With the holidays approaching, here are some gifts for the sailor in your life. This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission on purchases made (at no additional cost to you).
Let them pick something out– these are the most helpful gift cards for sailors:
Amazon, West Marine (USA), Budget Marine (Caribbean), Defender Marine (USA and Canada)
Under $30
Get their boat name or logo engraved on a cork keychain float for their dinghy/boat key. They won’t have to worry about it fading and peeling like the plastic or foam ones! We’ve had ours for years.
This is a niche gift, but it will excite the right person. Do you know a gin and tonic lover? Most cruisers have a soda stream or other at-home carbonation system. Gift them this tonic syrup! It takes up less room on the boat, and they no longer have to lug around packs of tonic water or deal with a litter of cans. We’ve repurchased this so many times!
“Tasteful Nudes” A Calendar of Exotic Marine Nudibranchs
This one will get a laugh out of any dive enthusiast! The calendar contains interesting facts and stunning photos of colorful nudibranchs at depths reserved for skilled divers. Plus, the photographer is a sailor herself!
Sea-to-stream leave-in conditioner + Neoprene mask strap cover
Every long-haired swimmer will love both of these products.
Battery-operated tabletop fan to keep flies off your food. We received this as a gift years ago and use it all the time for cockpit dinner parties or post-swim chips + dip.
Getting groceries to the boat involves a dinghy ride and, often, a long walk. A sturdy, insulated grocery bag is always a welcomed gift. This one, in particular, is machine washable, collapses flat for easy storage, features thick adjustable straps, and can double as a beach day picnic bag/drink cooler. It’s on our wish list, too!
$50- $100
This lantern is weather resistant, has eight different lighting options, is rechargeable, and doubles as a power bank. This is the perfect light to bring onto the bow when sundowners become nightcaps, to illuminate the galley for coffee/tea refills during overnight passages, or whenever overhead lightning feels too harsh. It is on our wishlist, too!
Wera Tool- Check Plus Bit Ratchet Set with Sockets
This is Ray’s most used, high-quality, compact tool set. Any handyman would appreciate this gift!
$100+
Japanese Boning & Fillet Knife
Every sailor needs a high-quality fillet knife to clean their next catch! Most of us use a cheap one we got at the marine supply store, but I know we would love to upgrade to this beautiful 7-inch flexible knife.
We replaced our ceramic coffee mugs with customized 10oz Yeti mugs a few years ago and love them! Our boat name and logo are engraved. They’re practically indestructible, great for coffee or tea (especially when underway—the lids are very secure!) or to-go cocktails. If you’re purchasing more than one, the stackable designs are ideal for storing on a boat. If you know the sailor in your life already has a go-to mug/tumbler, pick the cocktail shaker, pitcher, or water bottle!
Ray upgraded to this tool bag in 2021, and we still love it! Its waterproof base and over 50 pockets make it durable and easy to keep organized. Anytime he has brought it over to help out a fellow cruiser, I’ve been asked to pass along the product details- everyone envies this bag! We did a video on what we keep inside if you want to see more.
Waste-free gift wrap: Sailors are notoriously environmentally conscious, so consider giving your gift in a dry bag instead of something disposable. We never seem to have enough; small ones are great for putting phones and wallets in during a rough dinghy ride, and larger ones get used for paddleboard excursions or beach days. If you feel the item needs tissue paper, try t-shirt rags instead (Seriously! They WILL get used, and gifting them like this will likely make the sailor in your life giggle).
Happy Holidays! 🎁
2 Responses
Holly,
I love these gift ideas! I am hoping we get to a place where we could receive them! We will likely receive emails from our kids that are always wondering what they should get for their “⛵️ “ parent for Christmas.
Haha! We call Sabado our baby, so our parents’ grandchild… 😂