Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, 10 May — a brief pause in a fast-moving year to recognise that someone in your life who rarely slows down. If she’d rather be out on the water than anywhere else, the usual gifts won’t quite cut it.
Whether she’s trimming sails, taking the helm, dropping the anchor, or somehow producing a great meal from a galley the size of a cupboard. She keeps things running, keeps people fed, and keeps the day on track — often all at once.
So we’ve pulled together ten gift ideas that reflect that life. Some are practical, some are indulgent, and all are suited to time spent on the water — because the women who love it don’t just get by out there, they make it better.
All products featured by Boating New Zealand are chosen independently by our editorial team.
1. Deck throw
A good throw on board is one of those things you don’t think about until you have one, and then you can’t imagine being without it. The moment the engine goes off and the sun starts to dip, the temperature drops faster than expected, and having something warm to pull around your shoulders is quietly one of the best feelings in boating.
For a marine environment, you want a throw that can handle salt air, the odd splash, and a life lived outdoors. Natural fibres like wool breathe well and regulate temperature in a way synthetic fabrics don’t, which matters when the conditions are unpredictable. Weight matters too, light enough to fold on a cockpit cushion but substantial enough to actually do the job.
Deck throw examples
Coast New Zealand, MacKenzie Throw Blue.
Weave, Indoor/Outdoor Throws.
2. Marine binoculars
Good binoculars are one of those purchases that transforms time on the water. Spotting a channel marker, tracking another vessel, watching dolphins work a bait ball off the bow, or simply scanning an unfamiliar anchorage before you commit to dropping the hook. The difference between an ordinary pair and a proper marine pair is immediately obvious.
The standard for marine binoculars is 7×50, which means seven times magnification with 50mm objective lenses. That combination gives a wide, stable image that works well when the boat is moving beneath you. On the water, stability matters more than raw magnification. You also want them waterproof, fog-proof, and ideally with a rubber-armoured body that won’t suffer when life gets rough. A built-in compass is a genuine bonus for anyone doing serious navigation.
Marine binocular examples, all available in New Zealand.
Steiner Marine 7×50. The gold standard for recreational sailors and anglers. Steiner’s Sports Auto Focus system means you set the focus once and it stays sharp from close range to infinity, which is exactly what you want when you’re tracking a moving target in choppy water.
Bushnell Marine 7×50. Used by the NZ Navy and built to float. Waterproof, corrosion-resistant, and equipped with multi-coated optics and BaK-4 prism glass for a bright, crisp image. A trusted and proven option.
Fujinon 7×50 WPC-XL Mariner. Adds a built-in illuminated compass to the mix, which makes it the pick for anyone who uses their binoculars as a navigation tool as much as a spotting aid. Multi-coated lenses and a tough polycarbonate body.
The Steiner Marine 7×50, Bushnell Marine 7×50, and Fujinon 7×50 WPC-XL Mariner are all available from Jacobs Digital (jacobsdigital.co.nz), NZ’s largest specialist range. Steiner is also stocked by NZ Sailing (nzsailing.com) and Marine Deals (marine-deals.co.nz).
3. Foul weather jacket
The right foul weather jacket changes everything. Not just the wet days, but the cold starts, the spray-soaked passages, and the late evenings at the helm when the temperature drops faster than expected. A great jacket means you stay out longer, push further, and arrive in better shape.
What you’re looking for is genuine waterproofing combined with breathability, because a jacket that keeps the rain out but traps all your sweat is barely better than no jacket at all. Sealed seams, a good hood, adjustable cuffs, and a cut that allows freedom of movement are non-negotiable. For coastal sailing, a mid-range offshore jacket is the sweet spot. For longer passages or open water, you want to step up to Gore-Tex.
Foul weather jacket examples
Two brands stand above the rest when it comes to serious sailing apparel, and happily both are available in New Zealand.
Henri Lloyd. Trusted by serious sailors since 1963, from solo circumnavigators to America’s Cup crews, Henri Lloyd is back in New Zealand through The Chandlery in Russell, Bay of Islands. Founded by commercial skipper and ex-Coastguard volunteer Warren Haslip, who stocks only the gear he trusts and wears himself, the range covers lightweight inshore jackets through to full offshore Gore-Tex waterproofs. The Chandlery can order in anything not on the shelf. Available from The Chandlery (thechandlery.co.nz) in Russell, Bay of Islands, Smart Marine (smartmarine.co.nz), Boat NZ (boat.net.nz), or directly from Henri Lloyd Australia (henrillloyd.com.)
Musto. Musto needs little introduction to the NZ sailing community. Their BR2 Offshore jacket sits in the sweet spot for most coastal and cruising sailors, genuinely waterproof and breathable without being overkill. For anyone regularly pushing into open water or making longer passages, the HPX range uses Gore-Tex Pro fabric and is as serious as offshore gear gets. Available from Musto direct (musto.co.nz) or through Sailors Supplies (sailors.co.nz)
4. Waterproof Kindle
The boating life involves a surprising amount of waiting. Waiting for the tide. Waiting for the wind. Waiting at anchor in a beautiful bay with nothing pressing to do and nowhere to be. A good book is one of the great pleasures of time on the water, and the Kindle is the best way to carry a library on board without taking up any space.
The key feature for a marine environment is waterproofing. You want something that survives spray without complaint and won’t panic if it gets dunked in the tender. A glare-free screen matters too, because a reflective display in full sun is useless. The Kindle range ticks both boxes.
Amazon Kindle examples
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. Rated IPX8 waterproof, which means it handles submersion, not just spray. The glare-free screen reads beautifully in full sun and the battery lasts weeks. Load it up with cruising guides, passage planning resources, and a good stack of fiction and it’s ready for every trip.
Amazon Kindle Scribe. Steps up to a larger screen and adds the ability to write notes, annotate documents, and sketch, which makes it handy for passage planning and logbook notes as well as reading. A genuine upgrade for the serious cruiser.
Available from JB Hi-Fi NZ, PB Tech, or directly from Amazon AU.
5. Headlamp
The headlamp is one of the most underrated pieces of kit on any boat. Below decks when the cabin lights aren’t enough. On deck at night when you need both hands free. At anchor when something needs sorting in the engine bay at 11pm. In the tender on the way back from shore in the dark. It is one of those things that sounds unglamorous as a gift until the moment you actually need one.
For a marine environment, you want something waterproof, bright enough to be genuinely useful, and crucially, equipped with a red-light mode. Red light preserves night vision and won’t blind everyone else on board when you switch it on at 2am. Rechargeable via USB-C is a big advantage on a boat, where you’re likely to have charging points rather than spare batteries.
Headlamp examples
Petzl Actik Core 600. The pick of the range. 600 lumens of main beam, red-light mode, and rechargeable via USB-C with the included Core battery. Lightweight and compact enough to live in a jacket pocket.
Petzl Tikka 350. A simpler, more compact option with 350 lumens and red-light mode. Runs on AAA batteries or the Core rechargeable battery. A solid and affordable pick for anyone who wants a reliable headlamp without the full spec of the Actik.
Available from macpac.co.nz and bivouac.co.nz
6. Fishing Rod
Whether she is targeting snapper off the coast, chasing kingfish in the Hauraki Gulf, or dropping a line from the stern at anchor in a quiet bay, a quality fishing rod is an invitation to fish more. And fishing more is almost always a good idea.
For boat fishing in New Zealand waters, you generally want a medium to medium-heavy spin or overhead rod, long enough to handle a variety of presentations but short enough to be manageable on a moving deck. The rod needs to be corrosion-resistant, since salt is hard on gear over time. A combo, rod and reel together, is the most practical gift option since it means she can fish straight out of the box.
Fishing Rod examples
Shimano Boat Spin Combo. Shimano is one of the most trusted names in fishing globally, and their mid-range boat combos are built for exactly the kind of mixed-target fishing that makes up most NZ boating trips. Reliable, well-balanced, and widely supported for parts and servicing.
Daiwa Boat Overhead Combo. Daiwa’s overhead combos are a popular choice for deeper water fishing and targeting larger species. The Saltiga range in particular has a strong following among serious NZ anglers.
Penn Spinfisher VI Combo. The Spinfisher is a workhorse reel with a reputation for handling tough conditions. IPX5-sealed against water ingress and built for long-term saltwater use. A great option for someone who wants something they won’t need to baby.
Available from: marine-deals.co.nz, land-sea.co.nz and huntingandfishing.co.nz
7. Polarised Sunglasses
Nobody who spends serious time on the water settles for ordinary sunglasses after they’ve worn a proper polarised pair. The difference is not subtle. Glare disappears, colour comes alive, and your eyes stop fighting the surface of the water all day. Eye fatigue on a long passage drops noticeably. It’s the kind of upgrade that, once made, you can’t go back from.
For marine use, the lens quality is everything. You want polarisation that actually eliminates glare rather than just reducing it, good UV protection, and a frame that stays put in wind and spray. Glass lenses offer the best optical clarity but are heavier. High-quality polycarbonate lenses are lighter and more impact-resistant, which matters if they end up on the deck.
Polarised sunglass examples
Maui Jim Peahi. Purpose-built for offshore use. A large wraparound frame that blocks side glare as well as frontal glare, with Maui Jim’s PolarizedPlus2 glass lenses offering exceptional clarity and colour enhancement. The benchmark for serious on-water use.
Maui Jim Onshore. A slightly more refined, rectangular frame that works as well ashore as on the water. SuperThin glass lenses with spring hinges for all-day comfort. The pick if she wants a pair that can transition from the boat to lunch without looking like fishing gear.
Available from Sunglass Style or Sunglass Hut NZ.
8. Leatherman Multi-Tool
There is always something that needs doing on a boat. A shackle that needs tightening, a frayed line that needs cutting, a screw that has worked loose in the cockpit sole. The Leatherman is the tool that covers most of it, and the one you reach for before you go hunting for the toolbox.
The key for a marine environment is stainless steel construction throughout, a blade that holds an edge, and pliers with enough grip to actually be useful. The best Leatherman models have all the key tools accessible from the outside without having to fully unfold the tool, which makes a significant difference when you need something quickly with one hand on the helm.
Leatherman multi-tool examples
Leatherman Wave+. The best-selling model for good reason. Eighteen tools, all accessible from the outside, with a premium stainless steel blade and a 25-year warranty. Covers the vast majority of what you’ll ever need on a boat. The one to get.
Leatherman ARC. The latest generation, with magnetic one-hand tool deployment and MagnaCut steel blade, the hardest and most corrosion-resistant blade steel Leatherman has ever used. A genuine step up for anyone who wants the best.
Available from Leatherman direct (leatherman.co.nz), Bivouac (bivouac.co.nz), Dwights Outdoors (dwights.co.nz), Complete Outdoors (completeoutdoors.co.nz), or Hunting & Fishing NZ (huntingandfishing.co.nz).
9. Enamelware galley set
Boat galleys have no room for anything fragile and no patience for anything ugly. The ideal galley tableware is unbreakable, stackable, easy to clean with minimal water, and decent to look at when you’re sitting in a beautiful anchorage with a cup of something warm in your hands.
Enamelware ticks all of those boxes. It is lightweight, virtually unbreakable, handles heat, and develops a character of its own over time. The key is quality of the enamel coating, a good double coat baked at high temperature will last for years without chipping or rusting at the edges.
With a bit of shopping around you can also find some limited edition and statement finishes that look as good on the water as they do on a kitchen bench at home.
Enamel galley set examples
Wolfkamp & Stone by Live Wires NZ. A NZ-designed range featuring lighthouses and native sea birds printed on real oven-baked enamelware. The range includes tumbler, mug, breakfast bowl and large plate. The navy blue P Class sailing mug is particularly good, and the lighthouse range featuring Cape Reinga, Waipapa Point and Cape Campbell feels genuinely special. Beautiful objects that will survive hard use at sea.
Hunting & Fishing NZ, Campfire Enamel Range. A more straightforward, affordable option for anyone who wants the practicality of enamelware without the premium price. Available in navy and other colours.
Available from: Wolfkamp & Stone, and Hunting & Fishing NZ.
10. Sun Hat
The NZ sun on the water is not forgiving. The reflection off the surface effectively doubles UV exposure, and a full day at sea without proper head protection is something you feel for days afterwards. A great hat is one of the simplest and most consistently useful things a boater can own, and one of the most frequently neglected.
For marine use, you want UPF 50+ protection, a brim wide enough to actually do the job, a chin strap or wind cord for when it gets breezy, and something that won’t turn into a soggy mess if it gets wet. Packable is a bonus for anyone who travels to their boat.
Sunhat examples
Zhik Sailing Hat. Designed specifically for the water, UPF 50+, quick-drying, and built to stay on in wind.
Zhik Sailing Hat. Zhik make some of the best sailing-specific headwear available. Technical, UPF-rated, and styled for people who spend real time on the water rather than just visiting it.
Tilley Airflo Brimmed Hat. The classic choice for anyone who wants a hat that works on the water and ashore in equal measure. Guaranteed for life, packable, and built with a wide brim and vented crown that makes it genuinely comfortable for long days in the sun.
Available from sailors.co.nz for Musto and Zhik, and Tilley.
The boating mum in your life has earned a good gift this Mother’s Day. Whether you go practical, luxurious, or somewhere in between, the best thing you can give her is something that fits the life she actually lives, out on the water, doing the thing she loves.
