GPS shopping for your boat? – 7 Tips That Make Choosing Easier (And Save You Money)
Overwhelmed by the number of options available when shopping for a marine GPS unit? These 7 tips will guide you to buy the unit that best suits your needs, but without breaking your budget.
Unit Durability – Being in the water is a very hostile environment for electronic devices, especially salt water. Water spray can enter the unit and damage components. Constant jostling and bumping while riding can loosen or damage the unit.
Readability- Where will your unit be located? If it’s on the deck, there will be many times when you try to read the unit in direct sunlight. How readable is the screen in direct sunlight? If you’re buying a unit at a retail store, ask the salesperson to take it outside so you can check performance in broad daylight.
Fixed or portable mounting – Are you primarily an inland lake and waterway fisherman? A long-distance cruise? The amount of time it is on the water, how far offshore it goes, and the amount of boat traffic are all factors that influence the decision to purchase a fixed mount unit or a handheld unit. If you are an occasional boater or fisherman, a portable unit will probably suffice for your needs. And your budget. But if you spend a lot of time offshore and for long periods of time, spend the money to buy a fixed mount unit. Also invest in an external antenna, it will improve your signal and ensure you get accurate readings.
Easy to use – When you find yourself in a critical situation, like being caught in the middle of a storm or shrouded in fog, you want to be able to plot your course with ease and not fumble around with the owner’s manual, trying to figure out how to do it. to correctly plot its course. If the GPS unit is too complicated for you to handle, don’t buy it.
Reliability- There’s nothing worse than that feeling you get when you’re trying to enter an unknown port at night and your plotter suddenly crashes. There are a number of manufacturers of marine GPS units today, so make sure you buy from a manufacturer with an excellent reputation. Talk to your local marine dealer, check with other boat owners in your marina, search Amazon reviews and boating forums.
Your navigation style – Your browsing style should determine how much you should spend and what features you need. If you’re a casual boater, a basic $200 handheld unit may be all you need to get some basic boating information. Loading speed may not be important, nor whether the screen is color or black and white. However, boaters who spend a lot of time on the water or who have a lot of money invested in their boat should look for GPS units that have more features. Independent fixed mount antenna units are recommended. Having the ability to synchronize all of your boat’s electronics can make your boating experience safer and more enjoyable.
Your budget – There is almost no limit to the amount of money you can spend on a GPS unit. The plotter/sonar combination can cost upwards of $3,000. If you’re an occasional boater or fisherman, you can usually find a perfectly adequate unit for just $200 or so. Shop around and you can find the right features at a price that won’t break your bank.