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Summer Gear Guide

The hottest gear items for your summer boating adventures.

Summer Gear Guide

Blue skies, warm waters and golden evenings are just around the corner all across the country. Summer’s here! And that means it’s time to outfit you and your boat with some of the latest gear. We visited the water ourselves recently and tested out some of the best new products hitting the market. Here are a few goodies we found that you may want to check out before heading to your local lake. Helly Hansen Faerder Dress
Comfortable and good looking. With a stylish, nautical pattern and super-soft cotton with just the right amount of stretch, this light-as-air dress transitions from daytime bow lounging to evening dockside festivities.
$80; hellyhansen.com Magma Newport Infrared Gourmet Gas Grill
Folds away or mounts on a rail or stanchion. Infrared cooking is fast and even and seals in flavor. No flareups, no coals — and it makes eight burgers at a time!
$429.98; magmaproducts.com SlingShot Newton 142 Wakeboard
The stiffest, fastest continuous rocker Slingshot’s ever made. With carbon-capped rails and a single concave molded channel on the tip and tail, it’s built for speed. Add bindings and you’re ready to rock this summer!
$499; slingshotsports.com Igloo 30-Quart Personal Cooler
Holds 40 12-ounce cans, and 2-liters can stand upright. Rounded edges won’t ding your legs or boat, and transport is a snap with molded side grips and a swing-up handle.
$34.99; igloocoolers.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Standard Horizon CPN 700i
The 700i offers seven diagonal inches of chartplotting power ideal for smaller boats. The 1010i version is 10.2 inches. That’s nice, but what’s better is that both units have Wi-Fi, the next step up on versatile chart plotters. Why? Idle away your lunch hour on the free Jeppesen C-Map app to plot your weekend boating course on an iPhone or iPad and then step aboard and beam it to the CPN 700i chart plotter. Way cool.
$1,499.99; standardhorizon.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

SPOT Connect
This SPOT Connect app lets your Bluetooth smartphone connect to a SPOT Messenger and send geo-based messages to anyone, including Spot’s worldwide emergency response centers.
$170 (annual subscription $100); findmespot.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Standard Horizon HX 851 VHF
This floating, waterproof, 12- channel, GPS-equipped VHF is DSC capable for more reliable SOS communications with 6 watts of power. It is submersible to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes, glows in the dark and receives NOAA weather radio channels and emergency weather updates.
$269.99; standardhorizon.com Costa Del Mar Fantail Sunglasses
The latest shades from Costa feature its acclaimed, ultraclear 580 polarized lenses. Frames hug the head comfortably and securely, and lenses are offered in glass or polycarbonate material.
$149 to $249; costadelmar.com Tommy Bahama Del Mar Polo
Made with Supima cotton, this new polo features a soft and subtle texture, flat-knit collar and a two-button placket with a stylish sailfish insignia. Available in 14 colors.
$78; tommybahama.com Helly Hansen Hydro Power Polo
Super soft with stylish details, it’s well sewn, durable and, thanks to its almost-seamless construction, extremely comfortable. Five colors to choose from.
$70; hellyhansen.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Sperry Top-Sider Ventus Lace Up
This sleek performance deck shoe features a lightweight insole and nonmarking sole, giving outstanding grip on deck. Materials are hydrophobic for quick-drying comfort.
$110 to $120; sperrytopsider.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Serengeti Fontana
Timeless style mixed with high performance. Polarized lenses help you see beneath the water’s surface, while four frame-color options offer the look you’re aiming for.
$170 to $220; serengeti-eyewear.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

West Marine Captain Tech Polo
The loose, breathable material on this wear-withanything top is ideal for the outdoors, plus it’s relatively wrinkle-free, so it travels great. Throw over your suit (it’s fast-drying!), or wear to the mall.
$29.99; westmarine.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Rave Sports Sea Rebel Inflatable Kayak
Stow this inflatable kayak in a ski locker for easy trips to shore or boat to boat when rafting up! Bottom fins make it track true, and the package includes paddle, hand pump and backrest in its carrying bag.
$199.99; ravesports.com U.S. Divers Snorkeling Kit
See the world below the surface with this economical snorkel kit from U.S. Divers. Soft silicone makes the mask comfortable, and tempered glass makes visibility unrivaled. The flex fins, mask, snorkel and backpack combo keep it ready to go.
$69.99; westmarine.com Columbia Sportswear Bahama II Shirt
Quick-drying, durable nylon is ideal for splashy situations, and mesh-lined vent caps keep the air flowing on hot days. What’s more, built-in UPF 30 sun protection will keep you safe from harmful rays.
$48; columbia.com Bote SUP Skiff
Bote’s original 12-foot paddle board and SUP skiff package includes a leaning post with rod holders, deck pad and a 10-inch carbon fin. Add a carbon-fiber paddle for $200 for easy entry into this fast-growing sport.
$1,399; boteboard.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

McMurdo Fast Find PLB
This small, 406 MHz personal location beacon transmits a powerful 5-watt signal both to the global 406 rescue system monitored by the military and to a local rescue dispatch system to speed up local efforts. It also emits an SOS light pulse to aid location.
$269.99; findfastplb.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

FLIR First Mate
Infrared imaging clearly reveals navigation markers, obstacles or even a man overboard at night. HM 224 XP has a 24-degree field of view for scanning, and software is easily updated via SD card downloads for up-to-date functionality.
From $2,999; flir.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Gill Dry Cylinder Bag
Roll down and snap shut this 50-liter duffle for a 100 percent waterproof seal. Rounded base improves upright stability, and detachable padded shoulder straps make toting all your gear simple.
$69; gillna.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

O’Brien Hammerhead 1
Its bottom design is wider at the leading edge and tapers behind, facilitating extra lift when getting air and a softer landing. Equipped with handgrips, it’s offered in one-, twoand three-person versions.
$158; obrien.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Mustang Survival MIT 35 Inflatable Life Jacket
constructed of lightweight, pliable fabrics from the medical industry. Boasts 35 pounds of buoyancy, inspection window, access flap, reflective badge, hidden pocket.
$146 (manual), $166 (automatic); mustangsurvival.com
Bill Doster

Summer Gear Guide

Shimano Caenan and Sedona Reels
The Caenan bait caster touts a 6.5:1 gear ratio and six ball bearings; the silky-smooth Sedona is available in four sizes — one for every species.
$89.99 (Caenan), $59.99 (Sedona); fish.shimano.com
Bill Doster
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