Best Gifts For Boating Enthusiasts at West Marine

Buying gifts for boating enthusiasts can be tricky. After all, what could you possibly gift someone who’s lucky enough to be spending their time out on the water? Luckily, West Marine has you covered — and how. The list of West Marine boating gifts is never-ending; the website has everything from safety gear and boating accessories to marine supplies and even actual boats, including kayaks, inflatable, and rigid boats. What’s more, it boasts a knowledgeable crew that educates the buyers about what to look for when it comes to boaters, anglers, paddlers, and sailors, curating the best gifts that they’ll all love. Finding the perfect gift can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be, especially if you head straight to West Marine. Here’s a detailed boating gift guide from the brand, which has decades of boating experience under its belt. Dive in!

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Yeti LoadOut GoBox

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Does organizing their things bring your boating friend peace? We highly recommend the Yeti LoadOut GoBox, which not only protects boating gear but also keeps it stowed and organized properly on one’s boat. Thanks to this nifty Yeti storage box, stuff like fishing gear, coffee mugs, wallets, and other things won’t be flying around on the boat! This is thanks to the pack-and-stack design, which allows easy stacking of multiple boxes together. Whether it’s an overnight trip or a day’s offshore excursion, this rugged, waterproof storage box can perfectly fit in tight spaces. What’s more, it’s equipped with a flip-up grab-and-go handle, allowing you to easily move it about the boat without hassles.

Not only is it dustproof and waterproof, but it also boasts IP65 and IP67 international ratings, keeping boating gear solidly protected. Did we mention that it comes with all of Yeti’s classic features like Classic YETI features like Anchorpoint tie-down slots, lockdown latches, LipGrip handles, and the NeverFail hinge system? Yep.

Torqeedo Travel S Short Shaft 3HP Electric Outboard

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Do you have a boating friend who’s very ecologically and environmentally conscious about their carbon footprint? Gift them the Torqeedo Travel S Short Shaft 3HP Electric Outboard. Suitable for daysailers, dinghies, and tenders weighing up to 1.5 tons, this reliable and ultra-quiet 1100 W direct drive motor is perfect for harbors and inland waterways. Not only is it lightweight and easy to handle, but it’s also easy to install and use, thanks to the flexible trim and tilt positions, the handy lever for steering adjustments, and the stable handle on the shaft head. What’s also interesting is that it comes with a click-and-play battery. So, that means that there aren’t able cables to bother with, with the complementing smart motor technology adding a ton of high-tech features. Rounding things up is the backlit, full-color display and the foldable, adjustable tiller. What more could we ask for?

Fell Marine Man Overboard Wireless Basepack

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Having a crewmember or a guest go overboard is every boater’s worst nightmare. That’s why one of the best gifts to give boaters is the Fell Marine Man Overboard Wireless Basepack. This ABYC-compliant, innovative, and lifesaving safety device provides more freedom of movement as compared to a traditional kill switch lanyard, stopping the engine should you fall overboard. It does so using a base xHUB unit that’s connected to four wearable xFOBs. So, there’s the captain’s stop unit as well as three additional ones as alarm units for guests. Communicate wirelessly with each other, the combination stops the engine when any xFOB is beyond the range of the xHUB or is submerged in water. Moreover, the xFOB can be worn around the neck, on the wrist, or even be clipped to one’s life jacket or personal floatation device (PFD).

“We felt very safe taking the boat out anytime with this man overboard device. The best bit is that it came with multiple xFOBs.”

WOW Travel

Orion Cruiser First Aid Kit

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Do you know a novice boater who’s just starting out? Why not present them with the Orion Cruiser First Aid Kit? One of the best pieces of West Marine gear for boat safety, this kit will prepare boaters for any kind of adventure, as it contains as many as 58 items. These include not only a large assortment of bandages, gauze rolls and pads, butterfly closures, eye pads, adhesive tape, and antiseptic wipes, but also tweezers, scissors, a CPR mask, cold pack, sunscreen, motion sickness tablets, and even sting treatment and burn gel! That, along with the useful first aid instruction booklet, should give new boaters a fantastic head start on knowing all about boat safety. Furthermore, it comes in a water-resistant case, complete with tabs for bulkhead mounting.

Magma Cabo Gas Grill

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There’s nothing quite like dropping anchor in a picturesque cove and firing up the grill to rustle up a delicious meal at sea. That’s what makes the Magma Cabo Gas Grill such a fantastic gift. Crafted from 304 mirror-polished marine-grade stainless steel, this exceptionally durable and corrosion-resistant grill is perfect for that griller-cum-boater in your life. It can easily be mounted on the gunwale or the stern rail of the boat, firing up at a moment’s notice.

We loved the generous rectangular grilling surface and cooking area, which is perfect for everything from fish fillets and burgers to the catch of the day. Moreover, the grill came with a whole lot of convenient options like fold-away tabletop legs for easy storage, a lockable lid with a stay-cool plastic handle, and a variable gas control regulator valve. Are you ready to get your grill on?

Bay Blaze Underwater LED Lights

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Do you have a boating showman on your friend list? There’s no gift better than the Bay Blaze Underwater LED Lights. These colored underwater boat lights are a fantastic way to add to your boat’s ambience by brightening the nights on the water. They might be compact, but don’t let their diminutive size fool you. These three surface-mount, ultra-bright LED underwater lights are among the most powerful on the market, despite measuring just three inches in diameter. They produce an output of 890 lumens (680 lumens for blue lights, creating a distinctive light, especially when you’re boating at night. Most importantly, it provides a visible definition to the swim platform edge and cockpit coaming, preventing crew and guests from accidentally going overboard.

Besides adding nighttime ambience and ensuring safety, these underwater lights can also help in visibility while anchored, underway, or at the dock. Moreover, they’re especially helpful for night fishing, as they attract plankton, which attracts bait fish in turn. So, you can actually catch the huge fish you’re really after!

Are underwater lights just for show, or do they have some other function?

While colored underwater lights do amp up the show when it comes to your boat, they’re also great for improving visibility at anchorages and docks, attracting fish, and helping with navigation at night.

According to the USCG, what safety gear should recreational boats have?

According to the USCG, all recreational boats need to have safety equipment that typically includes navigation lights, fire extinguishers, sound-producing devices, visual distress signals, and life jackets. Find a complete checklist on West Marine’s safety equipment page.

How can I avoid losing my boat keys in the water?

The most affordable and easiest solution is to buy floating key rings or keychains, which will keep the keys afloat if they accidentally go overboard.

Some images in this article are copyrighted by West Marine.