The Tiverton sandal from Rugged Shark is everyday-comfortable but siped for traction on a soggy sole. Nubuck trim on upper adds swank, and nylon webbing creates a durable, comfortable fit. It doesn’t mar fiberglass as you step aboard and, in my testing, gave good arch support and shock resistance for rough waters. $40; ruggedshark.com

If you can get past the extreme colors, Teva’s Gnarkosis offer sneaker-style comfort with breathable, synthetic uppers, good traction and the “drain frame,” a platform that surrounds the midsole and attaches to the upper to allow ventilation. Designed for wakeskating, these shoes provide added support over traditional neoprene booties. $100; teva.com

As a fashion statement, gold chains can be as overwhelming as bad cologne. But a quality timepiece, and especially one that has functions a boater can love, makes a solid statement of practical value and drools with “I have arrived” luxury. These are our favorites.

The last time I went night fishing, I baited the hook with my thumb. To avoid chumming with my own blood, I started wearing a PowerCap. This unique five-LED hat lets you choose either night-vision-protecting red light or bright white light at the touch of a switch. Long-lasting lithium coin cell batteries give hours of dependable light. $40 from sailorsnightvisioncap.com

This amphibious athletic shoe dries quickly through vented soles and sides and sticks to the deck. It has enough ventilation and lateral stability for workouts at the Y. Kind of cool too. $45; mauisurfcompany.com

They don’t slip on wet decks. They do breathe, mold to your feet and look and feel good at sea or the mall. Water resistant, but, darn, not teak-varnish proof. Who’d have thought? $60; mauisurfcompany.com; 877-666-7364

The classic frame of these Roland Martin signature shades features big lenses and a conservative style — perfect for reading the water and looking good during that hawg bass release snapshot. These sunglasses are inexpensive yet durable enough to be tossed atop your console when fishing through dusk. The reader lenses are located lower than those in traditional bifocals are, so as not to interfere with a view of the water. I found that by tilting my head up and looking down a bit, I could easily take advantage of the magnification to tie knots in braided line.

Switch Vision Cortina Full Stop $249; switchvision.com

Heady Info: Switch Vision is a new player in the sunglasses arena, with a background in prescription optics, but this debut is all the buzz in our office. The frames have hidden magnetic strips, allowing you to switch (get the brand name now?) to three types of lenses when the light changes.

These may be the coolest Sperrys I’ve worn on my boat. On a recent trip in snotty weather, they stuck to the wet ramp, stuck to the winch I climbed over to board the trailered boat and stuck to the wet deck. To get them that way, I used a trick I learned from the people at Sperry — scuff up the bottoms on clean concrete just a bit. For full lace-ups, they’re fairly breathable through vents and the fabric tongue. They didn’t make blisters and felt broken in right away. They’re among the most comfortable boat shoes I’ve worn out of the box. My only complaint?

To make a good pair of deck shoes into a great pair, pull out the factory insoles and slip these in. At 3 p.m. at the Miami Boat Show, my dogs were barking — it took that long. I tucked these insoles in and the barking turned into tail wagging. They made my favorite new deck shoes so much better. AFTCO says a specially designed control bar provides extra support. Dual density foam pads under the heel and ball immediately soothed those areas. Available in S, M, L and XL, they can be trimmed to fit. Mine took up the slack of an extra half-size for a perfect fit.