#GiftGuide: Back To Our Roots

In this year, plagued by devastating natural disasters and political turmoil, we took some time at Great Lakes Boating magazine to unplug and get our bearings. Taking a step back from mass-produced electronics, we realized the Great Lakes were built on a solid foundation of builders and makers. We got back in touch with our roots: from the first peoples of Manitoba and Ontario province to the French, Dutch and British fur traders to Swiss, German, Norwegian, and other Europeans of the mid-1800s to the steel workers who built the impressive skylines of our great cities. No matter what the current industry of the day, the people of our region have craftsmanship at heart. We took this truth to the shop and spent some quality time with raw materials. Some of us built stained glass windows, others put some 80-grit to that wood hull in the garage. Still others donned welding helmets and bent nature’s strongest metals to their will.

Back at our desks on Monday, we felt refreshed and deeply connected to our heritage. Now the question became, how to share this feeling? This gift guide was our answer. We’ve combed the Great Lakes for craftsmen, people drawing on their long-honored traditions to make modern, top-of-the-line accessories for your boating lifestyle. As you consider each of our selections, take a moment to appreciate your own heritage and the things you’ve built by hand.

To see the full Gift Guide, subscribe to Great Lakes Boating.

#Cyberweek Subscription Deal is still running, with three years subscription for the price of a two-year.