Long time sailor, Duncan Kent casts his eye over the boating market and picks our his suggestions of the best gifts for sailors available right now
Whether you need to buy a present for a boating obsessed partner, sailing sibling, or paddle board loving parent, finding the best gifts for sailors and watersports enthusiasts can be difficult.
As experts in the sailing and watersports fields, we’ve gathered up some of the top watersport gifts in the market to help you to choose whether whether yor budget is small or big.
Best sailing gifts for watersports lovers
Optimum Time Sailing Watch OS11
Easy to use in a sailing environment, the Time Series 11 watch comes in black with a soft-touch PU strap and stainless-steel buckle.
It has a large 26mm diameter LCD with clear 10mm high digits, making it simple to read even in high stress situations. Being water-resistant to 5m depth also means it will shrug off spray and rain.
Features include common sailing timers such as pre-programmed start sequences, 5/4/1/0-minute warning countdown alarms and a synch button to ensure spot-on accuracy.
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Wurkkos DL30 Diving Torch
If it’s good enough for professional scuba divers, it should be rugged enough for even the most adventurous sailors. Sporting three powerful Samsung LH351D LEDs, the DL30 has three easily selected light levels, the most powerful of which provides 3,600 lumens of light with a range of up to 220m.
Normally powered by a 4,800mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery, it is also compatible with standard 18650 batteries should you need an instant energy refresh.
The torch is made from aircraft grade 6061 aluminium, so is rugged, lightweight and non-corrosive. It’s also fully waterproof to IPX8 standards (submersible to 50m depth) and comes with a stout wrist lanyard.
Aquapac armband phone case
This armband phone case is UV resistant and fully waterproof down to 10m, yet it still allows you to hear and be heard, plus operate all the touchscreen functions (except for fingerprint recognition) when sealed shut with the quick twist catches.
Ideal for staying in touch or even keeping an eye on a remote navigation app, the strong Velcro arm strap is fully adjustable and allows the phone to be rotated around the arm for easier viewing.
Available in two sizes.
Ultra Dry Premium Waterproof Bag
Available in three sizes (10l, 20l, 30l) and five attractive colours, this premium dry bag will keep your clothes completely fresh and dry no matter how leaky the boat is!
The bags also feature a handy, splashproof, zipped side pocket for small items such as phones, keys, knives etc.
The smaller 10l bag has a single shoulder strap, while the 20l model has two. The 30l bag also has two straps, but these are padded for extra comfort. There is a separate, quick-grab handle on the top of all of them.
Free with every bag is also a waterproof phone case on a lanyard.
Shoreline Marine Self Inflating Key Buoy
The Davis Key Buoy is designed for those dreaded moments when you let the boat keys slip from your hand and into the water. Attached to the a keyring like any other keyfob, it leaps into action as soon as it is submerged, inflating a small built-in bag that then forces it to rise to the surface for easy retrieval.
A bargain for such peace of mind!
Reeds Skipper’s handbook
The popular, pocket-sized Reeds Skipper’s Handbook is packed with useful information for the small boat skipper and its concise and easy to read format makes it an invaluable quick reference guide or memory jogger.
The latest (7th) edition has been thoroughly revised, with updated text and clear illustrations throughout.
Victorinox Skipper knife
Makers of the renowned Swiss Army Knife, Victorinox, produce a nautical version that boasts all the best features of the SAK, such as its top-quality stainless-steel corkscrew, bottle opener and tin opener.
The additional Skipper’s tools, however, are designed specifically for the sailor and include a shackle key, marlin spike, pliers with wire cutters, flat and crosshead screwdrivers and, of course, a super sharp, locking serrated blade for slicing through heavy rope in an instant. A must for the sailor’s belt!
Don’t miss our guide to the best boat knives
Underwater camera
Compact cameras are still preferred over their built-in mobile phone equivalents in specialist environments such as on or under the water. This budget device has dual 2.7in and 1.8in (selfie) screens, 48Mp still resolution, powerful 2K 1080p video resolution, USB connectivity and a MicroSD card slot for up to 128Gb of storage.
It also has a variable self-timer, continuous still shooting (six frames each press), a built-in flash and is waterproofed to IP68 standards, which means it can be used down to 3m deep for up to an hour without the risk of water ingress.
Glare-proof sunglasses
Designed with sailing in mind, these sunnies are light (just 31gm), flexible and boast a wide field of view. The indestructible, polarised, grey-tinted lenses cut the glare from the sea and their 100% UV resistance protects the wearer’s eyes from possible UVA and UVB damage.
Rubber inserts on the inside of the temples and nose provide a good grip on the face, even in windy and active situations. The nose pads are also designed to aid free air circulation, preventing them from steaming up.
The frames, which float if dropped overboard, come in dark petrol blue and in two sizes, S and M.
A knot a day
Not many of us can remember more than a dozen or so useful knots so this 368-page, info-packed book makes an essential addition to the chart table bookshelf.
The book offers a new knot challenge for every day of the year and includes some of the more decorative craft knots as well as all the essential bends and hitches.
Knots are colour coded by their category and step-by-step colour photographs and illustrations provide an easy-to-follow guide to their completion.
Adult sailing gloves 900
Neoprene-based sailing gloves are ideally suited to cold, wet conditions as they continue to provide good grip in all conditions. The material of these full-fingered gloves helps trap heat around the hands, keeping your fingers warm enough to work with lines, winches etc., while the palms are coated with Duragrip (polyurethane), to protect your palms from abrasion.
Available in three sizes, in black/grey colour only.
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