Boater’s Gear ideal for the holidays
Boats and equipment go together. Gear is like the spices you add to your cooking. Without the right gear, it is just not as good. Luckily, as boaters and publishers, we get to play around with and sample a lot of electronics, gear, and equipment. Here are a few samples of equipment we tested or had a chance to mess with this year (2025).
Note that none of these products were given to us or sold to us at a discount, and none of these manufacturers paid us to write these articles, so the opinions expressed are genuine. We just want you to know about some of the gear we have used, as it might improve your boating. If you do decide to buy some of the gear we reviewed, please let us know (publisher@best4boats.com), and if they ask, let the manufacturers know that you learned about the products on Best4Boats.com.
Thank you for reading and following best4boats. We appreciate you and hope you like what we have in store for you in our second year, 2026!
Be one of the cool kids, our guide to onboard Icemakers
If you are anything like me, you go through a lot of ice aboard whether for fishing or cooling off beverages. I found a convenient galley friendly solution that keeps the ice flowing and the beverages ice cold by using a portable countertop icemaker.
Ode to my Copper River Fleece
My trusty American-sewn Copper River Fleece is always aboard. The Cordova, Alaska-based company combines beautiful art from local commissioned artists with topline, multilayer softshell and windblock fleece fabrics for a winning, iconic jacket.
New products at the Miami Boat Show
The Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, February 12-16, claims to be the world’s largest boat and yacht event. While visiting one of the multiple locations in the Miami Beach Convention Center yesterday, I found some interesting new products. Arnie Hammerman Publisher Boats and the ocean define my life. From teaching sailing to captaining yachts, marine publishing, and marketing, I’ve spent decades sharing seafaring tales….
ACR ResQflare PRO
New from ACR, the ResQflare PRO is a battery-powered Electronic Visual Distress Signal Device (eVDSD) that is much brighter than previous versions. It uses multiple colors to flash a digital SOS signal that can be seen more easily and from further away than previous white flashing versions. The idea is that instead of launching flares, which can only be seen for a short period of…
Juice to Go? Cruising with a Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station
Dead batteries are every boater’s nightmare. In today’s world of power-hungry electronics, communications, and refrigeration systems, boats need more juice than ever. Should portable batteries be part of your onboard electricity puzzle?
- Electronics | Gear | News
NMEA Names 2025 Product of Excellence Award Winners
Looking for some new electronics for your boat? The National Marine Electronics Association recently named its 2025 Product Excellence Awards winners.
