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Once you are past the entry-level boat grills, the field narrows to two names: Dickinson, the Canadian marine-heater company that also builds grills, and Magma, the category default. Both make gear that survives salt. They feel completely different to use.
Quick Verdict
The Dickinson Sea-B-Que 180 is the better-built object with the better lid and better low-heat control. The Magma Catalina 2 is the better system — mounts, covers, accessories and parts availability are in a different league.
The Contenders
Dickinson Sea-B-Que 180
$720
Cruisers and liveaboards who want heavy hardware and roasting ability
Check PriceMagma Catalina 2 Infrared
$639
Owners who want the widest mount options and easiest parts supply
Check PriceCategory Breakdown
Build Quality
Winner: DickinsonThe Dickinson feels like deck hardware. Heavier gauge stainless, a thick hinged lid that seals properly, and hardware that would not look out of place on a windlass. The Magma is well made and genuinely marine-grade, but next to a Dickinson it feels like a consumer product.
Heat Control
Winner: DickinsonThe Dickinson's sealed lid and burner turn-down let it hold a genuine roasting temperature — you can do a chicken aboard. The Catalina 2's infrared plate is superb at direct grilling and adequate with the lid down, but low-and-slow is not what it is for.
Wind and Flare-Ups
Winner: Catalina 2The Catalina 2's radiant plate is the best answer to open-water wind and dripping fat that either brand offers. The Dickinson's heavier lid shelters the fire well but the open burner underneath still flares when fat hits it.
Mounts and Accessories
Winner: Catalina 2Magma's ecosystem is the reason most people end up with a Magma. Rail, rod holder, deck and levelling mounts, fitted covers, nesting tool sets, griddle plates and replacement burners, all available and all fitting the same post. Dickinson's range is narrower and dealers are thinner on the ground, particularly in the US interior.
Value
Winner: Catalina 2The Dickinson costs $80 more and gives you a better-built grill with a narrower support network. The Catalina 2 costs less and is easier to live with for years because you can buy any part for it in an afternoon. On a boat, parts availability is worth real money.
Final Verdict
Cruisers and liveaboards who cook properly aboard should look hard at the Dickinson — the lid and heat control open up roasting and baking that Magma cannot match. Everyone else is better served by the Catalina 2 and its accessory system.
Buying Advice
Check parts availability near where you keep the boat before you commit to Dickinson. It is excellent gear, but a burner you have to order from Canada in July is a bad season.