4 minute read
Goods & Gear
BY RANDY WOODS
Picking up good Vibe-rations
The summer days of Beach Boys music may be past us, but the party doesn’t have to be over. Now you can keep your good vibrations humming anywhere with Speaqua’s Barnacle Vibe 2.0 speakers. The spherical sound machines are only about 4 inches in diameter, but they pack a wicked punch, with ultra-deep bass tones. True to the nature of real-life barnacles, a pair of these wireless speakers can be secured on virtually any hard, flat surface with universal GoPro mounts up to 33 feet apart. The rechargeable Barnacle Vibes are also waterproof in the soggy Northwest environment and can even operate under water. Best of all, they come with 8GB of memory that can store about 2,000 songs to keep the fun, fun, fun tunes blasting all weekend long. $89.99 each // speaqua.com
Rock the yacht with a retro hoodie
Nothing exudes Northwest cool like a warm hoodie. This soft, unisex hoodie is made of 52% Airlume combed ring-spun cotton and 48% poly fleece, with side-seamed construction and a cozy kangaroo pocket for chilly weather. The distressed ’70s-style graphic features a classic San Juan Islands nautical scene of a sailboat cruising past the mountains, which should fit all of your “yacht rock” sartorial needs. Available in white, heather navy, heather forest or universal black, these pullover hoodies from Pac West Northwest Apparel have the retro look to echo your youthful days, with an ultra-casual hipster attitude. $45 // pacwestnorthwest.com
Cozy up to a San Juan Islands chart pillow
Need to know where the separations zones and navigational hazards are on your next cruise through the San Juans? Consult the pillow! This soft, 100% spun-polyester throw pillow from 15 Degrees East features a nautical chart design for all sailors and sailing enthusiasts. Inspired by real charts of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Strait of Georgia shipping lanes, this double-sided, hand-sewn pillow is the perfect boat-themed décor, from onboard settees to home dens. In addition to detailed depictions of every cove and inlet in the San Juans, the square-shaped pillow also includes route-planning and sounding information. Available in two sizes, 16” by 16” and 18” by 18”. $25.99-$27.99 //
amazon.com
A super attractive way to find lost items
It used to be that, unless you had scuba gear handy, any metal object you knocked overboard was forever claimed by the deep. Well, put that wetsuit away because now you can get your stuff back with pure magnetism: Chemist Travis Walkup, from Burlington, WA, has created the TackleMag, using a powerful magnet made from the rare-earth element neodymium. Encased in sturdy plastic that fits in your hand, the tool can provide an impressive 120 pounds of pull force on iron-containing objects, including keys, fishing poles, phones, tackle boxes, jewelry, knives, and heavy tools. If you can lift it with a rope, TackleMag can find it. Be careful, though. Rare-earth magnets are strong enough to cause injury to young ones, so adult supervision is highly recommended.
$28 // etsy.com/shop/MagPowerDesign Get a grip with Harken Reflex gloves
When victory comes down to a matter of seconds, a sailor needs to find any possible edge. These Reflex 3/4 finger gloves from Harken provide the combination of abrasion protection during active line handling and the dexterity required for fine motor skills under pressure. The lightweight Reflex gloves feature a tough, reinforced palm with thick Black Magic material, along with molded rubber strips and breathable nylon Spandex on the back for ventilation. Inside the ¾ finger holes, the gloves have a second layer of reinforcement in the grip area and molded rubber guard strips for a snug fit to keep them in place. A pull-on tab at the wrist closure tab provides quick removal when needed. $42 //
Available from Fisheries Supply in Fremont, fisheriesupply.com Garmin’s quatix 6X provides total control
Skippers need to be in complete control of their vessels from any possible position on board. The latest version of Garmin’s popular multisport GPS smartwatch, the quatix 6X Solar, gives you the power to operate virtually every part of your boat with a flick of the wrist. The solar-charged watch gives you 24 days of battery life and connects with all compatible Garmin helm devices. Stay on top of all real-time data—such as water depths, engine RPMs, tides, and windspeeds—streamed directly to you in color graphics, charts, and maps that appear on the digital smartwatch screen. An autopilot app also allows you to change headings and plot new GPS routes. You can even control your onboard entertainment, plan workout routines, and manage financial transactions either at sea or back on land.
