Gift Guide

Nifty Nautical Notions for

the boat lovers on your list

Fulfill Your Need For Speed

SeaDoo’s GTX Watercraft has all the bells and whistles that other PWCs boast, and more. It features Sea-Doo’s now-famous iBR (intelligent brake and reverse) brakes, as well as iTC (intelligent throttle control), which lets riders accelerate like they’re in a Porsche (the supercharged engine takes the GTX from 0-50 mph in 5 seconds) or opt for more sedate operation. You can also maximize acceleration and enhance high-speed stability with the VTS (variable trim system). The GTX will do everything you want of a PWC and do it without making a racket, thanks to resonators and the vibration-absorbing components of the D-Sea-Bel system. MSRP $13,499; seadoo.com

Easy Reeling

Canyon’s EX Series Reels are designed with power and performance in mind for the modern offshore fisherman. The EX Series of reels come standard with twice the power of comparable reels their size. Every reel is upgraded out of the box. No need to buy aftermarket accessories to turn your reel into a high performance machine – It already is one. Canyon’s EX Series gives anglers the ability to downsize their tackle while improving their performance levels. The monster drag design on Canyon’s EX Series Reels will surpass your expectations. The company has designed a reel for each line class, so there is sure to be one that fits your fishing style. MSRP $399.99 – $799; canyonreels.com

Golden Bouys

What better way to show off your passion for boating than by wearing A.G. Correa’s golden replicas of buoys. Nun and can buoys a are flawlessly recreated in small or large pendants and set as necklaces and earrings. They are available in either 14- or 18-karat solid gold.
Let your love of boating shine this season! MSRP $750-$2,875; agacorrea.com

Secrets of the Twelves

Thanks to its long association with the America’s Cup, the 12-Meter Class or, as it is now called, the Twelve-Metre Class, is well known to yacht racing aficionados all over the world. Columbia Trading Company, a nautical book and artifact retailer in West Barnstable, Massachusetts, is offering a limited edition, two-volume book set published by LTYachting Editions that provides a comprehensive, technical history of this legendary class of yachts, which spawned myriad innovations used throughout the racing world. Illustrated by dozens of photos and drawings, The Twelve Metre Class by Luigi Lang and Dyer Jones, with the collaboration of Jan Slee, covers evolving international class rules and yacht designs, while providing details about  regattas and the major players in the Twelve-Metre Class pantheon. The second volume is a complete registry of every Twelve-Metre sloop ever built. The two-volume set, at 293 and 279 pages, respectively, which comes in a navy slipcase, has a retail price of $275 pus shipping. Columbia Trading Company also offers LTYachting Editions’ two-volume set, Mariette and the Herreshoff Schooners. columbiatrading.com

Mark Time Exquisitely

Celebrating 100 years in the trade, Swiss watchmaker Fortis is reissuing its classic Stratoliner Chronograph. The rose-gold 18-kt bezel and the crown contrast with the steel/PVD (physical vapor deposition) black case. The contrasting dial with its trio of sub counters harmoniously complements the three-part, two-color case. Whether you choose the extra padded black leather or croco leather strap with folding clasp, either one guarantees excellent wearing comfort. This collectable watch’s inner workings are based on the perfected Swiss Valjoux chronograph movement with fine timing device and Incabloc shock absorber. The watch is water-resistant to 200 meters; deeper than you’ll ever dive…on purpose. Fortis is only making 100 of these, so get in line. MSRP $10,075; fortis-watches.com

Fly Beneath the Waves

The new Pegasus Thruster is an advanced underwater diver propulsion vehicle (DPV). This patented unit provides lightweight, hands-free operation. The DPV, made from 6061-T6 aluminum, with the propeller and shroud from PA46 high-impact plastic, mounts on your tank. You operate it with a single button switch held in your hand. Let go of the switch and the thruster stops. According to the manufacturer, it can move a 170-pound man, in full gear, approximately 165 feet-per-minute – that’s almost 2 knots. The Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable (in 2.5 hours) battery is rated for up to 300 cycles and can be changed out underwater, where the thruster weighs negative five pounds. MSRP $1,495; pegasusthruster.com

Timelessly Modern

Even though it has been building clocks since 1897, Chelsea Clock can still produce a modern looking timepiece that goes with contemporary décor. The Carbon Fiber Flag Clock and Barometer offer a sophisticated marriage of nautical style and elegant watch design. The matching clock and barometer each feature a 4.5-inch face, sport hand, a precision etched dial and enameled nautical flags representing numerals one through twelve. Only the aesthetics change, as the barometer’s face features enameled numerals. Durable carbon fiber adds a unique and contemporary accent to the clock dial and barometer face. Forged solid brass with a chrome finish and a traditional screw bezel, along with a single-bellows holosteric barometer movement, mean it’s not likely you’ll need to avail yourself of the two-year warranty. They are built in the U.S.A. MSRP for the clock: $550, and barometer: $375; for the holidays, $468 and $319, respectively; chelseaclock.com

Next Top Supermodel

Why not enjoy looking at your yacht even when it’s miles away? Indeed, with a scale model from Seacraft Classics  that is entirely possible; you can even pick it up and study the incredible detail. Seacraft Classics employs the latest technology in building modern yacht models. Reflecting the complex hull designs and cabin structures they depict, the company uses AutoCAD drawings to actually “print” the hull into a high-grade resin. With this technique they scale the model exactly to the yacht’s drawings. Each model is then hand-finished to include all of the visible exterior details of the actual yacht.  MSRP varies by the project and includes an LED-lighted display case; seacraftclassics.com

Cool Fish

Larry Rackley’s abstract paintings of fish caught our eye at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. He specializes in nature; painting dogs, birds, ducks and hunting and fishing scenes. It’s just that he sees fish and their surroundings a little differently than most folks.

Larry operates two Yellowfin Galleries, in Birmingham and Orange Beach, Alabama. He also has developed a line of sportswear, Yellowfin Unlimited. He has unique method of making custom T-shirts. First he paints a picture of the boat, with some obligatory fish jumping around it, then digitizes the image to make the shirt. “That way they get the shirt plus a piece of art,” Larry says. Prices on request; yellowfingallery.com