Garmin Boat GPS and Chartplotters
Heading out onto the water for a day of boating or other recreational water activities takes planning, preparation, and plotting. Using a GPS system can help you navigate, plot your course, find potential schools of fish, and maintain safe travel depths while on the water. Garmin GPS and chartplotters offer several different levels of technology based on global positioning satellites (GPS) to make your time on the water efficient, safe, and easily navigated.
Do Garmin GPS systems access multiple satellites?When considering any GPS system for your boat or pleasure craft, it is important to understand how it works to help you navigate and chart your course. GPS systems for boating use a baseline of 12 different satellite feeds to fix your position and plot your course. As you research higher-grade models of GPS systems with more features, they may use even more satellite feeds, with advanced units using as many as 24. More satellite feeds mean a crisper and clearer certainty of your position on the water as well as the accuracy of your plotted course.
Can you attach an antenna to a Garmin GPS?Garmin GPS systems and chartplotters feature an internal antenna, but many of the units also feature a port where an external Garmin antenna can be connected. Using an external unit can boost your satellite reception, especially during tough weather conditions that may impact the reception on your GPS. An external unit also allows you the flexibility to mount it to a better spot on your boat for improved reception.
What kind of safety features are on Garmins?Marine safety is of paramount concern to boaters, and the important safety features built into the Garmin systems and chartplotters offer confidence while on the water. Safety features common to Garmin units include:
- MOB feature (Man Over Board), which allows you to fix the coordinates of the location on the water if someone goes overboard
- Collision alarm, which sounds when your vessel is too close to a possible land or water feature that could cause your ship to crash, such as unseen shoals under the water or a rocky outcropping in foggy weather
- Track navigation, which uses the saved coordinates and navigation course chart to help guide your vessel in bad weather where standard navigation may be difficult
- Low battery alert, which notifies you with ample time to replace the batteries to continue functioning
- A 12-channel receiver, which allows you to communicate on the water with other vessels and with Coast Guard or Marine Police in case of an emergency