Holiday gifts for the sailors in your life

With plenty of sailors in their family and circle of friends, the Cruising Compass newsletter team spent a lot of time this holiday season thinking about and buying marine stuff. Here’s their take on a baker’s dozen gift ideas for the boaters on your list, from small to large and from inexpensive to pricey:

• An Iridium Go! will let you communicate via satellite anywhere in the world.
• An Automated Identification System (AIS) will track ships near you and let them track you.
• A Personal Locator Beacon (AIS compatibly) will help you save a person who has fallen overboard.
• A hand-held VHF for the cockpit, dinghy excursions, the ditch kit and as a backup.
• Non-skid placemats will keep meals on the table in bouncy conditions.
• A Leatherman multi-tool with a belt case. This replaces rigging knives of old.
• A head lamp with red and white colored lights for night sailing.
• Foul Weather Gear to replace jackets and bibs that aren’t waterproof anymore.
• A 12-volt blender for the galley for smoothies and cocktails.
• A pressure cooker that will save you time cooking and reduce propane use.
• A week sailing in the Caribbean is a great vacation even if you live in a warm region.
• Gyro-stabilized binoculars are amazing in rough weather or anytime, really.
• Bluetooth rechargeable speakers link to the music on your phone anywhere on or off the boat.

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