Article by Pat Schrawder
NIFTY GADGETS FOR 2013
If you are looking for a gift for that boating enthusiast who has everything, or at least everything that you can afford, there are some very useful and unique items on the market that would come in very handy. Let’s take a look at some of them:
CRC is a company that makes a variety of superb chemicals. I have always liked to use their CRC 2-26 as a good spray to prevent corrosion. It is even pretty good at removing small amounts of moisture. This year they have come out with a new product called “Visiclear™ Display Cleaner & Electronic Screen Cleaner”. It can be used for a number of purposes, but what I like best about it is that you can use it on your Multi-function GPS/plotter display screens. In case you have forgotten, those screens are never supposed to be wiped with anything but micro-fiber cloths and you should never use anything like Windex on them. They can get pretty “ugly” after a while, so along comes CRC’s Visiclear™ and your cleaning job just got a lot easier and better. You still need to use a micro-fiber cloth but you just spray this foam cleaner directly on your screen (it doesn’t drip) and wipe with your cloth. It takes all the smears and fingerprints away. CRC says this cleaner can also be used on computer screens, CRT’s, touchscreens, laptops and even cell phone displays. It claims to be alcohol and ammonia free, will not streak, leaves no residue and dries fast.
Another nifty gadget I’ve seen is the “Self-inflating Key Buoy” by Davis. It is a rather normal looking key ring that weighs only 1.1 ounces. However, if you accidently drop your keys overboard, the key buoy pops open and its air tube inflates to a 14” bright orange column looking balloon tube that floats to the surface and will stay afloat for over an hour according to Davis. This little gadget has actually been around for a while, but it’s new to me. It sells for around $6.99.
Another item that is not new but is so useful that I just have to keep reminding people it exists is the AutoTether™ Wireless Lanyard. This device automatically shuts off your motor if you fall overboard. I was reminded myself of this while watching a recent newscast showing a boat that was doing “donuts” around and around with apparently with no one at the helm. If the captain of the vessel had fallen overboard, the Autotether™ would have turned a bad situation into a manageable one. Here’s how it works. It consists of two pieces, the main transmitter that is connected by a short coiled wire with a clip on the end to your ignition kill switch. The other half is a small receiver that you can put in your pocket or life vest. The two pieces communicate by radio signals. If you fall overboard, or if the two pieces get separated by more than 150 feet, the signal is broken and the engine shuts off and an alarm sounds. This prevents a “runaway” boat and allows you to re-board the vessel. Additionally, you can manually activate the alarm in cases of other emergencies. You can use up to four receivers so your passengers can also be protected. The units operate by AAA batteries that provide over 100 hours of operation. They also have an indicator light that lets you know when it’s time to change the batteries. Some insurance companies will give you a reduction in insurance premiums if you have one of these devices on your boat. These sell for around $189.00. At first glance, this may seem a little pricey but, if you are one of those solitary boaters who often goes out alone, this is an extra measure of safety that will seem very cheap if you are ever in that situation where you are overboard and your boat is charging off into the sunset.
In the next article, we’ll start looking in greater detail at some of the items and/or features that the major manufacturers are talking about this season. You will find that they all have some common themes.
Pat and her husband, Larry are owners of L&L Marine Electronics on Golf Course Road in West Ocean City, MD.
