Coast Guard has a gift list for12 nautical days of Christmas

Coast Guard's gift ideas for 12 nautical days of Christmas:

Among the Coast Guard's recommended nautical gifts are:

* A Marine GPS navigation system
* A 406 MHz EPIRB (make sure you register it after purchase, or rescuers may be delayed in reaching you!)
* A Coast Guard-approved life jacket (because they float, you don't...)
* A handheld VHF-FM radio
* A Boating Safety Course (boater education saves lives -- it's a fact)
* Vessel Safety Check (VSC) from the Coast Guard Auxiliary (it's free!)
* A Coast Guard approved fire extinguisher
* A first aid kit in a watertight container
* A seamanship book
* Nautical charts for the areas your favorite mariner frequents
* A signaling kit
* A life raft with a survival kit

Some of the most valuable gifts don't cost anything but time, such as scheduling a free vessel safety check with your local Coast Guard Auxiliary. For more information on scheduling a free vessel safety check visit www.safetyseal.net. To find a boating safety course in your area visit www.aboutboatingsafely.com.

Help make sure the sailor you love comes home. And have a Merry Christmas!