11 Sea-Worthy Gadgets To Level Up Your Boating Experience

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If you love spending time at sea, there's a good chance you enjoy navigating your way through the waters on your boat. While that can be a fun experience in itself, several essential boat tools and gadgets can make your trips more adventurous or protect you in dangerous situations. Some gadgets can be installed on the boat as permanent fixtures, while others can be mainstays in your waterproof luggage that you take onto the boat.

The best part is that the portable gadgets included in this list can even be taken off the boat and used for other purposes, making them must-haves. From smart electronic gadgets to useful mechanical ones, we've scoured the internet for hundreds of tools and peripherals, and shortlisted the best ones. Most of them are universally compatible with all types of boats, irrespective of whether you have an electric boat or a conventional one powered by an engine.

Additionally, we've also kept a check on the price range of these gadgets, ensuring most of them are affordable and provide excellent value for your money. Depending on your use case, frequency of boating, and the number of people on deck when you're at sea, you can pick up multiple gadgets from this list to ensure you're well-equipped for any situation.

Here are the best sea-worthy boating gadgets for beginners and professionals that you absolutely must use for a better boating experience.

Some of the best types of gadgets that you can buy, not just for boating, but for any type of application, are the ones that have multiple use cases and tools built into one. Such tools generally behave like some of the top-rated Swiss army knives, letting you perform multiple functions with a single object. This 10-in-1 boat gadget is no different. It's a small mechanical tool that you can keep on your boat at all times to attend to small repair jobs or even open a bottle of beer! There's a small holder that you can install on any of the walls of your boat. Then, the tool snaps into that holder so it can be easily found in situations when it's required. As for the functionality, the tool has 10 features that can come in handy for various purposes.

Here's the list of features: Square drain plug wrench, safety whistle, 30 and 35-millimeter deck gap cap key, flip top gas cap crank, flat top drain plug tool, bottle opener, wine bottle opener, canvas snap opener, molded notches for six-inch desk plate, fishing line cutter, and T-bar drain plug hole crank. The main advantage of a tool like this is that it eliminates the need for 10 different gadgets and hence reduces clutter on the deck. If you have a small boat, you will definitely appreciate the compact design.

There are tons of brands that make power banks for smartphones and other electronic gadgets. However, not all of them may be apt to have on a boat either due to their physical form factor or size. After hunting around for a suitable one for boats, we zeroed in on the Elecom 15,000mAh rugged power bank. There are several reasons for picking this one over a few other options. For starters, it's one of the few high-capacity power banks available in such a tiny form factor. As a result, you can throw it in your backpack or tuck it into a corner of your boat and use it whenever it's required. The rugged design not only looks cool but also keeps the battery pack protected at all times with its water and dust-resistant IP67 rating.

Owing to the ingress protection rating, the ports on the power bank aren't exposed. Instead, they're protected by a screw-on cap that needs to be unscrewed before gaining access to two USB-A ports and a single USB-C port. The maximum output power is 18 watts, which is good enough for most smartphones and accessories. That said, I wish the brand had added an additional USB-C port instead of a USB-A connector. To top it off, the Elecom power bank has a tripod mount at the bottom to hold it in place, and the brand even sells small accessories like LED lights that mount on top of the power bank for extra functionality.

While a power bank is handy for charging your smartphone, tablet, and other such peripherals on the boat, you will need a larger marine battery bank to keep the larger batteries of the boat recharged. The NOCO Genius GEN5X1 smart marine battery charger does exactly that. It's a waterproof boat charger that can charge and power almost any 12-volt battery. Whether the battery on your boat is out of power, or you're carrying a spare battery and want to juice it up to switch out your existing one, installing the NOCO Genius charger is going to come in extremely handy. The brand provides multiple charging modes – 12-volt, 12-volt AGM, 12-volt Lithium, and 12-volt Repair Mode — for all types of lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.

Another advantage of the NOCO charger over other such products is its smart charging tech. There's an intelligent sensor onboard that checks for the battery temperature before beginning charging. This ensures that the battery isn't overheating during summer and isn't undercharging during winter. The GEN5X1 can even charge dead batteries with an extremely low voltage of a single volt, something that several products can't achieve. Rounding everything off is an IP68 rating to keep the charger itself safe if it comes in contact with water. For what it offers, the NOCO Genius GEN5X1 is a bargain.

You can never be sure how long the water in your water bottle or tank will last, especially when you're on long boat rides to the middle of the sea. So, apart from stocking up on large water containers, it's recommended to carry a personal portable water purifier like the LifeStraw personal water filter. It's a small yet extremely useful gadget that converts any type of water into potable water that's fit for human consumption. It's essentially a straw that you dip into the water on one end and consume water from the other. As per the brand, the microfiltration membrane removes waterborne bacteria, parasites, sand, salt, cloudiness, and microplastics found in water. One particular unit can provide up to 4,000 liters of clean water, which is excellent considering the price. We recommend keeping a few of these on your boat since each passenger on your boat can use one.

For those interested to learn more about the filtration process, LifeStraw is a popular brand that claims they don't use any form of electronic components in the filtration process. Instead, they use a membrane with extremely tiny holes that don't allow even bacteria or parasites to pass through. It's super small, fits into the side of any backpack, and can be stored in a small container inside a boat. Notably, the LifeStraw water filter is meant to be used during emergencies and not as a default replacement for a bottle of purified water.

Spending a lot of time at sea could mean that you are constantly exposed to foul or unpleasant odors of the marine world. While some people may be accustomed to it, others may find breathing difficult for long durations. If that's you, the Airlock One is an absolute lifesaver. It's essentially a portable air purifier that cleans up the air inside the boat and reduces all odors. It only takes 15 minutes to install and connect to a power supply, after which it uses an advanced bipolar ionization technology to neutralize odors. It's tiny and occupies very little space, so you can install it even on smaller boats without worrying about compromising on real estate.

The best part is that once you install the Airlock air purifier, it runs maintenance-free, which means you won't need any replacement parts or modules in the future. It's a one-time investment to keep your boat's air clean and fresh. It can be expensive, but since you don't have to invest in filters or other components that generally need to be changed or replaced at regular intervals, the initial investment is well worth it. 

If you take a look at the best Bluetooth speakers worth buying, you'll certainly find an entry from Marshall in the list. Marshall has expertise in creating high-quality speakers that produce excellent audio. The Marshall Willen II is a prime example of one such product. It's compact and easy to carry and place anywhere in your boat, the audio quality is top-notch, and the construction of the speaker is superb, thanks to premium materials and an IP67 rating. Despite being small, the bass is excellent, and the audio is rich enough to fill an entire small to medium-sized boat. Whether you're having a tiny boat party or just want to vibe to some tunes when fishing, the Marshall Willen II is all you need.

Marshall claims 17 hours of playback time on a single charge, which should be plenty for a single boat ride. If it runs out of juice, you can always top it up using the Elecom power bank mentioned above. The Willen II is more expensive than many other portable Bluetooth speakers you can buy. However, the additional premium is totally worth it when you factor in the sound quality. Moreover, Marshall also bundles a strap inside the box that you can use to fasten the speaker onto a surface, which is handy in a boat.

If you're venturing deep into the sea, it's important to prioritize your safety in terms of communication and being in touch with your friends and family. While a standard smartphone may only be useful until a certain point, a handheld radio like this one from Cobra is an essential accessory to keep your loved ones in the loop while you enjoy your boat adventures. The Cobra handheld VHF radio allows you to access radio channels in the US, Canada, and internationally at 1, 3, or 6 watts for short and long-range communication. You also get access to NOAA weather channels and instant channel 16 for emergencies. Apart from the usual functions of a handheld radio, Cobra offers a bunch of tricks that make it more valuable than a standard radio.

For instance, you can connect your smartphone to the radio via Bluetooth, after which all your calls will be relayed to the handheld radio. This way, you won't have to use your smartphone at all to answer calls. Your smartphone stays protected from water, and the battery life also gets conserved. There's a built-in GPS, too, that can send your real-time coordinates in case of an emergency. The display has an orange backlight, and the device has an orange hue, making it easy to spot if you drop it in water. Speaking of dropping, the Cobra handheld radio floats in water even if you drop it, so you should be able to recover it quickly in case it slips out of your hand.

Here's a multipurpose digital anemometer from BTMeter that you absolutely must have before every boat ride. The sheer number of features provided by this tiny machine makes it an extremely worthy investment, that, too, at just under $50. For context, the handheld gadget provides information about wind speed, wind temperature, wind chill, relative humidity, dew point, barometric pressure, and altitude. For a compact device like this that's powered by AA cells, the feature set is certainly impressive. The brand claims an accuracy of 5% with regard to speed and two degrees with respect to temperature measurements. Apart from measuring data, the BTMeter device also lets users log barometric pressure data.

There's a tripod mounting point at the bottom, so you can permanently leave the anemometer on the deck to measure and log various parameters while boating. Along with the plethora of features, the brand has also given importance to usability. The large buttons on the front of the device allow for an easy selection of modes, and the digital display is easy to read even in broad daylight. It's also backlit, making it easy to use in the dark. If you want a simple and affordable anemometer to keep track of temperature, wind speed, and other such parameters vital for boating and sailing, this one from BTMeter provides all the necessary features.

The Cobra handheld radio mentioned above is useful for contacting emergency services or relaying information via radio. However, you also need a handheld GPS like the Garmin GPSMAP 67i to figure out your way. In fact, it's one of the must-haves for every type of traveler. A smartphone may not always work in the middle of the sea since it also relies on mobile networks for location data. Apart from this, there are several advantages to using a dedicated handheld GPS machine. There's a bright three-inch display that's easily viewable outdoors. A smartphone display, on the other hand, may not be visible under direct sunlight. Additionally, Garmin claims up to 425 hours of battery life.

The biggest highlight of the Garmin 67i isn't even the GPS navigation, though. It's the support for inReach satellite technology — a form of communication that uses satellites in case of emergencies. This is extremely vital when you're in the middle of nowhere and your phone doesn't have access to networks. While the latest iPhone devices have satellite communication, inReach is more reliable, and you can rest assured that the device will have sufficient battery in an emergency, unlike a smartphone, where you can't be sure. Moreover, the SOS message is sent to Garmin Response, a 24/7 emergency response coordination center. This way, you're sure to receive aid when you need it. It is on the expensive side, but that's the price you pay for safety and convenience.

If you often go boating in the dark, you may need a spotlight or searchlight to provide illumination while navigating. The lights embedded on your boat may not be sufficient in several situations. That's where the Yierblue rechargeable spotlight comes in handy. It's a handheld spotlight that provides up to 1,000,000 lumens of LED light. While the number seems extravagant, users seem to be impressed with the light throw and rugged construction — both of which are vital when boating. As per the brand, the light can travel up to 800 meters in a focused path while lasting up to 20 hours on a single charge. This sort of range can be extremely beneficial for gauging your surroundings if you're in the middle of a sea.

Apart from using it as a spotlight, Yierblue also lets you use it as a lantern when camping or for throwing light onto nearby objects when fixing or finding something. It does so using an array of 24 LEDs on the perimeter of the light. When out of power, all you need to do is connect it to a charger using a USB-C cable. You can also use a power bank to juice up the 10,000mAh cell inside.

A pocket flashlight may not be sufficient when boating, so a large spotlight like this is a must-have.

Most of the gadgets mentioned above can be used either to improve the experience of boating or to safeguard the people on the boat. The Canon binoculars with image stabilization, on the other hand, can be used for multiple purposes. For starters, you can use them to look around and find your way in the sea, or if you're looking for a specific landmark, like an island or a monument, to navigate towards. It can then be used to look and signal for help in situations of distress. You can look for other boats and marine vehicles at a distance and use a whistle or flare to attract attention. 

Apart from this, a pair of binoculars could be used to watch wildlife. When you're out in the waters, you may encounter several birds that you may want to view from closer. The Canon 10X30 binoculars offer 10X magnification and crisp details when viewing faraway objects. Unlike standard binoculars, this one from Canon has built-in image stabilization. This is beneficial when on a boat since boats need not always be stable, and a slight shake or imbalance can result in a ruined viewing experience. You won't have to experience that with this binocular set. As a result, they're substantially more expensive than a standard pair, but they're well worth the premium if you want a superior viewing experience.