The Marine Locker on Gorham Road in Hamilton is literally stocked with everything you need for your boat – and more. The shop is part of the Bermuda Marine Supply & Services Ltd. which is also the dealer for the famous Evinrude engines and Pursuit boats.

Lyle Douglas, sales manager at the Marine Locker, said: "The company has been around for about 30 years and our service location is at Pitts Bay Road. We try and have everything a boater will need – switches, rigging equipment, cleaners, hoses, filters and valves. We also carry a lot of dive equipment now as well – spears, wetsuits, underwater cameras, masks. When you have a marine place you really should try and bring in the best products and do a good job for a good price."

They stock Evinrude engines from the 25 hp to the 300s. "We probably have about 50 engines in stock right now," he said.

And they certainly did a fair bit of business before Hurricane Igor last month.

"We sold a lot of ropes, buoys, shackles and people were buying an extra bilge pump as well. Some also bought new batteries just in case."

The Evinrude engines are some of the most environmentally responsible in the world.

In fact the complete line of Evinrude E-TEC engines is designed to be California Air Resources Board (CARB) 3 star compliant outboard engines.

"And you do not sacrifice power," said Mr. Douglas who also praised the Pursuit boats the company stocks.

"They range in size from about 23 feet to 35 which is Bermuda's market. We have brought in quite a few Pursuits this year. They are all outboard driven and although they have luxurious cabins and are a superior offshore boat, they are also great for fishing and diving. They have a great comfort level but if you want to bring out the rods and go to the Banks you can do that as well."

And Mr. Douglas urged people to use their boats more – especially over the winter.

"There is no reason to put away your boat at this time of year. Face it, we have not had that many great weekends this summer. But you often find some of the best weather in the winter and for divers, spear and lobster fishermen the water is great – nice a clear – clearer than the summer. And fishing is good all year round in Bermuda – January and February can be gorgeous."

Mr. Douglas also said that many in Bermuda would be surprised by the number of people spear fishing and lobstering in the winter months.

"You would be surprised how big a culture there is around here. You may be sitting in restaurant across from a quiet guy who may be an accountant – but on the weekends he is out there spearing big fish and catching lobsters. If you have a boat you really should use it – I do. In fact we are going to put on a spear fishing tournament."

And while the Marine Locker has always had top quality rain suits for the boater and biker, they also carry a wide range of top of the line wetsuits. Some come in camouflage colours. "You lube up a bit, maybe put it in soapy water, and it goes on like a second skin. When you are in the water by the reef they (the fish) won't see you coming – spear fishermen are always looking for that extra split second. It can make all the difference."

Some of the wetsuits are used by those who swim for exercise in the winter.

But one of the most exciting products in the Marine Locker is the underwater camera which is a far cry from those from years ago in big housings.

The Scuba Series HD is all hands free.

"It has high definition, video and lights as well. I have seen the technology improve so much over the years. It is great," said Mr. Douglas.

The High Definition 720P digital video camera (which also takes stills) operates to a depth of 130 feet and eliminates the need to hand carry an underwater camera. It is ideal for scuba diving and may also be used for snorkeling, spearfishing and freediving.

The goggle lenses are made of tempered glass and have integrated crosshairs that help you to line up shots. Turn the camera on and choose a mode with the upper button. Simply press the shutter button to record pictures or videos. An LED inside the mask tells you if you are in still image or video mode.

Downloading images is as easy as plugging in the mask to your PCs or Macs USB port (RCA/USB cable provided) and pressing the power button.