Five gift ideas for the tech-savvy boaters in your life.
by Glenn Hayes
It’s that time of year again to start thinking about gifts for the boaters in your life. The good news is there are lots of offerings out there, even for the boater who has it all. Let’s look at some ideas to fill that holiday gift list.
1. Scanstrut Nano Wireless Charger
Having your phone accessible and in view while aboard can sometimes be tricky. Enter the Scanstrut Nano wireless charging mount. This tiny, self-contained wireless charger will fit into the most cramped console or helm and can be mounted in any orientation. Its design is simple, it can be mounted almost anywhere and it provides 10-watt charging to any compatible smartphone through a simple 12-volt connection. The strong side clamps hold the phone firmly, and the base plate charges the phone while in place. The company offers other wireless charging options and mounts, so if this model mount doesn’t work for your application, others will. $119.99 at SCANSTRUT.COM
2. Lowrance Eagle Eye
In an affordable, complete package, fishermen can now take advantage of live sonar imaging to find and catch more fish than ever. The Lowrance Eagle Eye sonar system comprises a crisp and easily seen 9-inch enhanced IPS display screen that can be viewed at any angle and with polarized sunglasses. Coupled with an all-in-one live view transducer, this fishfinder can display autotuning live sonar with focused down and forward views. It even has the exclusive FishReveal mode, which helps identify fish from the structure. The built-in chartpotter takes full advantage of detailed C-Map charting and features the Genesis Live custom charting. $999 at LOWRANCE.COM
3. Simrad Recon Trolling Motor
Simrad recently introduced one of the most advanced trolling motors on the market, the Recon. This tech-filled trolling motor can be used in fresh and saltwater and features a highly accurate GPS that can anchor and lock your boat into a specific position and hold you there with no anchor needed. The silent brushless motor will get you onto fish without spooking them, and the wireless remote with a built-in joystick control will get your boat where you need it quickly and silently. The integrated sonar technology works seamlessly with many newer Simrad and Lowrance displays, producing high-resolution sonar images. Available in 48-, 54-, 60- and 72-inch shaft lengths, these trolling motors can be mounted on a wide array of boats. Starting at $3,299 at SIMRAD-YACHTING.COM
4. ACR ResQLink AIS Personal Locator Beacon
Give the gift of safety and peace of mind with the ACR ResQLink AIS PLB. This personal locator beacon registers to an individual rather than a vessel so it can be taken from boat to boat. It can even be used in remote areas without cell coverage in a non-boating environment. When the manual switch is triggered, this beacon transmits an emergency signal via satellite to emergency services with the beacon’s registration number and location. Unlike other PLBs, it will also transmit an AIS (Automatic Identification System) signal that can be seen by commercial and recreational vessels nearby, indicating to them that there is an emergency; those vessels can quickly respond to the emergency, locating it on their navigation screens. The ResQLink AIS also has NFC capability that, when linked to a smartphone, will notify the user that emergency services have received their emergency signal and help is on the way. $569.95 (not including subscription costs) at ACRARTEX.COM
5. SeaSucker Action Camera Flex Mounts
Many of us like to use an action camera to capture all the fun we have aboard. Selfie sticks can be problematic aboard, but SeaSucker offers a simple solution. Specializing in heavy-duty suction cup-mounted accessories, SeaSucker now has an action camera mount capable of mounting small cameras, such as a GoPro, securely on any non-porous flat surface. With a 4.5-inch vacuum-mount suction cup that pumps up the suction, allowing for an incredible 120 pounds of holding power, these camera mounts will not shift or move even in the roughest seas. Easy to remove and place in all kinds of locations, cameras are mounted via an industry-standard fingered anodized aluminum tripod mount. There are also versions with a 7-inch heavy-duty gooseneck to get the perfect angle. Prices range from $65 to $79 at SEASUCKER.COM
(Main image) 1: Scanstrut Nano Wireless Charger
2. Lowrance Eagle Eye
3. Simrad Recon Trolling Motor
4. ACR ResQLink AIS Personal Locator Beacon
5. SeaSucker Action Camera Flex Mounts
GLENN HAYES is a marine writer and photographer whose background in the marine industry and in marine electronics spans almost three decades and many thousands of miles at sea traveling the world. He can be reached at HAYESSTUDIOS.COM
