10 Best Boating Gifts for Her
Do you have a woman boater in your life and are wondering what would make the perfect present? There are many affordable options whether you’re looking for a birthday, a new boat-warming present, or a Mother’s Day boating gift.
Remember, she’s not a woman boater, she’s a boater, and they all love and need loads of gear for their hobby (for additional ideas, be sure to read 10 Must-Have Boat Accessories for 2022).
To help you narrow down your selection, here’s 10 top boating gifts for her:
1. Sailing gloves
If the woman in your life is a diehard sailor, she’ll appreciate a pair of gloves to protect her hands from chafing lines. Sailing gloves are sized for men and women and can be full-coverage, fingerless or somewhere in between.
Popular brands include Gill, Harken, Ronstan, Mustang and others. These sticky gloves will help her handle lines and the padding will save her skin.
Even better than sailing gloves, why not take it a step further and take her out on a sailboat rental?
Explore sailboats for rent all across the globe.
2. Drybag
Keeping gear dry is always a challenge on a boat whether it’s a yacht or a dinghy, but drybags do the trick for all sorts of gear.
Choose one for a cellphone and keys or for something bigger for a laptop and clothing. There are even models that have straps and can be worn as a backpack so you can even get her a set to cover all the bases.
3. Stemless wine glasses
After a hard day of boating, it’s time to relax with a glass of wine. Stemless wine glasses do better on boats due to their lower center of gravity and they can be made of glass, polycarbonate, stainless steel or a rubberized ceramic. Some have integrated grips while others have a sippy-cup topper to minimize spills even if a wake jostles the cockpit.
You can go generic or check out brands like Yeti and Strahl for upmarket choices.
4. Cheese and charcuterie platter sets
No happy hour is complete without snacks. Give her a way to present cheese and snacks with a serving platter and utensils in one.
Generally made from wood or bamboo, options from Royal Craft come with indentations for nuts and fruit as well as drawers for serving knives, so everything’s at hand.
5. Personalized boat gifts
You really can’t go wrong with gifts that speak specifically to her. Most items can be monogrammed or can highlight the name of her boat.
Through embroidery, printing and etching, you can add a boat name or nautical design to towels, pillows, T-shirts, hats, totes, key chains, welcome mats, wine glasses and more. Many marine retailers specialize in these items or browse Amazon for ideas.
6. Nautical jewelry
A bit of bling can be the thing for a boater who loves emphasizing her passion with her fashion. Opt for compass rose stud earrings, a mermaid bracelet charm, or an anchor necklace pendant.
There are many designs to choose from on the general market or go with a marine-specific provider like Nautical Gold Jewelry for Turk’s head rings and chains.
7. Multitool or sailing knife
Boats have gremlins, so you never know when you’ll need a knife or screwdriver for a quick fix. Sailing knives are small and light and have extra features like a marlinspike and a bottle opener.
Look for brands from CrewSaver, Gill or NRS to name a few. For a more comprehensive tool that includes blades, screwdrivers and pliers, find a multitool like a Leatherman. Most knives and multitools come with a sheath and can be worn on a belt so they’re always handy.
8. Headlamp
Whether boating at night or needing to peek into a dark locker, boaters need light and preferably the kind that keeps both hands free. An LED headlamp can be a lifesaver and some come with white and red lights so your boater can preserve her night vision.
Look for lumen (brightness) ratings and IPxx (waterproof) designations. Mantus, Pelican, Petzl and Black Diamond offer many high-quality lights at various price points.
9. Rash guard
Although clothing is hard to buy for any woman, a rash guard is a fairly simple choice that will protect her from the sun when she’s kayaking or provide a bit of warmth when she’s snorkeling. Dive and surf shops often sell rash guards under brands like Body Glove, Roxy, Volcom and ScubaPro.
Rash guards can be short- or long-sleeved, tight- or loose-fitting, and stylish or plain so pick one based on what you know about your boater.
10. A day on the water!
If you’re completely at a loss, go big and give the gift of an experience and make a memory—book a boat rental and enjoy quality time together out on the water.
Let her choose her own adventure, whether that’s relaxing on a sailboat, zipping across the lake on a personal watercraft (PWC), fishing for her trophy catch, or riding a wave behind a wake surf boat. The options are endless, and you can find the perfect boat rental to build the perfect day for her.
Remember, boating gifts for her open up a whole new adventure in gift giving because your mom, sister, daughter or friend has a passion, so you’ll have great options for years to come.
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Zuzana Prochazka is an award-winning freelance journalist and photographer with regular contributions to more than a dozen sailing and powerboating magazines and online publications including Southern Boating, SEA, Latitudes & Attitudes and SAIL. She is SAIL magazines Charter Editor and the Executive Director of Boating Writers International. Zuzana serves as judge for SAIL’s Best Boats awards and for Europe’s Best of Boats in Berlin.
A USCG 100 Ton Master, Zuzana founded and manages a flotilla charter organization called Zescapes that takes guests adventure sailing at destinations worldwide.
Zuzana has lived in Europe, Africa and the United States and has traveled extensively in South America, the islands of the South Pacific and Mexico.
