Stuck for gift ideas for the sailor who has it all? Yachting World is here to help with some great ideas as we list our best Christmas gifts for sailors
Sailors can be notoriously difficult to buy for and sailing as a hobby (much like golf and other niche pastimes) tends to involve kit that is either bafflingly complex or comes with a list of specifications that are gobbledygook to the unfamiliar gift buyer. Fear not, here’s our selection of the best Christmas gifts for sailors – as selected by our team of sailors!
We appreciate everyone is on a different budget, so we’ve tried to pick an array of Christmas gifts at different price-points in order to ensure you can get something for the special sailor in your life – no matter your budget.
Our pick of the Best Christmas gifts for Sailors
1 Victorinox Skipper Swiss Army Pocket Knife
This Victorinox has been by my side for years and got me out of some scrapes as well as helped me to fix a few things on the go. It was a gift from my dad about 15 years ago and I whisper a little thankyou to him each time it has saved my bacon.
The built in additional tools make this more than just a knife. So yes, it’s a bit heavier and fatter than a knife that’s solely a knife. The marlin spike is used for every line I mouse in and out of my boats and the bottle opener… well, I always feel smug when I pull that out of the bag.
Probably the best knife I ever used on a boat and a gift that keeps on giving. Thanks dad.
For more sailing knives have a look at my guide to the best sailing knives
2 Hattiers Premium Reserve Rum
Synonymous with sailing since the mid 17th Century, rum continues to be the yachtsman’s favourite tipple.
This south Devon firm, which currently sponsors our Letters pages and has also teamed up with Spirit Yachts, produces some dangerously good sipping rums. A personal favourite is its premium reserve blended Egremont rum – wow!
3 Standard Horizon HX890E VHF handheld marine radio
Best handheld VHF on test
With features like a large screen, built-in GPS receiver and DSC capability and great battery life, it’s easy to see why it comes in amongst our top editors choices. The handheld radio floats with a highly visible strobe light activated when in the water and is fully waterproof with an IPX8 rating.
It comes with an additional battery tray, which can use 5 x AAA standard disposable or rechargeable batteries, in addition to the set’s main rechargeable battery.
Looking for more options? Check out our guide to the best handheld VHFs.
4 Garmin InReach Messenger Plus
The gift that keeps giving. A satellite messenger and tracker. Send voice notes or a picture to the app, track your route, get weather forecasts, all via the iridum satellite network.
If you have an intrepid explorer amongst your close family or friends and you want to help them stay in touch on a budget, whilst travelling as light as possible, then I’m not sure you can get better than this right now.
If this is your first foray into satellite messengers, then you wouldn’t regret this little powerhouse.
A typical subscription cost for an average frequent user would be:
“Flex Advanced”
Activation Fee: £39.99
Monthly Fee: £34.99*
Minimum Term 30 Days
Suitable For Frequent users sending regular messages/track points/weather checks
Inclusive Allowance Unlimited SOS, Up to 150 Text/Weather Messages, 25 photo or voice messages, Unlimited Tracking Points
Overage Charges : Text Message: £0.50 , photo/voice messages £1
Suspend Account monthly fee £4.99
5 Sealskinz Bacton waterproof Beanie
This waterproof Sealskinz beanie is warm dry woolie hug for your head. It is water and stain repellent, with a three layer construction for warmth, durability and waterproofing. The waterproofing will keep your head dry. The breathability will help to let the steam out even if you’re working hard.
Looking for a different style? Check out our guide to the best sailing hats on the market.
6 Red 40lt Kit Bag
This waterproof bag is stylish and lightweight, with smooth zips designed not to snag, and the best part is that it’s made out of recycled plastic bottles (TPU). And the zips and seals really work too. We tested a selection of waterproof bags and this was our favourite blend of style and practicality.
7 Dryrobe Changing Mat
When it comes to post-swimming training, dryrobe knows its business. And this handy little changing mat feels like a luxury for your cold feet.
Changing mats are all about protecting your feet – from rough surfaces and from the cold and wet. This is why I love dryrobe’s changing mat. It’s a simple design, but the water-repellent ground-side layer with the soft, warm fleece to stand on is an absolute winner.
I would like it to be about twice the size. But, the advantage of it being small is that it doesn’t take up much space in your kit bag.
8 Sugru Mouldable Glue
Sugru is a new material that feels like play dough but acts like superglue and sticks to most objects and surfaces. It’s very user-friendly, highly malleable and waterproof and comes in 10 bright colours. It’s ideal for both fixing things and giving items a new lease of life as it sets like silicone rubber (flexible and insulated) – it’s also surprisingly fun to apply.
9 Spinlock Essentials chest pack
Spinlock’s Essential Packs are snug fitting solutions for keeping accessories like a mobile phone, VHF, or personal EPIRB to hand on the water. They are available as belt, side or chest packs that attach with Velcro tie-downs, and neatly compliment Spinlock’s Deckvest 5D lifejacket.
10 C-monsta wetsuit hangar
This odd looking hanger is designed especially for your wetsuit and its accoutrements like the gloves and boots. It’s lightweight, so easy to bring with you and strong enough to take the extra weight of soaking wet neoprene. The design also helps your wetsuit dry quicker and reduces wear and tear.
11 Gill Deckhand Sailing Gloves – Long Finger
The Gill Deckhand gloves have been my go to glove for years now. For a while there was a women’s option available which was a much better fit than the unisex version.
The way the glove is tailored to the curve of the hand makes them easy to wear and easy to grip lines and other control surfaces. They do get a bit soggy to wear when wet and I keep a few pairs to be able to swap out while the others dry off. They usually last me a season and need replacing but I keep buying the same gloves because they are so comfortable to wear.
12 Gill Tarp Barrel Bag
All sailors need a decent kit bag. This 60L no-nonsense barrel bag is made from durable waterproof tarpaulin and features a two-way zip and padded shoulder strap.
13 Gill Stealth Timer
Stealth Timer If you’re late to the start wearing this watch, there’s no excuse! As well as the large, super clear display, modes include a digital compass and course shift as well as the ‘stealth’ feature of a silent countdown so you can outsmart the opposition on the line.
Best Christmas gifts for sailors £100 – £200
14 Yeti Rambler 36oz
When two fishermen brothers couldn’t find a robust icebox/cooler, they started Yeti, which produces coolers you can stand on, throw around a boat and that will keep ice cold for days.
The drinkware range looks just as practical, whether water bottles, the ramblers to keep your coffee hot, or the wine tumbler to keep your Côtes de Provence ice cold.
The Rambler gallon/half gallon jugs make a lot of sense for day sailing racing, either for warming soups hot or keeping your Dark’n’Stormy fresh! See Stones/Yeti for options
15 Lego Emirates Team New Zealand AC75 Americas Cup
Is there anything more fun than building something out of lego? Well, yes actually there is but on a cold wintery day when you’d rather be indoors than out, then this lego model of the Americas Cup boat from 2024 will keep your hands occupied for a while. It doesn’t look too bad either for a display piece. This is one for the fans, but if you’re not into the America’s Cup, there’s a lot of other specialist models to choose from, Including my own favourite, a scene from the 1975 Spielberg movie, Jaws.
16 Helly Hansen HP Foil V2 Sailing Shoes
I’ve had these deck trainers for the past 2 and a bit. years and they have been utterly brilliant. I bought them as a gift to myself, but I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a pair for someone else. They’ve been so grippy and so easy to wear. They dry fast and they’ve travelled thousands of miles with me. They slip into my kit bag easily and I’ve found myself reaching for them time and time again for every boaty job, foredeck, mast climbing, rail monkey and they slip off easily when I need to get my head down quick when going off watch.
For more options, from deck trainers to leather moccasins, check out YBW’s guide to the best boat shoes available right now.
17 Exposure Lights Raw Pro Head Torch
An exceptional headtorch with 3 stages of white brightness and uniquely 3 stages of red brightness. Its aluminium body and rechargeable internal battery make this a small but might sailors tool.
it’s loved by pro sailors and has been seen on the heads of some sailing superstars as they circumnavigate the globe.
For other headtorches we’ve tested and rate highly, have a look at the buyers guide to head torches for more options
Best Christmas gifts for sailors £200 – £500
18 EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max Portable Power Station 512Wh
This little powerpack is a blooming marvel and what a brilliant gift it could be for the boater or camper vanner in your life. Powerful enough to power-up an electric blanket and various other items, such as laptops and phones and light enough to carry without popping a vein or pulling a muscle. It can be charged from a solar panel too so if you know someone adventurous who you want to treat with a gift that will keep giving, then this is it.
Check my tested guide to the best powerbanks.
19 Garmin InReach Mini 2
For the adventurer in your life, give them the gift of track and traceability. From hiking the Appalachian trail to sailing offshore out of sight of land. There’s a whole array of ways this little device can help you and the ones you love to communicate and feel a little bit safer with it’s SOS capability. I used this one during an Atlantic crossing and despite having starlink, I had more fun with this and plotting text comments along the tracking line.
It does require a subscription after purchase but you only need to activate that when the device is going to be used. It really is a tiny device with a mighty capability.
For more beacons, have a look at my guide to Best personal locator beacons and AIS units: 16 top options for boating
20 Garmin Quatix 7 smart watch
Best smart sailing watch
The Quatix 7 is a smart watch that keeps giving all year long. From a quick glance you can see tides, barometer, charts, autopilot and so many fitness features as well as smart watch features. You can use it for contactless payments at the bar too. An awsome bit of kit and one of our editors top choices from our buyers guide to sailing watches.
If this watch doesn’t tick your boxes, then read our guide to the best sailing watches available right now.
21 Ocean Signal MOB2
Nothing says “I love you” quite the same as a personal locator beacon.
Lots of couples I know gift them to each other ahead of a big adventure or plans to go sailing.
The MOB1 was the most popular AIS locator beacon on the market and this new M-class compliant MOB 2 is almost, but not quite identical in form factor. Under the hood though it has some fab new features, including near field communication with a smart phone for battery checking.
It fits easily within almost every lifejacket and is designed to be set to auto trigger when the lifejacket is inflated. I wear an AIS man overboard beacon just dinghying around in Southampton water at night. (for other beacons have a look at my buyers guide – Best personal locator beacons and AIS units, 16 top options
Best Christmas gift ideas for sailors
If you didn’t find anything in this list that’s perfect for the sailor in your life, you might want to browse some of the options below for a whole range of sailors’ favourites. And if you’re still stuck, there’s always the good old gift card…
Best watches for sailors
Best handheld VHF radio
Best gloves for sailors
Best binoculars for sailors
Best stand up paddle board
Buy Gael Force Marine gift vouchers
Buy Bass Pro Shops gift cards