50 Gifts Under $50 for Sailors and Boaters
/It’s not that difficult to shop for sailors and boaters because we always need a million things to make life on board easier, safer and more comfortable. However, it’s sometimes difficult to find a useful gift on a budget. Here are 50 affordable gift ideas (under $50) that every sailor or boater will absolutely love and use every day.
By Michelle Segrest, Navigate Sailing—How to Get Your Sea Legs
Here are my ideas for 50 gifts under $50 that any sailor or boating enthusiast will love. Click here if you are looking for luxury, high-end gifts for the sailor or boater on your gift list.
Classic Sailing Gifts for Sailors & Boaters
Sailor’s Journal & Logbook
Sailors and boaters have great stories to tell, and it’s important for them to record their thoughts and experiences. Any sailor would love a sailor’s journal, especially one with a nautical look or a sailing theme. There are many to choose from, most are affordable, and it’s a personal gift that will be used often.
I recently published a Sailing Logbook & Journal that is a combination of sailing adventures, inspirational quotes and captain’s log so that you can document your own sailing passages and pursue grand adventures! It’s available as a downloadable pdf or on paperback.
There are many logbooks to choose from. With many options, I like this one because it is a Personal Log Book for sailors of yachts and motorboats to keep track of their sailing experience either for fun to look back on in the future or because you're working towards RYA qualifications where you are required to have so many nautical miles under your belt before you attend their courses. This book is perfect for individual boat owners and also those that crew on many different boats either when cruising or racing as this book is not boat specific. Be sure to check out my Sailing Logbook & Journal that I created specifically for sailors!
2. Nautical Compass
Every sailor and boater needs a compass, and this one makes a beautiful, memorable gift. It also does it’s job. Any sailor would love to use this compass onboard, or display it with his/her most prized memorabilia. Of course, there are several to choose from if you don’t like this one.
3. Personalized Compass Custom Coins
This compass custom coin has a beautiful appearance and a unique spinner in the middle. It can be freely rotated left and right, making it look very special. The Compass Custom Rotating Coin symbolizes honor and is a very popular gift for sailors.
4. Sailing Charts
Charts are friends of any advanced sailor. If the person you want to endow plans a trip to some distant waters, charts are ideal marine gifts. They help sailors stay on a safe track and peacefully cruise from one port to another. Of course, it’s important to know where your gift recipient plans to cruise.
5. ReferenceReady Boating and Sailing Knot Cards
These are so cool and would make a perfect stocking stuffer or small gift for a friend who loves boating and sailing. These are waterproof knot tying cards with step-by-step boating and sailing rope knot tying diagrams designed to be easy to follow, including descriptions and usage tips, printed on super thick premium plastic card stock for unmatched durability.
6. Sailing Artwork
Sailors and boaters love to dream and they love to decorate their homes and boats with nautical artwork. There is an abundance of beautiful artwork available for budget shoppers.
Sailing & Boating Gifts for the Galley
7. Odor-Free Dishcloths
Another sailor recommended these to me, and I will forever be grateful. In fact, these are fantastic even if you don’t live on a boat. Lunatec’s dishcloths stay odor-free and have less bacteria than sponges or cotton dishcloths. Plus, food debris easily rinses free, which means you don't need to wash them in a machine. Most importantly, they scrub with purpose to clean dishes, pots, pans, showers and more. Sponges and cotton dish rags get smelly because they don't dry. That allows bacteria to grow. Bacteria are what cause the odors. These dishcloths dry in about 15 minutes preventing the growth of bacteria. They are healthier for you, your family, and your kitchen or galley.
Galley Cookbooks & Supplies
Cooking on a boat presents a different set of challenges than cooking on land. These are some of my favorite galley cookbooks that have some great ideas for simple yet delicious meals:
8. Boat Galley Cookbook
No matter what anyone tells you, boat cooking IS different from cooking ashore. The space is smaller, there’s no grocery store 5 minutes away, you have fewer prepared foods and electric appliances, and food storage is much different. This book is a must-have for any liveaboard.
9. Storing Food Without Refrigeration
With a little planning and foresight, refrigeration is absolutely not necessary. In this book, the author discusses how to store food and make delicious meals without the use of a refrigerator. From milk and cheese to eggs and meat, the book lays out ways any boater, hiker, or camper can have home-cooked meals without artificially freezing or cooling their food.
10. The Boater’s Cookbook
Cooking on a small boat—sail or power—requires special attention few new boaters understand. Sylvia Williams Dabney is a longtime live-aboard sailor with more than sixty thousand offshore miles who understands the necessity of a well-stored pantry and loves collecting recipes from around the world. In The Boater’s Cookbook, Sylvia shares everything anyone needs to know about creating stunning meals in a small boat galley.
11. Cruising Chef Cookbook
The Cruising Chef Cookbook is the bestselling, most extensive sailors' cookbook ever written. Twenty-two years in print and ten reprints make it clear that sailors consider it essential equipment.The new Cruising Chef is actually a book of nautical wisdom in the guise of a cookbook. It contains hundreds of tips plus more than 300 delicious recipes.
12. The Boat Cookbook: Real Food for Hungry Sailors
For anyone with a tiny galley kitchen, there's good news: no more bland leftovers aboard. These delicious and easy recipes, all made with minimum fuss and maximum flavor, will allow you to spoil yourself in harbor and keep things simple at sea – not to mention rustle up a mean rum punch. With handy ideas on setting up the galley, a lazy guide to filleting mackerel and tips for hosting the perfect beach barbecue, this is the must-have guide for sailors and seaside-lovers alike.
13. The Care and Feeding of Sailing Crew
Despite the title, this is hardly a cookbook; rather it s a primer on successful cruising. Certainly, anyone contemplating, or preparing for, off shore passages would want to read and then keep this volume aboard. A 50 day passage from Japan to Victoria, Canada in 1979 provides Lin a base for discussing everything from menus to clothing, to choosing a fresh chicken, to dealing with port officials, to preventing sea sickness, to buying liquor abroad as well as the best material for underwear.
14. Whistling Kettle
I know this seems simple and silly, but this was the one kitchen item that some sailors use the most. You don’t need a separate coffee pot or soup pot. Just boil your water in the teapot on the butane/propane stove for tea, coffee, soup, hot water for dish washing or bathing, or anytime you need hot water. Be sure and get one with an anti-slip, anti-heat handle and the heavier the better so it will stay put when the boat is heeling. And of course, no energy required.
15. Gourmet Instant Coffee
Instant coffees are always a great gift for sailors—especially full-time liveaboards. It’s tough to find tasty varieties at some remote ports around the world. There are many brands and varieties available, but this is one that this particular sailor loves!
16. Gourmet Instant Tea
Sailors and boaters love a hot cup of tea on a cold night at sea. You can find all kinds of interesting varieties that sailors will love and appreciate. Since I’m prone to seasickness, like many sailors, anything variety with ginger is helpful!
17. Sailing Themed Mugs
You can find so many cool and funny sailing, nautical, or boat-themed mugs. This is always a good gift for boaters and sailors.
18. Travel Coffee Press
For coffee lovers, there is no better sailor gift than a travel coffee press. With this smart item, a sailor can enjoy the taste of fresh coffee literally everywhere—even in the middle of the ocean.
19. Thermos Bottle
Nothing tastes better than black tea with sugar brought to a cold steersman by another crew member. And ideally, if this tea could stay warm for a long time. Here the moment when a high-quality thermos bottle comes with help. There are hundreds of brands and models to choose from—just pay attention to the time of keeping the high temperature of such a bottle, ease of taking a sip, and quality of materials.
20. Filtering Water Bottle
The BPA-free Brita Premium Filtering Bottle holds 26 ounces of water, and is designed with a Brita filter that fits in the straw and makes water taste great without the waste. By switching to Brita, you can save money and replace 1,800 single-use plastic water bottles a year. It’s the convenient way to stay hydrated at home or on the go; sleek, leak-proof filtered water bottle is car cup holder friendly, and features a built-in carrying loop.
Tools Make a Perfect Gift for Boaters & Sailors
21. Sailor’s Knife
A solid knife is a practical tool on a boat. It’s mostly dedicated to cut the ropes when needed but it also does pretty well with opening the food cans. Especially useful are knives that come together with a bosun spike. This thick needle nicely helps in untie entangled ropes. There are much more expensive varieties, but this one is a good choice for less than $50.
22. Sailing Lines
Sailors can never have too many dock lines onboard. There are many different lengths and strengths of line that sailors need onboard, but this is always a gift that every sailor will use and appreciate! If you give a sailor or a boater some high-quality line, they will find a use for it, I can assure you!
23. O’Keefe’s Working Hands
O’keeffe’s working hands hand Cream is concentrated and heals, relieves and repairs extremely dry, cracked hands. It creates a protective layer on the skin’s surface that instantly boosts moisture levels and helps prevent further moisture loss—making a difference you will feel within days.
24. Rechargeable Headlamp
Unexpected work on a deck during the night is much easier with a bright headlamp. This simple device is also useful in a peaceful evening moments spent with friends in a wild bay, playing guitar and having fun. And when you are twisted like a pretzel in a dark bilge, you need light but need your hands to do all the dirty work.
25. Sail Tape
You can’t believe how happy your sailor will be to receive this simple, but useful gift! No sailboat should leave port without some sail tape for quick repairs.
26. Sugru Moldable Glue
Sugru is a 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 colors. 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.
Electronics-Related Gifts for Sailors & Boaters
27. Solar Device Chargers
Another key to sustainability, these solar-powered device chargers save onboard energy and allow you to use the sun to charge all your electronic devices onboard. We used a variety of these and had great success with them. Try to protect the connector ports because the salt air and water can rust them, but with proper care, these are an excellent way to stay connected without using onboard energy.
Stable electricity is a problem, especially on small boats. That’s why solar chargers are perfect gifts for boat enthusiasts who enjoy short trips on boats without an engine-generator. While purchasing this device, pay attention to its portability, efficiency, and alternatively water-resistance.
28. Waterproof Phone Pouch
Here’s a great gift idea for boaters who sail even only occasionally and aren’t too advanced in this sport. A waterproof phone pouch is a perfect sailing gift idea to keep all the smartphones safe on board. This prevent water splashes from being scary and the sailor will be able to use the phone even during rain.
29. Touchscreen Gloves
Those who need to swipe screens in colder climes can now keep their digits warm too with touchscreen gloves. Especially in cold environments, these gloves make a perfect gift for boaters and sailors.
Gifts That Keep Sailors & Boaters Entertained
An Amazon Kindle or Audible Subscription will be enjoyed for many hours at sea by any sailor—especially on long night shifts.
31. Kindle Fire Tablet
I didn’t think it was possible to get a Kindle e-reader for less than $50, but here it is! It’s not a huge screen, but you can download your books and set sail with up to 7 hours of reading, browsing the web, watching video, and listening to music.
31. Amazon Music Subscription
The gift of music is perfect for any sailor or boater.
Sailing Books Make Perfect Gifts for Sailors & Boaters
There are so many sailing books that I could recommend as the perfect gift for any sailing or boating reader, but these are some of my favorites that I can assure you will make perfect gifts!
Landlubbers joke that sailors are always wanting to head off to the ends of the earth, but Chris Santella takes that life-changing desire very seriously. In this, the third installment in his immensely successful Fifty Places series, Santella assembles a crew of the world’s greatest championship racers and professional adventurers and persuades them to disclose their favorite destinations around the globe.
33. Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character
In Sailing True North, Admiral Stavridis offers a lessons of leadership and character from the lives and careers of history's most significant naval commanders. He also brings a lifetime of reflection to bear on the subjects of his study--naval history, the vocation of the admiral, and global geopolitics. Above all, this is a book that will help you navigate your own life's voyage: the voyage of leadership of course, but more important, the voyage of character. Sailing True North helps us find the right course to chart.
34. The Greatest Sailing Stories Ever Told: Twenty-Seven Unforgettable Stories
For thousands of years, man has sailed into battle, sailed for rumored wealth, and sailed for pure adventure. And for nearly as long, stories about the sea have entertained, intrigued, and inspired readers. The Greatest Sailing Stories Ever Told brings together some of the most compelling writing of the millennium. Here is Peter Goss's wrenching narrative of incredible courage in the world's most desolate ocean; Ernest Shackleton's understated and awesome account of one of the most daring small-boat journeys ever taken, where failure meant certain death for his long-suffering crew. But sailing is much more than headlong dashes into roaring seas. You'll also find William F. Buckley Jr. on idyllic cruising; James Thurber on the arcane and often impenetrable language of sailors; the legendary Joshua Slocum on sailing alone around the world.
35. Any Book by Larry and Lin Pardey
If you follow my sailing adventure blog, you know that Larry and Lin Pardey are my sailing idols. I can assure you that any sailor will treasure any book written by this amazing sailing couple, who circumnavigated the world twice in handmade wooden sailboats with no engine.
Gifts to Outfit Sailors & Boaters
36. Neoprene Waterproof Gloves
Sailing with cold hands sucks. These neoprene gloves are glued blind stitched, strong but flexible, provide perfect protection for your hands in multiple water sports, keep your hands safe against any dangerous objects or creatures. Made from premium neoprene, which is thermal and covered with soft elastic fabric, continuously keep your hands warm in water and winter sports. With the anti-slip rubber printed palms, you can be confident that you will never lose your grip while snorkeling, surfing, swimming, sailing, diving, kayaking, rafting, canoeing, boating or other aquatic activities.
37. Sailing Themed T-shirts
Sailors and boaters love T-shirts, especially when they are funny and nautical! You can find hundreds of them on Amazon. Remember that if you make a purchase through any of the links on my website, you allow me to earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! Thanks for your support!
Gifts for Sailors & Boaters That Make Living Onboard More Comfortable
38. Solar Deck Shower
If you don’t have a built-in shower on your boat, and even if you do, I highly recommend this very cool solar deck shower. In fact, I loved it so much, we always had TWO on board, just in case one got punctured or fell overboard. We really could not live without it! Lots of campers and hikers also use this genius product.
Just fill with water (we generally collected rain water) and hang the bag on the mast or somewhere that the sun can heat the water inside. The shower handle gives you a little water pressure so you can wash the conditioner out of your hair. There is nothing more wonderful than a outdoor shower on the deck of a cruising boat! You will love this, I assure you!
39. Diaper Genie
Two words…ODOR CONTROL!
Ok hear me out on this one. When my children were babies I thought the diaper genie was the greatest invention of all time! Just wrap up the dirty diapers and put them in the genie and there is no smell until it’s time to dump the trash. Well, this same concept works for humans too! You don’t want to throw any paper waste overboard, and you definitely don’t want the smell of waste onboard, so the diaper genie is absolutely ESSENTIAL for onboard living! Trust me on this one! You will never regret it! And don’t forget to stock up on refills before a long passage!
40. Diaper Genie Refills
Any sailor smart enough to use the Diaper Genie would always love some refills!
41. Quick-Dry Microfiber Towels
I’m not gonna lie – these feel super weird when you use them to dry off, because it’s so different than what we’re used to. But because of the microfiber, they are excellent for drying off yourself, the dog, a big spill, whatever. AND they dry really quickly. You get used to the texture after a few times, and they’re super soft. Great for any kind of travel. Be sure to look at the sizes and get a nice large size if you plan on using it for a bath towel.
42. Compression Packing Cubes
Packing a bag for a sailing cruise is a challenging task requiring pretty high organization skills. You can help your sailor in doing it by gifting these compression packing cubes. After filling such a cube with clothes, you zip it once to close it. Then you zip it the second time to remove all the unnecessary air and keep the package thin as possible. This simple trick helps to pack all the needed clothing layers in any size of a bag.
43. Waterproof Toiletries Bag
Even though I’m a minimalist when it comes to toiletries and makeup, I know how the right toiletry bag is important on a boat. A waterproof toiletry bag might be a perfect gift for your sailing girlfriend. Here are some tips from me: choose a waterproof version (for ex. with a vinyl layer inside) and remember that a toiletry bag with a grasp if perfect in a marina’s bathroom where there is no place to leave a bag in the shower except the towel hanger.
44. Solar Inflatable Light
Emitting 75 lumens of power via 10 cool white LEDs, and shining through a clear finish, this light provides up to 24 hours of light on a single charge, so you can keep your day going long into the night. Luci's built-in high efficiency solar panel means that no batteries are needed - ever. Recharge fully via solar in 7 hours. Luci Outdoor 2.0 will always be ready for any adventure. With its compact size, this little light can travel with you on any adventure. Plus, with an adjustable base strap and fixed top strap, it can be easily attached to your backpack, or hung from above.
45. HyperGo Wipes
Whether you’re an athlete, sailor, fitness enthusiast, avid hiker, or just getting off a really long flight, HyperGo Full Body Wipes are the perfect solution to get clean and refreshed on the go. The huge 12" x 12" unscented wipes are the perfect size to clean your whole body. The unique embossing technique gives these fitness wipes an ultra-soft and durable feel for a comfortable clean anytime, anywhere.
46. Poo-Pourri Before You Go Toilet Spray
Spritz the bowl before-you-go and no one else will ever know! Lavender vanilla is a comforting blend of lavender, vanilla and citrus natural essential oils. The original non-toxic before-you-go toilet spray that stops bathroom odors before they ever begin—seriously! no more trying to mask odor already in the air
47. Leave-In Conditioner
Especially if you are on a small yacht, or if your water resources are minimal, leave-in conditioners are must have to reduce the heavy salt and sun damage that living on a boat often causes for your hair.
48. Laundry Wash Bag
After a few days long cruise there’s nothing better than… a smell and touch of freshly washed clothes. During the long hauls, sailors have limited opportunities to wash their clothes. Especially when they sail in less popular areas where the marina infrastructure isn’t that developed. Packing light for extended hiking, or working out when on a trip shouldn’t mean hefty laundry fees, unhygienic sinks or smelly clothes. Scrubba MINI will save you its value in a few trips while you enjoy fresh clothes. Rubbing clothes in a sink takes ages and there's the mess and drying effect on your hands. Scrubba MINI’s flexible nubby washboard lets you effectively wash some underwear or a t-shirt in minutes, anywhere you are.
49. Waterproof Backpack & Ditch Bag
I could not have survived a worldwide sailing voyage without this! A durable and completely waterproof, floating bag is essential especially when at anchorage and you want to transport your laptop, cell phone, and other essential items in the dingy to the marina. I can’t tell you how many times our sailing dogs caused the dingy to capsize while rowing to the marina dock and we were so grateful our expensive electronics and other valuable items were in this waterproof, floating bag! It’s also great for kayaking, canoeing, and other outdoor activities. We had TWO and could have used FOUR for of them! You will thank me for this one!
50. Hammock
After a tough cruise, among the waves and tons of water, finding a calm bay is a beautiful moment for a sailor. If you decide to purchase a travel hammock, pay attention so it’ll be small enough to fit in the sailing bag.
