Posts Tagged ‘Marine GPS’
I still haven’t gotten around to outfitting my car with a GPS mapping system. As an experienced, confident driver – with a stubborn streak to boot – I just can’t admit that I don’t always know exactly where I am on the road. The same cannot be said when I get behind the wheel of my motorboat, however. To me, a portable marine GPS is as essential as a life preserver or the boat’s propeller.
Rock outcroppings and other various forms of debris can pose a serious hazard to boaters, especially once it grows dark. The GPS sonar senses any geological threats that might lurk just below the water’s surface. So far I’ve yet to run my boat aground, which is a positive sign. And the navigational functions also come in handy at night when the stars are obscured by clouds and no lighthouse is near.
As an avid fisherman, Iâve become confident in my navigational abilities. Depending on the amount of cloud cover overhead on a given night, I can find my way through the water with sureness and efficiency. If the sky happens to be overcast, however, and the telltale constellations are obscured from my view, thereâs little I can do. More than any other single reason, thatâs why I trust a Garmin marine GPS.
Even though I spend most of my time angling near safe, sandy beaches, I also recognize that not everyone has that luxury. Certain lakes and waterways are dangerous to negotiate in the dark, especially if a sharp rock outcropping or a piece of manmade wreckage is jutting out menacingly from the murky deep. GPS technology has the capability to identify such obstacles, alerting the captain of the boat when itâs time to be wary.