So you’ve found the perfect boat. Now you’re ready to outfit it with boating electronics. Choosing from amoung the vast array of units is great but may at times seem overwhelming.
Much will depend on the type of boater you are and the type of electronics you use in general. Can you read charts and the stars, or will you only want the best in electronic navigation? Do you plan to leave all civilization behind when on the boat or do you want a phone and email contact? Do you have a favored boat electronics brand, or would you rather cherry pick the best from several different brands? Know yourself, your boating plans, and your general attitude toward electronic gadgetry, and you’ll have an easier time choosing how to outfit your boat.
Picking the most suitable boating electronics can not only make your boating trips more fun and your fishing more productive, but it can be important to your safety as well in the event of an emergency. Learning to use your electronic equipment is equally as important as choosing it. And that means you’ll have to take the time to learn how to use the equipment whether it’s from instructional videos, manuals, or having someone show you how to use it.
Furthermore, you need to know how to use other navigation methods if your electronic navigation system fails. Knowing how to read charts and plan your course is still an important skill. With that in mind, here are 6 tips for choosing your boat electronics.
1. Amoung the boating electronics you should choose is the AIS or automatic identification system. It is used by boats and by the Vessel Traffic Services to find and identify boats. Your automatic identification system gear is the most important electronic device you’ll buy. It permitts vessels to exchange electronic information including position, identification, and course. Vessel Traffic Services stations cause your vessel to show up on computer screens if you have an AIS transponder. If you have an emergency or should become lost this is critical.
2. A GPS system is another important piece of boat electronics your boat should have. One of the more popular choices is for a multifunction display that puts several different instruments onto one screen. Mutifunction displays can even allow you to run radar, GPS and fish finder data on one screen at the same time. They are also relatively easy to expand for other functions and displays.
3. When choosing a display remember that the larger it is the better you will be able to see it. And keep in mind that on a boat, viewing conditions can be far from optimal due to sun glare, storms, and swells. You should choose at least a 7″ display, but if there is room and it will fit your budget a 10″ or 12″ will be much better.
4. If you are interested in on-board entertainment, you can coordinate your display for several peripheral boat electronics. They can be connected to satellite television receivers, DVD players, music systems, and some computer devices. These are great extras to have, but don’t get them at the expense of choosing inferior safety equipment. And make sure that all your navigation equipment is mounted where it access is easy.
5. Another good investment in the safety of your boat is a depth sounder or fishfinder. If the weather turns bad, a depth sounder combined with your GPS plotter can help get you safely back to shore.
6.There is an ever changing selection of marine electronics products made available for the boating industry. There are now laptop computers designed specifically for use in boats. These computers do what standard laptops do, but they can also be loaded with special software like RayTech RNS 6.1, which allows multi-format charting, hsb2 electronics integration, and worldwide tides and currents among its many functions.
In summary, your AIS device, GPS plotter, and depth sounder are the most critical pieces of boat electronics for your vessel because they pertain to your safety and the safety of your passengers. Have these pieces in place first, and if it’s in your budget, there are plenty of extras you can add in the way of entertainment equipment and fish finding devices that you can have fun with.