Your boating adventure starts here, with a selection of leading gadgets and products to improve your time out on the water. Join the conversation on our social media channels and let us know about any of these products you’ve used. You can recommend a great gadget for us to review by contacting sales@boatgoldcoast.com.au
FUSION STEREOACTIVE
This powerful little Bluetooth speaker has been purpose built with watersports in mind. Not only is it fully waterproof, it also floats, making it easy to retrieve if it goes overboard. It is unlikely to move around much since it comes with a rugged mounting system that attaches it securely to everything from paddleboards to tinnies. Getting it to play your music is effortless and flexible thanks to Bluetooth connectivity for iOS and Android, as well as an inbuilt FM radio tuner and an internal flash drive for playing MP3s. When it comes to sound quality, the Class D amplifier and dual 2.5” 40 Watt speakers ensure superb fidelity and volume levels in outdoor environments. As an added bonus, you can also get a separate waterproof wallet to attach to the Stereo Active so your phone stays safe from splashes while it’s connected. www.fusionentertainment.com
QUATIX 3
With a powerful range of marine and fitness features, this smart watch is equally at home on the water and on land. When you’re boating, its streaming support with other mounted Garmin electronics allows you to use the watch to see at a glance important data like your speed, water depth, temperature, wind speed and more. There’s also a safety feature that can literally be a lifesaver—a dedicated man-overboard button to save your exact location. Fishing enthusiasts will also make great use of features like being able to mark fishing hotspots and return to them later, as well as solar and lunar calendar integration. When you’re back on dry land, you can use the Quatix’s advanced fitness equipment to monitor steps taken, distance travelled, heart rate and much more. www.garmin.com
FLIR OCEAN SCOUT THERMAL CAMERA
You’ll never need to squint for landmarks at night again with this handy little night vision camera. It’s designed for one-handed use so you can steer effortlessly while using it. This rugged camera uses high-contrast images based on heat, rather than light, enabling you to easily see boats, buoys, landmarks and people overboard in complete darkness. The camera also handily stores up to 1,000 photos and four hours of video with its five-hour rechargeable battery. And don’t worry if it gets wet out there. The camera is designed to work well in extreme rain and wind, and is splash resistant. www.chsmith.com.au
ICOM M25 RADIO
If you don’t like being weighed down by a boatload of bulky equipment when you’re on the water, this Icom radio is the perfect choice. It’s super slim and light, enabling it to be stored easily on any jet ski or boat. You also have the option of attaching an external speaker microphone, which can be clipped to the shoulder to save you unclipping the radio each time you want to talk. As well as being waterproof, the radio floats on the surface and has a bright LED light that flashes on contact with water. Its powerful range of features packed into the small radio ensures you can comply with all the communication requirements of Australian maritime law, without taking up much room in your emergency kit. www.radiowarehouse.com.au
STEINER COMMANDER 7x50c BINOCULARS
For serious boating enthusiasts and professionals, the Steiner brand is a popular choice because of its uncompromising quality. These binoculars achieve exceptional image clarity at up to seven times magnification because of the index-matched glass and advanced lens coatings. The 14-psi pressurized dry nitrogen sealed inside the optics makes the binoculars fog-free in any conditions, from arctic to desert heat. Don’t worry about breaking them either. The polycarbonate rubber armouring is built to withstand 11Gs of impact. www.opticscentral.com.au
