Waterproof Marine GPS System
A waterproof marine GPS system usually comes in two different types. The first is the kind that is mounted on a boat and is made for people dedicated to the sport of boating and fishing in places where serious sports enthusiasts gather. The second type is the handhelds for people who fish and boat occasionally. Both Garmin and Magellan have developed some substantial equipment for extreme boating and fishing and some great handhelds for weekend adventures. While some of the models can be quite expensive, for those who are just starting out, there are less expensive and less complicated models available.
Garmin’s GPSMAP 3005C Marine Chartplotter is perfect for bass or walleye anglers and boaters who navigate smaller bodies of water, but still have to be aware of their location status at all times. It is designed to be a little easier to operate than their advanced models, but will definitely stand up to other any other waterproof marine GPS system as far as proper navigation for smaller vessels goes. This is because it features a 5” diagonal display that is easy to read in any lighting condition and is also compatible with BlueChart, MapSource and other marine map software.
In addition, the GPSMAP 3005C can be used as a secondary device for larger boats in case you decide to trade up. If you have the Garmin proprietary network on board, just connect the 3005C and it will automatically share waypoints, routes, tracks, and cartography with any other devices on board. With separately sold devices like the GDL 30, the 3005C can receive the XM WX Satellite Weather data service which provides more than 15 different types of graphical weather information. This includes animated Nexrad weather radar with forecasts of pressure, visibility, precipitation, wind, waves, and sea surface temperatures. All of this information is directly loaded onto the display of the 3005C.
Priced at about $800 or so, this may be the right device for someone who is starting out with a more substantial boat, but Garmin wants to get everyone involved in outdoor water sports, so they have developed a lower-priced, handheld, waterproof marine GPS system for anyone who is a little more casual when they go out on the water.
The Garmin GPS 76 is a user-friendly, handheld GPS device equipped with WAAS capabilities that is great for marine use on the weekends or while on vacation. It has 1MB of internal use memory which can be used for storing points of interest like a favorite part of a local lake or a new boating ramp. This feature is in addition to the preloaded city maps and nautical navigation aids such as lights, buoys, sound signals, tide data, and day beacons for quite a bit of the United States. The GPS 76 has a display screen that is 1.6″ x 2.2”, which is perfect for a handheld this size. While it is waterproof, it also comes with a water-resistant case, so it will keep working even if lands in water. Plus, if it goes overboard completely, it floats on the water so it can be retrieved.
Not to be outdone by the competition, Magellan also has a handheld, waterproof marine GPS system they have created for recreational boaters. The Magellan Explorist 500 GPS is similar to the Garmin GPS 76, but it also features storage of up to 20 routes, 500 points of interest & five track files with 2,000 track points each. It also claims to have GPS accuracy within three meters and floats if it lands in the water.
To sum it up, it doesn’t matter how much you spend on GPS marine systems to enjoy the outdoors. Most GPS developers will agree that while they do offer well-appointed and higher-end equipment for people who can afford it, the main consumer they are trying to reach are the weekend warriors who can really benefit from a reasonably priced GPS system.
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