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Water Missile
Seagulls turning your bench seats into personal Porta Potties? Throw the plastic decoy owl in the trash-it's time to get serious. Chase away seagulls with the Scarecrow. Linked to a hose, it sends a three-second blast of water at offending birds. Its internal infrared sensor detects these flying rats by their movement and body heat. The company says one nine-volt battery can operate the system for four to six months. It stands 24 inches tall and is all black with optional yellow stickers that make the unit resemble an angry robotic toucan. Price: $79. Contact Contech at 800/767-8658, www.scarecrowinfo.com.
No Stopping It
We're tired of getting cut off by thermal shutdown switches, and we're not going to take it anymore! Thankfully, Wesmar created the DC Pro, an electric bow thruster that operates continuously without shutdown from a cutoff switch. The variable-speed motor gives the operator more control so just the right amount of power can be applied in specific conditions. Don't worry about hoses, fittings, or pumps: This electric system doesn't need lengthy installations. An optional remote control operates either the bow or stern thruster. The DC Pro is available in 24 or 48 volts and operates at 5 to 23 hp. Price: $3,500 to $12,995. Contact Wesmar at 425/481-2296, www.wesmar.com.
Beam Team
Does your flashlight emit only one beam of light at a single power? Friend, you can do better than that-just check out the L1 LumaMax. This aluminum, 2.9-ounce LED has a digitally controlled, two-stage switch that offers two output choices: Switch to low for less power, high for full power, or activate both beams together. It produces light for up to 50 hours on low beam and up to 5 hours on high beam. Choose from white, red, blue, or green LED lights. Price: $125. Contact Surefire at 800/828-8809, www.surefire.com.
Big Picture
Planning a long cruise down the eastern seaboard? If you own a Garmin Bluechart- compatible chartplotter, then you're in luck-Bluecharts now span the entire East Coast. This two-cartridge set details the waters from Maine to Miami. Bluecharts electronic navigational charts look just like paper charts. Cursor movements over the charts provide descriptive detail of contour depths, chart number, and navaids. Price: $1,071. Contact Garmin at 800/800-1020, www.garmin.com.
