Super Fly
Problem: Another could've-been-great fishing day ruined by waterlogged tackle. Solution: The AquaFly Flybox. The 6 ¾ "-by-4"-by-2" tacklebox fits snugly in your palm, and its textured exterior makes it easy to grip. Impact-resistant plastic protects your flies from UV rays and prevents the box's outer shell from yellowing or cracking. With its outer shell tightly sealed to the inner foam at all four sides, the box shields your flies from water and weather damage, and its hinge pins resist rust. Bonus: It floats. Price: $34. Contact AquaFly at 415/922-1163, www.aquafly.com.
Climate Control
Want to know what's going on where the fish gather? Through a transmitter attached to a Cannon Mag 20DT downrigger cable, the Cannon Speed-N-Temp measures the water conditions around your bait and displays the readings on Bottom Line NCC5300 and 6500 fishfinders. It registers lure depth, bait speed, light intensity, and water temperature. It shuts off after 15 minutes of in-activity, and its nine-volt battery lasts up to 200 hours. Price: $500. Contact Cannon at 208/846-9000, www.cannondownriggers.com.
'Tude Adjustment
We applaud adjustable things, like our favorite pant's expandable waistline, especially after a hearty fish fry. Here's another-the Revomaster S105. It's a variable-pitch propeller designed for outboards from 40 hp to 130 hp or stern drives up to 140 hp. This junior version of the Revomaster S110 features an adjustable control knob, located in the prop's hub, that lets you change its performance to match your needs. Price: $400.
Best of Both
There's no need to sacrifice the big ballgame for a fishing trip with your friends. You can have both with Casio's SY-30 portable TV. Water and shock resistant, this handheld boob tube can endure all your bumps, drops, and pitches. Watch your team bring it home on the 2.7", color antiglare screen and plug in the headphones so the crowd's cheers don't frighten the fish. If the kids are coming along, add a VCR or DVD player and their favorite videos and enjoy uninterrupted fishing. It's battery operated, but you can opt for an AC adapter. Price: $180. Contact Casio at 800/ 962-2746, www.casio.com.
Know-It-All
Boating Rule #1: Know where you are going and what stands in your way. Raymarine's SL70 series of chartplotters helps you avoid trip-busting obstacles as you steer your course. They accept NMEA data and C-Map NT+ charts, store 1,000 waypoints and 20 routes, and provide a target's range, bearing, speed, course, and closest point and time of arrival. An alarm rings if a boat or obstacle lies on your heading. The SL70 Plus model has a monochrome high-resolution (320-by-240 pixels) 7" display. The SL70C Plus uses a full-color, high-resolution (640-by-480 pixels) screen and offers a radar/chart overlay. Combine either model with any Pathfinder high-performance radome or open array antenna to create a complete system. Price: $1,120, SL70; $2,350, SL70C. Contact Raymarine at 603/881-5200, www.raymarine.com.
Go With the Flow
On a cruise anything can go wrong, and everything eventually does. Don't stress out about it-prepare. Plan fuel stops on your route with the FloScan 9000 series. When connected to your GPS, the FloScan 9000 calculates miles per gallon. It also calculates total fuel consumed, gallons per hour, and engine hours and rpm, and it displays all functions on a backlit LCD screen. The series operates with single and twin outboards, stern drives, and inboard gasoline engines from 50 to 1,000 hp, and single diesel engines from 80 to 3,000 bhp. The twin gas model includes an engine synchronizer indicator that displays in a bar graph the differences in engine rpm. Price: $945 to $1,574. Contact FloScan at 800/522-3610, www.floscan.com.
Radio Active
Just as the fat lady sings, failing batteries cut her off. But lucky La Traviata fans have Coleman's Outrider Radio, with three power alternatives, so you won't miss a high note. When you forget to recharge the Outrider's internal battery, use its solar cells for power or crank the wind-up knob for 30 seconds to gain 35 minutes of play. At 4"-by-8", this weather-resistant AM/FM radio goes where you do. Price: $49. Contact Coleman at 800/835-3278, www.coleman.com.
Smooth Operator
Would you like to run your trolling motor from the helm? Then this is your lucky day. Outboard Electric's MP5000 outboard motor features a removable control pod that remounts on a dash or console. Remove its two front screws, lift the pod from the outboard, and reconnect it with a 20' waterproof cable. The pod features a variable speed control, rpm and voltage LCD display, a safety lanyard connection, and a warning light that indicates overheating. Price: $4,495. Contact Outboard Electric at 800/228-1488, www.outboardelectric.org.
