Thu 25 Mar, 2010
HTML clipboardHaving grown up at the New Jersey shore I’ve fond stories of spending long summer days on the Barnegat Bay fishing or sailing with good friends. I likewise have memories of coming back home late and having to explain I’d lost tabs on distance on the water and gone too far south. Anyone who grew up around the water can understand the challenge of getting my father and mother to believe me though it occurred over and over.
Of course, there’s no room for such a excuse these days when using the available Garmin Marine GPS units which are in the marketplace. Despite the fact that we were never out of sight of land inside the bay, you nonetheless could lose tabs on the length of time you may have drifted when doing some fishing. This problem of distance is magnified if you needed to sail back against the wind. With the new Garmin Marine GPS units you are able to determine your precise location within mere seconds.
Another excellent marine electronics unit that I would like to have had when young would have been a good fish finder. Though we were pretty good knowing where the fish would hide, our skills simply couldn’t compare with the newest fish finders on the market.
A friend recently exposed me to the ease of using an electronic fish finder. He preferred the Hummingbird fish finder units which are available in several different configurations and styles. They vary from somewhat low-cost simple fish finders to more state-of-the-art chart plotters. I recall testing similar devices many years ago when they were first presented to the market and they were pricey as well as often very hard to read. That’s not true with the modern electronics.
An additional intriguing model is the Lowrance fish finder. Needless to say anyone who has ever been around the water knows the Lowrance brand. You will find their name dressing many a radar mast on the high-priced yachts in the marina. However the Lowrance fish finder is not only inexpensive but very sensible. Just like other brands, they feature numerous products and you are simply restricted by your price range and fishing needs.
For those who have been away from the water for any length of time as I had been, you actually should take some time to look at the large variety of marine electronics that not only will increase your boating pleasure but additionally will promote your safety on the water.