September 25, 2018
What to do with used sails?
Sail shape is long gone. They have stained, feels thin and you see broken threads everywhere. Your sail is used-up and ready for the garbage. What to do with it is a common question that sailmakers get asked.
May 9, 2018
Upcycled bags
Ga-Oh (spirit of the winds in Algonquin) creates bags and other items from re-purposed sails.
April 4, 2018
Nautical Fashions: Look Good – Feel Great
Starting from the top. If you partake in any winter activities, you have probably heard that your head is the body’s single biggest source of heat loss.
December 12, 2017
GoSun stoves
Just 10 shopping days to Christmas, so what to get for the boater who has everything? How about a solar cooker? Judging from these two short videos the guys at Stright-MacKay seem pretty excited about their new product.
July 8, 2015
Ice Cream-Making Ball
Encourage your kids to play with their food. Simple ingredients plus 20 minutes of shaking and rolling equals a pint of delicious home-made ice cream. They get an outlet for their energy, you get to know exactly what they’re eating. Just the thing to put a new spin on a boating trip, barbeque or birthday.
October 21, 2014
Rolex Yacht-Master II
The Yacht-Master II is designed to meet the needs of professional sailors. This regatta chronograph features the world’s first programmable countdown with a mechanical memory. It provides precise synchronization with the crucial starting sequence of a yacht race.
August 28, 2014
Portable Fridge/freezers Deliver Cold Wherever Needed
Whether chilling snacks for a quick outing or supplying auxiliary cold storage for longer trips, a portable compressor refrigerator/freezer makes an ideal travel companion. Transportable Norcold NRF fridges from Thetford Marine, available in three sizes, are easy to move almost whenever and wherever extra refrigeration is required.
May 2, 2014
Cool As Ice Cap & Flaps
Cool As Ice Caps are specially designed caps w/ detachable pouches to hold a cool pack or ice. Great for any outdoor activity to reduce heat stress, discomfort and fatigue. The washable and durable canvas material w/ sewn in vinyl lining extends the cooling effect and prevents liquid from leaking.
February 18, 2014
Hydro Flask is Ideal for Keeping Beverages Hotter and Colder on the Water
Cold up to 24 hours, Hot up to 12 hours, perfect for the boating lifestyle. Hydro Flask utilizes the most innovative technology in beverage temperature presevation and convenience and reinforces a socially responsible business. Double-wall vaccuum insulation, BPA-free materials, food grade stainless steel, a range of fun, durable colors and a charitable arm called 5% Back makes Hydro Flask the most useful drinking container in your collection and peace of mind
January 29, 2014
Helly Hansen Rolls Out New Sailing Apparel for 2014
As we dream of the snow melting and the 2014 boating season ahead some of the latest Helly Hansen apparel for sailing. Everything from old-school lifestyle to high-tech offshore to Helly Hansen’s newest, innovative piece, the Crew H2 Flow Jacket (a staple of the Volvo Ocean Race crew’s uniforms) will offer you everything you need to start the 2014 sailing season in style and comfort.
October 22, 2013
Indratech Cushion Material
Making it’s marine industry debut is a product called “Indratech”; it’s a seat or mattress cushion material made from thick filaments that provide softness but promote a major increase in air circulation compared to foam materials.
August 14, 2013
Adjustable LED Light Banishes Boat Interior Darkness
The addition of bright LED lighting to a boat’s interior makes life easier and more comfortable for all aboard. With its superb efficiency and low operating temperature, the Perko Swivel Berth Light makes an ideal choice for illumination of any marine cabin. Made to last, the Perko Fig. 0609 Swivel Berth Light features stainless steel mounting brackets and an aluminum and stainless steel housing construction. An included template helps simplify mounting. Measuring only 1-1/2″ H
July 25, 2013
Sperry’s Technical Softshell Hooded Jacket For Women
Technical gear and apparel gives you a huge advantage when you are out on the water in the elements. Comfort, warmth, dryness are things we take for granted until we don’t have them anymore. The features of this women’s softshell jacket from Sperry offer all three and style to boot.
April 25, 2013
Men’s SeaRacer + GripX3 Sneaker From Sperry
Men’s SeaRacer + GripX3 Sneaker Whether you’re sailing a dinghy or a big boat, peak performance requires maximum traction. Sperry Top-Sider introduces GripX3 Technology™. A patent pending innovation that provides sailors ultimate grab and grip through a unique and lab tested combination ofAdaptive Wave Siping™ and Hydro Grip™ rubber.
April 25, 2013
Paynes Marine Group Introduces Marine Business Tablewear
Paynes Marine Group has introduced Marine Business products to Canada. Marine Business S.A. was created in 1985 in Barcelona and is specialized in high-end nautical equipment for your comfort on board in tableware, kitchens, cabins, bathrooms and on deck. All their collections are created and designed to make life on board more enjoyable and comfortable. Marine Business products are designed and created to save space, they are unbreakable, non slip, adaptable, windproof and anti-tip.
April 24, 2013
OS2 Marine Jacket from Gill
A versatile performer capable of standing up to the toughest offshore and coastal conditions whilst keeping you dry and comfortable. Made from Gill’s durable 3 Dot™ fabric, creating an incredibly waterproof, windproof and breathable protective shell. The OS2 is everything an offshore coastal jacket needs to be. Features: – Deep cargo pockets with secure closure with handwarmer pockets behind – Retractable outer cuffs with PU inner seals for watertight comfort
April 5, 2013
Garmin quatix™ Marine Watch Provides More Information at Sea
Garmin International has announced quatix™, its first GPS watch designed for avid mariners, both power and sail. Quatix combines the most pivotal marine features and provides both comprehensive navigation and sailing capabilities while integrating Garmin’s industry-leading GPS technology and user-friendly interface. Quatix puts the most important boating information on your wrist. Quatix has features never before seen in one individual boating watch. In addition to Garmin’s easy-to-use interface and wireless integration with pre-existing Garmin marine devices, quatix is a great aide for mariners of any type.
January 31, 2013
Caframo Hatch-Mount Fan
Recognized for innovation at the recent International Boatbuilders Exhibition, Caframo’s new under-hatch-mounted fan is a terrific addition to sail or powerboats alike. Using manually activated suction cups the new Taku 12-volt fan will mount under all makes of deck hatches that are at least 16 inches in width. The fan unit itself pivots and is also hinged so it can blow in almost any direction, either exhausting air or blowing fresh air inside.
January 28, 2013
Beverage Container Does the Job and Gives Something Back
Inspired in 2008 on a beach in Hawaii by many beverage containers that were not doing a good job of keeping fluids cold on a hot day, Travis Rosbach began the process that lead to the creation of the first Hydro Flask, incorporating principles of vacuum insulation, safety (BPA-free), food grade stainless steel, a range of durable colours and a charitable arm called FivePercentBack.org. A Hydro Flask is a reusable water bottle that truly performs in any environment. It keeps hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold. Keeps your cold liquids cold for 24 hours, and your hot liquids hot for 12 hours. Made from food grade 18/8 Stainless Steel, Hydro Flask stainless steel water bottles are safe and 100% BPA-free. 18/8 stainless steel is remarkably light, yet extremely durable.
January 22, 2013
Technical and Stylish Floatable Eyewear by Gill
Gill’s popular range of floatable sunglasses has been totally refreshed with a collection of new designs offering additional technical features. Specifically designed for use on the water, not only do they provide maximum UV protection from the sun, through high quality 100% glare free polarized lenses, but are also comfortable and stylish to wear. Polaroid’s polarizing lenses are made up of a number of functional elements ultra-carefully bonded together to achieve a high-performance optical product: The main element of the sandwich lens construction is the polarizing light filter in the center. Laminated to both sides of the filter are UV light absorbers, which block 100% of harmful UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation.
January 22, 2013
Introducing a Beverage Container that Does the Job and Gives Something Back
Inspired in 2008 on a beach in Hawaii by many beverage containers that were not doing a good job of keeping fluids cold on a hot day, Travis Rosbach began the process that lead to the creation of the first Hydro Flask, incorporating principles of vacuum insulation, safety (BPA-free), food grade stainless steel, a range of durable colours and a charitable arm called FivePercentBack.org. A Hydro Flask is a reusable water bottle that truly performs in any environment. It keeps hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold. Keeps your cold liquids cold for 24 hours, and your hot liquids hot for 12 hours. Made from food grade 18/8 Stainless Steel, Hydro Flask stainless steel water bottles are safe and 100% BPA-free. 18/8 stainless steel is remarkably light, yet extremely durable.
October 16, 2012
Caframo Taku Hatch Fan a Breath of Fresh Air
Canada's Caframo, a leading manufacturer of marine fans, has introduced their Taku Hatch Fan at the 2012 International Boatbuilders’ Exposition & Conference (IBEX), held this past October 2-4 at the Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY. The 12-volt Taku is designed to provide both powerful ventilation to remove hot, stale air from the cabin and quiet circulation to move air throughout. A unique locking suction cup mounting system allows the fan to be installed directly on a hatch glass in seconds, with no hole drilling or fasteners required.
September 17, 2012
Majestic 12V TV-DVD player
An Australian manufacturer has launched an impressive line of portable entertainment units with full TV screens; some models have an integrated DVD player. Better yet, they only require 12-volt DC power and come with a cigarette lighter power cord, or can be wired directly into the boat electrical system. They draw less than 2 amps when operating. The screen is bright and has its own integrated stand or can be mounted on any of their several bracket systems. Integrated screen and DVD units come in 19 and 22-inch models at prices starting about $370. Accessories also include remote amplifiers and extra speakers.
August 24, 2012
Hella Flexi Chart-Table Light
The new red/white LED chart-table lights from Hella makes night navigation less stressful. We learned just how important night vision is on a long transit earlier this summer, when we needed to do some careful night navigation through upper Desolation Sound. Navigation aids are few and far between so confidence about the course is paramount, and a constant reference to charts is needed. Cabin lighting is critical. Ordinary white lights in any cabin will quickly ruin night vision, so a dim red light for navigation is ideal. The new unit from Hella is a very low draw 2W or 0.2 Amp at 12-volt, and stays cool to the touch.
August 24, 2012
OceanAir Shades and Blinds
It’s hard to remember that we will get cool and breezy days in spring and fall after such hot days this summer – or that we need protection from all that heat. And most everywhere in Canada had hot days this year. Thankfully there is a line of products from OceanAir that are designed to minimize the discomfort that hot weather brings. Their lines of Pleated shades are designed for portlights, Cabinshades for larger windows, and Skysaver roller shades for hatches, all serve to minimize heat gain on board, but remain moveable so that cooling breezes can still be harnessed.
June 27, 2012
Ronstan Sailing-Timing Watch
Long a trusted name in sailing hardware and gear, Ronstan has developed an impressive line of sailing performance watches. We used one at a regatta recently and found it both intuitive and easy to use. The screen was readily visible even in the hectic race action and in direct sunlight. All models are fully waterproof and feature a variety of functions for the sailor, the racer or the outdoor enthusiast. Day or stop functions are standard, as are audible alarm and countdown settings for racing starts. The LCD display has large numerals for easy reading in any boating environment.
June 27, 2012
Xtra-Large Carryall
There is never enough storage on most boats and carrying gear back and forth can be a hassle. A former sailor agreed and made a carryall that she used in her boating. It worked so well she is making them for other boaters. This expandable carryall is made of tough nylon net and webbing material and is surprisingly tough, yet it can swallow dozens of items. We found it really useful for life jackets, foul- weather gear and sea boots, for example. The maker claims she once put 24 life-jackets into hers and we can believe it. It measures 54” by 56” and is complete with a drawstring closure and carrying handles.
March 1, 2012
Racers Will Love the Gill Regatta Master Watch II
The lightweight, new and improved Regatta Master Watch II from Gill is designed specifically for the competitive sailor. Water resistant to 50 meters, features include a stopwatch, countdown timer – with Sync function, compass, calendar and alarm, all displayed on a large digital screen. Serious racers will enjoy the countdown feature that gives a sound signal every minute, and in the last minute prior to the race start, the seconds count down in a large full screen display for ease of viewing. The synchronization feature allows sailors to readjust their timings to the closest minute at any time in the sequence.
February 15, 2012
Sperry Top-Sider’s “Son-R Technology™” Lets You See With Your Feet
Sperry Top-Sider® just announced updates to its new SON-R Technology, a patent-pending sensory feedback system engineered into a line of multi-water sport shoes. These shoes are specially designed to address the challenges water enthusiasts face when navigating across varied and unseen underfoot terrain. Whether on slippery rocks while portaging a canoe, or on the slick fibreglass of a boat, Sperry has engineered a complete collection of footwear that creates a safer and more enjoyable experience in, on and around the water.
October 26, 2011
Dickinson Round Sea-B-Que
The truly innovative Dickinson Round Sea-B-Que combines legendary quality, a tough round design and the rugged good looks that makes for an unbeatable marine grill. Built with 304 marine grade, 18 guage stainless steel, the round Sea-B-Que design allows for strength and resistes flame outs in high wind conditions. A list of accessories is available, including deck legs. Model 00-SBQ-R shown here measures 18" wide by 14.25" high and 16" deep. It weighs 20.5 lb., has a cooking surface of 14.375 diameter and offers 7,000 BTU.
October 26, 2011
Nova Kool R1600 Singe Door Fridge
The Nova Kool R1600 DC fridge has a capacity of 48 litres with the following features including a positive latch system; storage for tall bottles; shelves with powder coated wire for durability; reversible door swing; and a two-year manufacturers warranty on all components. This 12V unit offers low battery protection to help prevent full discharge of batteries. Its stainless steel unit uses environmentally sound 134a refrigerant and has been designed for mobile applications on grades up to 30°.
October 26, 2011
Isotherm Divino Wine Cellars
Isotherm offers its customers a great opportunity to have a wine cellar on board. This high-class equipment enables boat owners to keep great wine and champagne at the perfect temperature. Both 23 and 35 bottles wine cellars can be built into the dressers or columns of modular furniture with no alteration of furniture design. For a perfect integration, the profile of the door is totally lined up with the doors of the furniture.Both models feature double door locking systems to prevent unwanted door opening in rough sea conditions and specialracks designed for storing champagne bottles.
October 17, 2011
The Coastal Keelboat Vest by Salus Marine Wear
The Coastal Keelboat Vest by Salus Marine Wear has just received Coast Guard approval for your sailing enjoyment this spring. The Coastal keelboat vest is inherently buoyant rather than being an inflatable, so it is actually lighter in weight and can provide safety and protection while sailing and racing. The big news for keelboat sailors at all levels, is that The Coastal keelboat vest by Salus features a built-in harness, so you can tether yourself and you can adjust the harness as needed.
November 15, 2009
Marinyaki™ Marine Teppanyaki Grill
Cook-N-Dine's Marinyaki™ grill is the solution for those who can’t do without teppanyaki while on the water. All the inconveniences of al fresco marine cooking no longer apply. The molded fiberglass table features an electrically powered, built-in 20” x 15” teppan grill unit by CDS-Design, made from professional German stainless steel, type 304/V2A. The unique MARINYAKI™ definitely allows the onboard chef to flip more than a just a few shrimp.
November 15, 2009
Raritan’s New Marine Toilet Revolutionizes Boating Experience
Never before have so many innovative features been combined into one revolutionary toilet and at such an affordable price. From Raritan comes the most advanced toilet in its class, the state-of-the-art Marine Elegance. Employing new Vortex-Vac Flush technology, the Marine Elegance creates a vacuum in the bowl for the quietest and most efficient flushing action of any comparable toilet on the market.
November 15, 2009
Ronstan’s Cockpit Clutter
Ronstan’s new range of Cockpit Organizers control cockpit clutter by containing loose items. Each product has been specifically designed to address common cockpit organization problems and help create a fast and functional environment in almost any sailboat cockpit.
November 15, 2009
Hella Marine LEDS
Slips, falls, bumps and bruises can be eliminated with attractive lighting. Safety-conscious boaters choose aesthetically-pleasing Easy Fit LED Courtesy Lamps from Hella marine to illuminate steps, toe kicks, dark corners and other hazards.
November 15, 2009
Ronstan’s Inflatable Boom Tent
Ronstan has taken the campy feel out of cockpit boom tents. Their new inflatable AirArch™ Boom Tent creates a large arched area over the cockpit for a sturdy and spacious shelter from sun or showers. Quickly deployed or stowed, this professional off-the-shelf boom tent is perfect when it is too crowded below, but too uncomfortable outside. It makes a usable, comfortable space out of almost any sailboat cockpit.
November 15, 2009
Zhik’s Possum Beanie
This is quite simply an amazing beanie. Super luxurious, lightweight, and made of 40% Possum ECO-fur and merino. The Possum fur is very fine and has a hollow core so it retains the heat. This is not a soggy beanie.