By Beth Rubin
The boating season is in full swing after the utal winter. Hallelujah! Time to cele ate (not that you need a reason). Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 11th. Blink and it will be Father’s Day, June 15th. What better time to gift your favorite captain or first mate with something nautical and nice? After speaking to experts at local ship chandleries and other purveyors of boating-related goods, we came up with a list of what’s new in the way of accessories and gear for 2014.
We’re accustomed to performing multiple tasks with our smartphones. And there is always room for one more app, eh? With the new Weems & Plath Ship's Clock Pro App, which chimes every 30 minutes, captains can keep track of their crew and inform them precisely when to begin and end their duties—without clanging a big ass bell. Social boaters take note: With this app, you need never again to be late for cocktails. At 17:00 hours (5 p.m.), this popular new app will let you know with 2 bells that the first dog watch—and time for a sundowner—has arrived. Download the app on your iPhone or Droid for only 99 cents.
Rolex introduced the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II design in 2013, and Aye, mateys, it’s a stunner. This head-turning timepiece comes with a Cerachrom bezel with handsome blue ceramic insert. You want to be first over the regatta starting line, don’t you? Prices average $17,000–$18,000. No doubt, your captain deserves the best—on the Bay and onshore.
Photo courtesy of Rolex
I’d rather run out of food and clean T-shirts than ice cubes. How about you? Is there anything more disappointing on a sultry day when your tongue is sticking to the roof of your mouth than a tepid ice tea, soft drink, or vodka and tonic? I think not. Which is why the Indel Marine Ice Maker is so appealing. In pristine white, it makes up to 22 pounds of crescent-shaped cubes per day and comes with a bin that holds up to 12 pounds.
Photo courtesy of Indel Webasto
Sailboats To Go offers a collection of portable inflatable boats with kits that convert the dinghies to sailboats. This is a great take-along on your vessel. And it is also a wonderful way to explore the Bay on its own. The boats hold from 2 to 4 people and sail surprisingly well. When deflated, many models stow in a bag that will fit next to your golf clubs in the trunk of your car. Kits range from about $700 to $2,500. You can also purchase kits for kayaks and canoes.
Photo courtesy of Sailboats To Go
If your sailing or cruising plans include a passage through the Roaring Forties, you won’t want to leave the Chesapeake without a new Henri Lloyd Offshore Elite Jacket. Offshore cruisers and racers swear by these light and eathable jackets—up to “30 percent lighter” and just as waterproof and durable as their bulkier predecessors, according to the manufacturer, the Tiffany of heavy-duty, weather-resistant outerwear. The jackets feature a Gore-Tex shell, well-engineered hood system that allows for optimal peripheral vision, and snuggly Polartec collar lining. The jacket is available for men and women in blue, red, or black for $649.
Photos courtesy of Henri Lloyd
Be the first in your marina to add this appealing item to your collection of must-have boat toys: The Iris Marine Day/Night Camera. A fixed boat camera with a 12X digital lens, the Iris takes photos up to 130 meters (426.5 feet). In low light, it switches automatically from color to monochrome. Stylish and compact, the sticker price is $257 and up.
Photo courtesy of Iris Innovations
