Seems like just yesterday that we were giving each other Christmas gifts and guess what, Valentine's Day is here. My wife Rita thinks that all Valentine's Day gifts should be lovey-dovey. but then she might not be such a hard-core boater as me. So to satisfy all tastes here is a round-up of suggestions that are sure to appeal to everyone. You wouldn't believe how many gift suggestions were sent to me. Some of them, like the guy flogging a square foot of land overseas to all those who want to be international property owners! Unbelievable! So I've sorted through them all and put together a selection costing from just a few dollars to several hundred any of which would be welcomed by any boating inclined member of the family at any time of the year - not just on Valentine's Day.
TAG Heuer 27° AIR Sunglasses $230-365.00
They're well-known for the range of watches they have been making since 1860, but until these arrived in the mail some time ago I had no idea that TAG Heuer made sun glasses as well. These are from the AIR range collection. They look stylish, are comfortable to wear and the soft neoprene ends grip well so they will stay in place when you are on the boat. The wrap around style of the lenses stops glare from entering around the sides..an absolute must when you're out on the water on a sunny day. Prices vary depending on the exact model and run from around the $230 mark. Not the cheapest sunglasses that you will ever buy perhaps, but certainly some of the most good looking and effective. If you decide to wrap these up for your Valentine, just be sure to invest another 5 bucks in an eyewear retainer like the ones made by Croakie. As they say, "better to be safe than sorry!"
Tullamore Dew $35
Glenrothes $45
Yamazaki $44.99
I’ve never been a great one for drinking beer, but I do enjoy a drop of whisky from time to time. Always something of an acquired taste and not all whiskies are created equal. Single malts are at the top of the tree and although more expensive than blended whisky, they are far smoother with each distillery producing their own distinct unique tipple.
The trio shown here includes the Glenrothes, which is a Scottish Speyside whisky, Tullmore Dew from Ireland and Yamazaki from Kyoto in Japan. I'm a fan of first two, but the Japanese whisky was completely new to me. Now that I've indulged, I must confess that I have developed quite a taste for it. The booklet describes it thus ‘ a 12 year old that is slightly syrupy, honeyed in flavor, perfumey, with a cookie like dryness in the finish’.
Whichever you choose none of these will disappoint a true whisky drinker. A great gift when visiting a friend’s boat for the weekend and a sure fire guarantee that you will be invited back.
Incidentally, we've got a few great whisky cocktail recipes that I just might feature on St. Patrick's Day. I know you won't be disappointed in the ones that include Tallmore Dew.
Distributed in the USA by Skyy and available in all good liquor stores
Wonderwash $42.95
You might be wondering why I have included a washing machine in my list of gifts. Now I do know better than to try to give this one to my wife on Valentine's Day, but it's not a bad gift idea for the boat. Washer/dryers are still quite rare on boats less than 45 feet in length, but the Wonderwash is a good alternative for the smaller boat if you need to wash a few things while on a cruise. I have to say that at first I thought it looked a bit cheesy, but it turns out to be fairly robust and with care should last a long time.
Simple to operate it will take about a 5-pound load, which is dropped into the top along with some water, and detergent, the lid is locked down and the handle is turned to agitate the clothes inside. It uses far less water than washing underwear in the galley sink and it’s also less likely to bring complaints from the cook.
There is a removable spout for draining the water from the bottom but I found it quicker to remove the lid and tip it out that way. Stacked out of the way in a locker this could be a very useful device for many cruisers and best of all it uses no electricity.
Fusion iPod Marine Stereo $689.00
Who doesn't like a few tunes on the boat. For my first Atlantic crossing I took a ton of cassettes, but by the time I made it across I had played them all over and over again...and was sick to death of them all. Some years later the cassette gave way to CD which are far more convenient, take up less space and produce better sound, but now the technology is even better. I have a 80 gigabyte iPod now and I reckon I could sail all the way across the Pacific and never listen to the same bit of music twice. The problem is that iPods need to be protected from the weather and have to be plugged into a stereo.
The Fusion MS-IP500 overcomes both those problems as it is the first marine grade stereo with a drop down front that lets you slide the iPod inside, It’s protected from the damp and the controls on the front of the set give you full access to the iPod menu which you can see in the photo. Oh, and did I mention that it sounds great too offering 4 x 70 watts it’s loud enough for any boat.
Nanotech WOW! Waterless Wash & Polish (16 oz) $19.95
I must confess that I get sent a lot of products that promise the earth but don’t deliver. Polishes are top of the heap when it comes to swearing blind that all you have to do is spray it on and you never have to polish again. Well WOW could be close to keeping that promise. Not exactly a polish in itself, it does make maintenance easier buy sealing the surface and offering an invisible protective barrier which the makers claim will even help prevent barnacles from adhering to the bottom of the boat. I'll be checking that out when I put my boat back in the water, but I did rub some on the topsides of a boat and as promised it brought back the luster to some faded gelcoat. Comes in a handy bottle with a trigger spray and microfiber polishing cloth although the manufacturers do say that on gelcoat or metals it’s best to use the primer first for best results.
Nankeen
Reef Tote $130,
Port Bag $80
Anyone who knows me would never accuse me being a "fashionista", but even I can tell that these two bags would make good gifts for a lady - especially one who is not as stylishly challenged as me. The larger bag is called the Reef Tote. It's a good size and looks like it would be great for carrying a change of clothes to the shower ashore. The smaller one is called the Port Bag is a generous nautically themed ladies shoulder purse. The inner workings of a ladies handbag have always been a mystery to me as it seems that the fairer sex have to lug around a ton of debris where ever they go-- but they think it makes a difference if they look good doing it.
Both the large tote which has a double zipper and the smaller bag which has a monkeys fist inspired clasp are made of material that resembles a rope that has been coiled... Other styles and colors are available and you can get all the extra information by clicking here. The Nankeenstyle.com website is really well done.
PSI BANDS $14.99 per set of two
There is an old saying that the best cure for seasickness is half an hour under the apple tree, but this is not very helpful when you are several miles from land.
Seasickness can be awfully unpleasant, but if you can avoid or at the very least reduce the symptoms it can make your day at sea far more enjoyable. The PSI bands (pronounced sigh) work on the Nei-kuan acupressure point. Worn on both wrists the adjustable bump on the inside of the fully adjustable rubber straps work well for many people prone to motion sickness. Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses pressure to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. Psi Bands are drug-free, thus avoiding some of the common side effects caused by nausea medications such as Dramamine.
A cheap gift that could pay for itself many times over.
AZULA MAT - $14.49
Long watches sitting in the cockpit can get pretty hard on the rear end, so we get the cushions out but they are bulky, get in the way and soon get damp from the salt air. The Azula was actually invented by a couple of sisters from South Carolina for use at the community swimming pool. Fed up by getting expensive swimming costumes torn on the rough pool edge they came up with this mat. Made from neoprene wet suit material they are available in different designs and although thin offer comfort when sitting for extended periods and unlike the cockpit cushions do not slip so stay where you put them. Easy to rinse out, they also take little room to store aboard as they roll up and are held closed by the thin bungee cord.
Although I can see no mention of boating on their website the Azula could find many a home aboard boats large and small.
The Motorola Talkabout EM1000 $69.99 pair
Having a couple of these radios aboard could be very handy. With a range of up to 20 miles under optimum conditions the Motorola EM1000 are a great way to keep in touch between say the boat and those that may have gone ashore in the dinghy for supplies. Weighing about the same as a cell phone these walkie talkies perform well and come with a desk top charger and a cigarette lighter charger so even if you do not have a boat wired for mains voltage you can still charge them up while away on the water. Supplied with NiMH rechargeable batteries the radios will also work with 3 AA batteries as an option. The instructions supplied are easy to follow and clearly written. The radios have an additional benefit for the boater as they also allow you to tune into NOAA weather broadcasts and alerts.
Sylvania H2O Dot-it LED Light. $9.99
One of the gifts that I used to enjoy getting as a kid was a flashlight. The trouble was that I would use it to read under the covers at night and before you knew it the batteries would be flat. Had I had one of these H2O lights then I could have finished a whole book and still had plenty of power left in the batteries. The makers claim over 100 hours. Three AAA batteries power the bright 3 LED cluster and provide an impressive amount of light. Rather than be concentrated like a focused beam the H2O gives a great spread of light perfect for reading or other such general tasks. The light can be fixed to a surface with hook and loop tape if desired. Fully waterproof it will float if dropped over the side. Available at Sylvania.com and Walmart.
Coghlans Cooler Light $8.99
LED lights are everywhere and here is another. Cheap simple and effective the Cooler Light attaches to inside of the cooler lid and an internal gravity switch turns the light on automatically as the lid is opened. To save on battery power there is a timer that shuts off the light after 20 seconds irrespective of the lid position. Although intended for a cooler I could see a use for this light under the lid of the toilet for instance or perhaps under the lid of the chart table. You can find a stockist in your area by clicking this link.
Barely Native Organic Soap $5.95
One of a range of 12 soaps in different fragrances this organic soap has a delightful smell. The sample that I tried is called Caribbean Spice and the makers promise that this is the closest you can get to the Islands without actually going there. It does not lather up like many mass produced soaps but bubbles have nothing to do with cleaning power of which this soap does extremely well, and you smell good too to add into the bargain.
CLASSIC YACHTS. $75.00
Photographs by Gilles Martin-Raget, Text and illustrations by François Chevalier, Foreword by Gary Jobson
I love books and especially those as good as one such as this. It's a beautiful book. Lavishly illustrated with stunning color and black and white photographs, this book will delight anyone who has even the slightest interest in classic sailing yachts and the sea. Many of the yachts, Tuiga, Mariquita, Cambria, Shamrock, Eleonora, Zaca, Moonbeam, Lulworth, Sunshine, Partridge, Altair, Nan, Marilee, to name a few are legends in their own right and many have had legendary owners.
A fantastic gift at any time of the year, the price might seem high but you will be enjoying these photographs and this book long after the cover price is forgotten.
The Guest Charge Pro PLUS (8AMP 2 BANK 12 VOLT CHARGER)
With so many demands on the electrical system on boats these days keeping the batteries in tip top condition is important. To do so ensures that you will not be caught out unable to start the engine and the batteries themselves will last longer. Nothing shortens the life of a battery quicker than it being chronically undercharged so having some sort of intelligent charger aboard will pay dividends on all fronts.
The Guest Charge Pro PLUS is in fact two components bolted together. The top half is a mains powered batter charger, which provides a total of 8 amps max charging to two battery banks and the bottom half an alternator module. The module connects to the cranking battery which when charged automatically redirects the charging output from the alternator to the house bank. There are no switches to change over so nothing to forget. All the solid-state components are encapsulated and thus sealed from moisture damage. I have not put a price at the top because the prices vary wildly depending on where you buy so shop around. The best deal that I could find online was about $150.
Incidentally I will be installing this in a boat soon so look out for a step by step guide.
Reisenthel Streetshopper BAG
Bags made from sail material are nothing new but this one from German makers Reisenthel, who are best known for making reuseable grocery bags, does have some interesting features that make it attractive to boaters. It has large soft rope handles which make it easy to carry in the hand or slip over the shoulder and additionally it also has six pockets around the perimeter on the inside of the bag, so for instance you could keep toiletries and shoes separate from any clothes that you might be carrying. As someone who has lost the boat keys more then once I liked the handy ring on which to clip the keys to the inside of the bag. This is the sort of bag that will actually get better with wear, it will become softer and the stitching is strong enough to hold up to many years of use aboard.
Go to www.reisenthel.com for prices and to find a stockist in your neck of the woods.
Caribbean Bracelets $135 and up
Now this might be a much better gift for the lady in your life. Chances are you'll make a hit with this range of nautically themed bracelets into which the clasp closure is cleverly incorporated into the design. Mostly silver the gold accents look stylish I think. Matching rings are available too according to the website where you can check out the full range. There are even some designs in what they call the "destination collection." Here you just might find a way to remember some of your favorite holiday spots in the Caribbean or the Continental U.S. Now that, as my wife would say, is "lovey-dovey!"
Casio Pathfinder PAW1500 Outdoor Watch $350
I never wear a watch except when I go boating. As boaters we are so bound by the phases of the moon, the ebb and flow of the tides and currents that accurate time keeping is must. Time keeping is even more important when you practice celestial navigation because just a few minutes of inaccuracy can put your plotted position way off.
Casio watches have been around for awhile and I've had a few in the past but this is the first one that I have tried that is synched with an atomic clock. I’ll spare you the dissertation on exactly how it works, but basically atomic watches and clocks pick up a remote signal and automatically correct themselves for daylight savings time etc. so your watch is always in perfect time. This Casio has a ton of features, is solar powered and looks great but you will spend an evening just reading the thick manual to find out all the things this watch can do.
Mount Gay Rum
Rum is so bound up in the Caribbean experience that it is almost impossible to visit any of the Islands and not develop a taste for the sweet elixir. You can drink it neat of course, but I prefer mine as a mixer, preferably in a Painkiller - the staple drink of the BVI where that particular concoction was invented. Another favorite is the
"Dark and Stormy" a mix of rum and ginger beer. Mount Gay sponsors a ton of yacht regattas too and so I am well familiar with the regular brand having had that on numerous occasions. The Extra Old selection was new on me and is frankly quite lovely. I'm told it's a blend of single and double distilled rums aged for years in charred, Kentucky oak barrels and then expertly blended by a master blender.
I’ll have to make room in the drinks cabinet on board me thinks.
The Gigantic Book of Sailing Stories 24.95
Edited and Introduced by Stephen Brennan
As you enjoy your glass of rum what could be better than snuggling up with a good book. This is not a new work , but more a collection of writing by some of the world’s best known authors. Stephen Brennan has done a great job of collecting some of the greatest prose and poetry ever written about ships and sea and put them together in this fat 800 page volume. Between it’s covers you will find passages from the likes of Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad and Charles Dickens to name a few.
An excellent read or re read if you have read any of these classics before but super value nonetheless.
Hi Mark!
Delighted to see you included The Cooler Light in your list for the boater who has everything. I am half of the team (the other half is my daughter Rhonda) who invented the Cooler Light, and actually took it to market. We saw a need, and solved it. Just like that. Call us crazy...
Linda Pond, President, Customer Connects
Posted by: Linda Pond | February 15, 2009 at 09:18 AM
Thanks for inventing this light, it works a treat and as I said I could see a lot of uses for this on a boat and not just in the cooler.
Mark
Posted by: Mark | February 15, 2009 at 09:23 AM