stern light socket, where it pulls power to run a POV cam all day. Boaters love the monopod, which has proven stable while capturing exciting footage. $119.99; yolotek.com
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Turtle Box
The boater on your gift list will love this, the Bluetooth speaker to end them all, playing at 120 dB. It can link one to another or several others, and have them all play in sync. Its powerful amp, directional 6-by-9-inch woofer, and 1-inch tweeter belt out music for 20 hours on its five-stage lithium battery. The manufacturer says its outdoor sound curve is designed to carry music at high volume without breaking down. $374; turtleboxaudio.com
Yeti V-Series Cooler
This new cooler series combines the cold-holding power of Rambler drinkware with the Tundra Cooler. A great gift idea for boaters, it uses Yeti’s insulation enveloped with a stainless-steel appearance to create one cool-looking cooler. $800; yeti.com
Ink-Eeze
If the boater on your list is a tattoo enthusiast, Ink-Eeze Ink Shield mineral-based sunscreen makes a great stocking stuffer. The world’s first sunscreen specially formulated for tattoo protection using Ink Shield’s special Ink-Barrier technology, it rubs clear onto the skin, keeps tattoos looking pristine, and is water-resistant for 80 minutes. It has SPF 50 UVA/UVB blocking and comes in a 6-ounce aerosol spray, 3.3-ounce pump spray and 18 ml pocket spray. It is ozone-friendly, reef-friendly, made with all-natural ingredients, and not tested on animals. $20; inkeeze.com
Hitchfire Forge 15 Grill
Besides pulling a boat, this is the best use of a hitch receiver we’ve seen. The trailer boater on your list will love it. Plug it into your Class 3 hitch receiver, and it can be carried securely to a tailgate party. Once there, swing it out, open it, and fold out the side tables. The two-burner gas grill runs on a camp propane bottle or can be adapted to run on a tank. The grill detaches from the mount for tabletop use as well. $549; hitchfire.com
Fenwick Elite Spinning Rod
The 30-ton graphite blanks are exceptionally lightweight and sensitive, with the backbone to control large fish. Boating anglers will love the carbon-core construction that has an inner-spiral, carbon-wrap layer with outer layers of rolled carbon. Carbon Bound woven carbon thread increases strength and provides balance and longevity. AAA cork grips, rounded off with Fuji K guides with Alconite inserts, ensure a good grip and tangle-free casts. $150 to $200; purefishing.com/pages/fenwick
Penn Slammer IV
The angler on your list will love receiving an improved Penn Slammer IV spinning reel. The redesigned drag system delivers smooth stopping power. All-brass CNC gear technology, an 8+1 stainless-steel bearing system, and a hydrophobic line roller bearing make the durable workhorse reel. $260 to $380; pennfishing.com
Choppo
The Berkley Choppo prop bait makes a great stocking stuffer. This surface lure has a minnow-shaped body that resists rolling as the prop tail churns up a gurgling wake on retrieve. It has stainless-steel hooks and hardware, and a shaft from the tie eye to the tail hook. It’s available in three sizes: 3 1/2, 4 1/4 and 4 3/4 inches, weighing 1/2 ounce, 3/4 ounce and 1 ounce, respectively. $10.99; berkley-fishing.com
Gilly
Berkley’s new Power Bait impregnated soft-plastic lure has a spectacular swimming action when properly rigged with a Texas Rig worm hook, making it ideal for the freshwater angler on your holiday gift list. Swim it and twitch it like a dying minnow. Rigged weedless, you can skitter the Gilly beneath limbs and docks where big bass hide. It comes in 3 1/2-, 4 1/4- and 5-inch baits in 12 fishy colors. $6.49 per two-pack; berkley-fishing.com
Plano Atlas Tackle Pack
This semi-rigid tackle pack is a cool holiday gift for boating anglers. A magnetic tool holder on top keeps pliers handy and so secure, it takes intentional force to remove them. The compartments are water-resistant, and the bottom is a roughly 2-inch bucket that prevents standing water from entering. It measures 18-by-13-by-8 inches and comes with three 3750 utility boxes. EVA-foam construction protects internal gears, and padded shoulder straps make it comfortable to carry. $219.99; planomolding.com
Bajio Nato Sunglasses
With frames made from sustainable materials, Bajio shades make a great gift. The polarized lenses block 95 percent of blue light, the most of any on the market, and they’re great for cutting through the glare on the water while fishing and boating. $249; bajiosunglasses.com
Southern Tide Lockwood Fleece
The Southern version of Vineyard Vines, Southern Tide creates all kinds of clothing that work as gifts for boaters. One is the Lockwood Fleece featuring a hood and a sturdy and secure front zip pocket. $135; southerntide.com
Arc Surf Rope
If the boater on your list also likes to wakesurf, the New 2022 Arc Surf Rope will make a great gift. The most advanced surf rope on the market is Noah Flegel’s pro model. It provides 25 feet of length and a 10-inch surf handle. The oversize foam end caps are designed to protect your boat and board when tossing the handle to or from the surfer. It includes multiple 3-foot segments for shortening to accommodate your wave. The machined floats ensure buoyancy for the entire line and handle. It comes in two color combos: blue-orange and teal-gray. $129.99; hyperlite.com
Legend Low Rider Sandbox Helmet
If the boaters on your list are getting into wakeboarding, a good helmet is one of the best gifts you can give your water-loving family. The classic street-style Legend Low Rider Sandbox helmet offers a nice and low profile, and is designed for all things action sports. It can also be used for skateboarding and bike riding. $79.99; sandboxland.com
Ronix Changing Poncho
Any boater will love to get this Ronix Changing Poncho. When out on the water in front of the crew, the privacy poncho makes changing a breeze, anytime, anywhere. The soft material will keep the boater on your list feeling cozy and looking stylish. One size fits most. $49.99; ronixwake.com
Liquid Force Virago
A great gift for the wakeboarding fan in your life is the Virago wakeboard. Anna Nikstad’s pro model features a continuous concave channel running down the middle of the board, a Triax Glass Layup, and the LF Sintered GrindBase. It is a board that can take a beating. The Virago doesn’t restrain itself as gender-specific and is equally good for guys. It features the LG FlexTrack system for unmatched feel and control on the water, and comes in four sizes. $499.99; liquidforce.com
Reliefband Sport
Protect yourself from seasickness on board with the rechargeable Reliefband, which you wear on your wrist like a watch. It sends pulses into your nervous system that help calm your body’s reaction to the motion that causes nausea and other symptoms of motion sickness. $249.99; reliefband.com
O’Brien Freeboard
The boater on your list is sure to enjoy this O’Brien Freeboard. This versatile watersports board is easy to learn on and to ride in multiple ways. It can be used as a kneeboard or for standing up, and for more of a challenge, it can be used to surf. It is perfect for families looking to have fun on the water. $229.99; obrien.com
Blu3 Nemo
It’s a snorkel on steroids with a battery-driven compressor pump that hovers 10 feet above a diver, delivering air to the regulator. Operation is so simple, Blue3′s tag line is “Just breathe.” One battery charge will power it about an hour. Spare batteries are $200. Also available is the Nomad ($1,999), a floating air supply tethered to a regulator with a 30-foot airline. $899; diveblu3.com
Follow Pharaoh Women’s Impact Comp Vest
Anna Nikstad’s Signature jacket is one of the most comfortable vests for hardcore riders. This gift idea is performance-driven and doesn’t slack off anywhere. It comes in multiple colors, and while it’s influenced by a female rider, men can wear it too. $149.99; buywake.com
RealTree Aspect Shirt
This perfect gift will keep the boater on your holiday list cool and protected from the sun’s blistering UV rays. Made with quick-drying materials, this sun shirt has a UPF 50 rating. The Aspect is made to be flexible to help maintain a full range of motion while fishing. $24.99; realtree.com
Woolverino Micro Hoodie
A wool hoodie that keeps you cool and protects you from the sun is a great gift idea. The Woolverino Micro Hoodie from Minus33 is made of 84 percent merino wool combined with nylon and spandex. This lightweight hoodie has a UPF 20 rating for sunny or chilly weather. $100; minus33.com
Dry Robe
For the boater who spends long days on the water wakesurfing, water-skiing or tubing, the Dry Robe is a cool gift. The outer shell is 100 percent waterproof nylon, and the inside liner is a synthetic wool made of 100 percent recycled polyester that stays warm and dry. $210 for long-sleeved; dryrobe.com
Glade Prospect Sunglasses
Glade Prospect sunglasses stood up to months of testing by one of our videographers, and so we think it is a great holiday gift. To read her full review, check out boatingmag.com/story/gear/glade-prospect-sunglasses-review. $74.99; shopglade.com
Connelly Destroyer 3 Two-Way Tow Saddle Tube
Any boater on your list will love this Connelly Destroyer 3 Two-Way Tow Saddle Tube. It is a three-rider tube with multiple seating positions: in the cockpit or chariot, or two riders in the saddle seats. It has six padded handles with knuckle guards, and eight grab straps for added safety. The Two-Way Tow adds value and fun for the entire family. It comes with a Boston valve for easy inflation, a quick-connect tube rope attachment, a one-year warranty, and a peel-and-stick repair kit. $419.99; connellyskis.com
Sea Tow
A membership to Sea Tow goes beyond towing. Members receive 24/7 priority service, free towing, nationwide coverage, dock-to-dock tows, deals and discounts, and more. Give the boater in your life peace of mind when they leave the dock. Sea Tow Gold Card Membership $179/year, Lake Card Membership $119/year. www.seatow.com
