Marine gear that earns its place on your boat.
Honest buying guides and practical how-to articles for boaters who want gear that works — written by people who actually use it.
Every guide here is built the same way: real product specs, real prices, real recommendations. We tell you what to buy if you're only buying one, and we tell you what you give up if you save money.
If you want to know which radio to clip to a PFD, how a DSC distress call actually works, or whether you need an EPIRB or a PLB — start here.
Buying GuidesWhat we'd buy if we were buying today.
Standard Horizon HX890 Review
GPS, DSC, floating build, battery life, and whether it still earns a spot in 2026.
Read the review →
Best Handheld VHF Radios
Four radios we'd carry — Standard Horizon HX890, HX210, Icom IC-M94D, Uniden Atlantis 275.
Read the guide →
Best Fish Finders for Small Boats
From kayak-friendly units to console-mounted combos — what works on boats under 20 feet.
Read the guide →
How to Choose the Right Anode
Zinc, aluminum, or magnesium — picking the right anode for your water type and outboard.
Read the guide →
Best Marine Battery Chargers
Onboard chargers that keep your house bank alive — and don't cook your AGMs or lithium cells.
Read the guide →
Best Lithium House Bank for Cruising Sailboats
When to switch from AGM to LiFePO4, and which battery banks earn it on a cruising boat.
Read the guide →
EPIRB vs PLB for Boaters
Vessel-mounted or personal-carry — which emergency beacon matches the way you actually boat.
Read the guide →Know the radio before you need it.
VHF Marine Radio Channels
Complete channel guide — Channel 16, DSC 70, working channels, weather channels.
Read →Mayday vs Pan-Pan vs Sécurité
Knowing which distress call to make — and the exact words to say when you do.
Read →Marine Communication Best Practices
How to sound like you know what you're doing on the VHF — and why it matters.
Read →Emergency Keywords & NATO Phonetic Alphabet
Alpha, Bravo, Charlie — and the words that actually save lives over the radio.
Read →VHF Antenna Selection & Installation
Why your antenna matters more than your radio — and how to mount it right.
Read →AIS Basics for Recreational Boats
What Class A vs Class B means, and whether you actually need AIS on your boat.
Read →Plan the trip before the weather plans it for you.
Marine Weather & Forecasts
NOAA weather radio, NWS marine forecasts, and reading wind/sea state honestly.
Read →Float Plan & Departure Checklist
What to tell someone on shore before you cast off — and what to check on the boat.
Read →Official Marine Resources
USCG, FCC, NOAA — every government source a recreational boater should bookmark.
Read →More guides in the works.
Best EPIRBs and PLBs, marine binoculars, bilge pump sizing, GPS chartplotters, and more. We publish one new guide a month — written by people who actually boat, not lifted from spec sheets.
Questions about a piece of gear we haven't covered? Drop us a note →