That’s where Garmin Spy pole comes into play. Having Spy pole on board helps increase your chances of a catch. Plus, the Garmin live sonar pole connects with both your Garmin chartplotter and the Garmin Force® trolling motor so you can control more of your boat and use your Garmin LiveScope system to its fullest potential.

Let’s breakdown the benefits of having Spy pole on your boat for even better fishing.

1. Independent positioning

Stay locked in on fish and worry less about maintaining your position. Thanks to built-in True Motion technology, keep your true position without losing sight of your next catch.

If you’re locked in on a certain brush pile or school of fish, you can trust that your trolling motor will work to maintain ideal heading position while your Spy pole and LiveScope show you where the fish are in real time with SpyLock.

2. Seamless integration

When you have both a Garmin chartplotter and trolling motor, Spy pole is an ideal addition. The trio allows you to control your LiveScope pole directly from your chartplotter for a simplified, performance-driven outing. When paired, take advantage of predefined modes such as SpyLock to lock your LiveScope on a point of interest and SpyScan to oscillate the pole as you search for fish and structure.

Plus, Spy pole can mirror the speed and mount direction of your Force trolling motor in SpyLink mode. Traditionally done with a LiveScope transducer, users can scan the underwater world with their trolling motor remote and foot pedal. Even when your anchor lock is set, use the Force foot pedal to control your pole. 

With a Garmin live sonar pole, GPS integration results in clear imagery and precise structure position.

3. Advanced sonar imagery

With Spy pole, there’s no excuse for not having the full picture. When you mount the GT360UHD transducer to your Spy pole, see 360-sonar 3D and 2D images with OneVü. With views all around, scan and store the equivalent of up to 120 yards of sonar imagery – the size of a football field. When viewing imagery on your Garmin chartplotter, customize the color, dial in the settings, and engage auto, manual or constant scans depending on your preference.

4. Ultimate control

Whether you’re casting your line or surveying a bank or channel, remain in control in most situations. Have the choice of hands-free fishing with the gesture remote and wireless foot controls. Attach your gesture remote to your rod or hold it and point your Spy pole in the direction you prefer to scan.

If you prefer hands-free control, Spy pole includes a low-profile foot control. To switch up your views as you hold onto your rod, change the position of the Spy pole by shifting the weight of your foot.

When you’re on the move, anglers can troll and scan simultaneously with independent control of their trolling motor.

For every angler and every catch, Spy pole should be your next upgrade. Learn more about Garmin LiveScope and other marine electronic offerings so you can be up to date on all thing’s live sonar.

The post 4 benefits to having Spy pole on your boat appeared first on Garmin Blog.

ActiveCaptain Community has grown into a valuable resource and a friend to boaters everywhere, amassing more than 176,000 independent reviews of marinas, points of interest, places to drop anchor, potential hazards, bridges, dams, boat ramps and more. Users can also provide photos along with their written reviews, painting an even clearer picture of what you may encounter.

Whether you’re a cruiser, sailor, angler or even a passenger, Sharing the Experience^® is made possible with access to user-left information and by providing your own comments and reviews through the ActiveCaptain^® app and ActiveCaptain Community online.

Here’s a breakdown of all you can do when you’re connected to fellow boaters through ActiveCaptain Community.

Plan the perfect trip

Before stepping foot on the boat, familiarize yourself with potential locations using ratings, reviews and user-submitted photos on your compatible Garmin chartplotter and ActiveCaptain app. Community input makes it easier to determine where you want to stop and where you want to explore.

Find information on the water

If you find yourself making an unexpected pit stop or wanting to change course in the middle of a trip, use ActiveCaptain Community to discover new places to visit and local marinas with an available slip or mooring.

If you’re looking for information on marinas, anchorages or waterfront services, click on the markers to see user reviews and ratings. If you’re changing your route, click on nearby markers with user-left comments for information on potential hazards, boat ramps, dams and more.

Take a look at what some of our users have said in the ActiveCaptain Community:

• Wormley Creek Marina 5-star review: “A little slice of heaven. We loved seeing the gorgeous sunsets and the coast guard going out. The entire staff was so friendly and helpful!”
• Pinckney Island: “Very comfortable anchorage with good holding. Current is minimal. Entrance to Mackey Creek from Port Royal Sound was 5 feet at mid tide, depth quickly improved. Very quiet with only a few other smaller boats passing during the day.”
• Glover Bight 5-star review: “Tied to the pier with a stern anchor out and explored the park for 1/2 a day. Rotary Park was great and FREE: nature center with snakes, fish, salamanders, butterflies, lots of trails, lookout towers, dog park and places to stop and rest or use the exercise stations.”

Provide your own boating insights

Chances are you’ve gained some unique insights during your time on the water and can help other boaters in your area. You don’t have to share all your secrets, but maybe there’s a spot where you always buy your live bait or a boat launch upstream that’s easier to use if you have a larger truck. If so, share your experiences with other mariners by leaving your own reviews and comments.

Ready to join the community? Learn more about the ActiveCaptain Community and its offerings.

The post How to connect with other boaters using ActiveCaptain Community appeared first on Garmin Blog.

That’s where Garmin digital switching and integrations come in. This technology can give you the smart-home experience ­on a boat. You can reduce your reliance on traditional switches, circuit breakers and fuses by integrating digital controls and monitoring into your boat. In other words, you can view and operate all your onboard electrical functions right from your chartplotter screen or compatible smartphone — all while keeping your helm crisp and clean.

Garmin offers three solutions based on where you are in your boat-ownership journey, whether that’s updating the boat you already own and love or are purchasing a new one.

Garmin Boat Switch

If you are looking to design a modern boating experience, without the complexity of customer configurations or graphics, you’ll want a Garmin Boat Switch. It’s a simple solution that comes preconfigured to add digital switching to operate onboard electrical functions.

Boat Switch comes with a preconfigured module, harness and pre-labeled connectors with 18” flying leads for easy setup by your  professional installer. It replaces your fuse box and physical switches, and it communicates via the NMEA 2000^® network to control up to 20 circuits from the screen on your GPSMAP^® or ECHOMAP^® chartplotter.

When you’ve assigned customizable switch names to on-off toggle switches, such as nav lights and bilge pumps, you’ll be able to control switch behaviors directly on your touchscreen. Adjust your interior lights with press-and-hold dimmers and control horns through momentary switches. You also get built-in tank sender detection and calibration for up to 4 tanks, such as fuel, freshwater, graywater, blackwater or livewell. Boat Switch includes a built-in livewell timer that automatically cycles your pump to keep water fresh for your catch while reducing continuous runtime to help extend pump life. Plus, monitor analog voltage on your house and start battery, as well as bilge pump operations. And, of course, you have the option to still use physical switches for backup. It’s your boat — now even smarter.

Garmin EmpirBus Systems

Building a new boat offers the greatest opportunities to create the most connected and smart-boat experience on the water with digital Garmin EmpirBus systems, which include digital integration, controls, monitoring, automation and custom graphics. You can work with your manufacturer to make sure your new boat functions exactly how you want it to, with next-level setups that include sensor alerts and system monitoring. Plus, customized automated modes help set the onboard mood or enhance boater peace of mind with easy-to-control security systems when cruising, fishing, relaxing and docking.

If you have a fishing boat, you may need automated controls of livewells and outrigger control. On cruisers and sailboats, you can add more automations akin to smart-home functionality — including grouping lights and monitoring system data. You can even tailor your light settings to automatically change based on time of day.

In each case, you’re gaining a boatload of control over your vessel. From your MFD, you can control a full array of exterior lights, cabin temperature, pumps and more. Control a full array of interior features as well as entertainment, security, mechanical and electrical systems. You can even extend control beyond the helm by using the ActiveCaptain^® app on a compatible mobile device within Wi-Fi^® range of your MFD, or add a conveniently placed keypad in the salon for quick access. Plus, you can add physical buttons to your most critical features, so you have redundancy for peace of mind. And if you need multiple screens or system access points on your boat, think about networking in the TD 50 touchscreen display as a companion instrument for access around your vessel — not just at the helm.

Have a third-party input device such as a steering wheel with input keys? No problem. The EmpirBus Connect 50 allows for third-party inputs to be programmed as remote input devices for chartplotters. It can be programmed to a variety of functions, including favorite keys, function-specific keys, media controls and complete display navigation — all seamlessly integrated within your Garmin system and compatible OneHelm ecosystem.

OnDeck Hub

Controlling your boat from anywhere just got easier. With the Garmin OnDeck Hub, you’ll have access to your boat’s data right on your mobile device. Whether you’re on board or somewhere on shore, receive text alerts¹ and updates about the status of your boat through the free ActiveCaptain app and an active subscription to an OnDeck plan.

When you’ve downloaded the ActiveCaptain app, enable alarm notifications for real-time monitoring of your boat. See boat battery, bilge activity, shore power, temperature changes and more right from your smartphone. Plus, take control of switches on board with the OnDeck hub and ActiveCaptain app. Users can manage up to 5 relay switches and critical onboard systems, such as battery chargers, ice makers and more.  

To track the movement and security of your boat, the built-in internal GPS sensor is updated every 15 or 30 minutes. If your boat has moved outside of the geofenced area, you will receive text alerts. 

Whether you’re designing a new boat for your future adventures, or you’re adding capability to your existing vessel, Garmin has solutions that will help you get the most enjoyment from your boat-ownership experience — and it’s all just a few touches away.

Learn more about Garmin marine products, and see how to make the most of your time on the water.

_{¹An active subscription plan is required. Both OnDeck Hub and user’s compatible smartphone or tablet must have connectivity via Wi-Fi or 3G/4G (or above) network. See cellular coverage area for OnDeck. NMEA is a registered trademark of the National Marine Electronics Association.}

_{NMEA is a registered trademark of the National Marine Electronics Association.}

The post Digital switching: Your one-stop shop to control all your boat’s systems appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Whether you have a saltwater cruiser, center console fishing boat or sailing yacht, there’s a Garmin marine autopilot system for you. Here’s a breakdown of autopilots that Garmin offers.

What do Reactor autopilot systems offer?

No matter the vessel you have, every Reactor 40 autopilot is easy to calibrate and set up. Plus, they offer a lineup of essential features to help ensure smooth sailing.

With its built-in, solid-state 9-axis attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), your marine autopilot system will gather precise orientation and course guidance, while also conserving power. So when you’re pitching and rolling, your autopilot will be able to help react to varying water conditions and help stay the course.

Pair your Garmin chartplotter or GHC 50 autopilot instrument for advanced control at the helm. You have the option to add additional Garmin devices, such as a Reactor autopilot remote or a quatix® smartwatch, for wireless control from any spot on your vessel.

All our autopilot systems include additional powerboat and sailing features when connected to a compatible Garmin chartplotter. These features include heading hold and step turns as well as wind hold and tack/jibe (for sailing only) when paired with a wind sensor. For route planning, use our Auto Guidance+ technology¹.  

 For sailboats or powerboats

Reactor 40 hydraulic: You own a high-performance powerboat or sailboat that has a hydraulic steering system and want a premium autopilot. If that’s the case, then let this Reactor 40 corepack be your companion.

Among standard Garmin autopilot features, the Reactor 40 hydraulic system has Shadow Drive technology so you can take control by disengaging the autopilot when you turn your wheel. 

The Reactor 40 hydraulic corepack is compatible with other pumps in various sizes, including 1.2-liter and 2-liter, suited for smaller vessels with a hydraulic steering system.

Reactor 40 steer-by-wire standard corepack: Perfect for large center console vessels or yachts, this system is designed for boats with steer-by-wire steering, including SeaStar Optimus systems, YANMAR Marine ZT370 sterndrive electronic power steering systems and ZF 2800 pod drives. If you have a Viking yacht or a yacht with a Yamaha® Helm Master® system or Volvo Penta® inboard performance system, we have a pack for that too.

Reactor 40 mechanical/retrofit/solenoid corepack: Built for large vessels or sailboats with mechanical steering systems, this autopilot corepack supports heading hold, wind hold, step turns and tack/jibe modes.

Depending on the size and operational functions of your sailboat, choose between Class A, Class B compact or Class B drive units. To prevent rudder stops while sailing and receive rudder feedback position information, add the GRF 10 rudder feedback sensor. 

For small motorboats

Compact Reactor 40: Small boats need autopilot systems too. Feature-heavy like bigger autopilot systems, the compact reactor 40 helps ensure excellent navigation on single-engine outboard boats less than 25’. You’ll also have the option of disengaging your autopilot with Shadow Drive technology.

Reactor 40 kicker autopilot: If you have a boat with a small gasoline outboard motor with up to 25 horsepower, this kicker autopilot is built for your vessel. With an easy-to-read handheld remote for user control, control throttle settings when you’re changing speeds or coming up on fish and moorings.

Take boating to the next level and let Garmin lend you an extra hand. Find your companion by exploring our lineup of autopilot systems or checking out the Garmin autopilot guide to find the right set up for your boat.

_{¹Auto Guidance is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations}

The post What autopilot system to choose for your boat appeared first on Garmin Blog.

If you’re a mariner looking for equipment to inspire confidence on the water, look no further. Made for captains and passengers, the Garmin OnBoard system is for marine enthusiasts looking for added awareness and man overboard alerts while enjoying their aquatic adventure.

Why choose the Garmin OnBoard system?

To boat with peace of mind, confidence in getting your crew from point A to point B is key. The Garmin OnBoard system can help you focus on the adventure ahead instead of worrying about the journey to your destination.

The Garmin OnBoard system is a simple, topside solution for captain and passenger peace of mind. Instead of traditional tethered cords, this system comes with MOB tags that can be worn on the wrist or on a carabiner by both the captain and the passengers, helping to enhance boater awareness while on the water.  

Boating with added awareness using MOB tags

The MOB tags can be designated as either the passenger or captain on your compatible chartplotter to trigger the appropriate action if someone were to fall overboard.

When the tag loses connection with the vessel, both captain and passenger tags will prompt an audible alarm on compatible GPSMAP® or ECHOMAP chartplotters and the hub. Plus, a waypoint will be marked at the location the tag was last on the vessel. If the tag designated as “captain” falls overboard, engine power will be cutoff to avoid a ghost boat.

If you have a larger group aboard, no worries —  up to 8 tags can be paired to the system. And if those on board choose to enjoy the water or venture out on excursions, the tags can be disabled temporarily.

Rely on long-lasting battery performance throughout boating season. Each tag exceeds a single season of operation for extended captain and passenger protection.

Boat confidently and tag what matters. Learn more about boating best practices from Garmin by checking out our blog.

The post How Garmin OnBoard can help you boat with peace of mind appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Depth finders are a valuable feature for anyone hitting the water, but which one is best for your small boat? Keep reading to learn more about Garmin chartplotters and fishfinders that can show you the depth — and a whole lot more.

Why choose a Garmin chartplotter or fishfinder?

Most boat owners want more than just depth data. That’s where Garmin comes in. If you’re looking for a depth finder, Garmin has incorporated the depth-finding feature into all chartplotters and fishfinders.

Fishfinders are most helpful for locating fish and seeing bottom structure. Chartplotters display a visual map of the body of water you’re on with topographic lines that show bottom contours. You can use this to home in on certain fishing depths or know which areas of the lake you want to avoid entirely due to shallow water.

Plus, Garmin chartplotters and fishfinders are designed with the modern boat owner in mind. From johnboats to bass boats, they blend seamlessly into every helm style and are available in different sizes to accommodate all layouts.

Take into consideration where you’ll be fishing and what other features you need, such as sonar, when deciding which Garmin chartplotter or fishfinder will suit your needs. 

Chartplotters and fishfinders with depth finders

Between our compact and portable STRIKER fishfinders and feature-heavy GPSMAP^® or ECHOMAP chartplotters, there is a device fit for every need, every adventure and every skill level.

Good

If you just want to know depth, the Garmin STRIKER 4 is a great start. Beyond depth, you also get an easy-to-use 3.5” color screen with traditional sonar and a high-sensitivity GPS to help you navigate. Built-in CHIRP sonar provides clear images of fish and bottom structure, so you’ll have a better idea of where to cast your line. Plus, use this fishfinder year round to see what’s near your line when you’re ice fishing.

Better

For even more features or a bigger display, the Garmin STRIKER Vivid series offers displays from 4” to 9”. In addition to showing you the depth, this fishfinder supports ClearVü, SideVü and traditional sonar technology for an enhanced view of what’s beneath the water.

Best

Packed with features and preloaded Navionics^® mapping on select units, the ECHOMAP Ultra 2 series is a great choice. See fish and structure on an even bigger screen with display options ranging from 10” to 16”. Select models have built-in CHIRP traditional sonar as well as ClearVü and SideVü. Plus, this ECHOMAP series supports LiveScope live-scanning sonar for anglers who need the best fish-finding technology.

For better fishing, explore our full lineup of Garmin chartplotters and fishfinders.

The post What’s the best depth finder for your small boat? appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Since he first held a rod, Justin Hamner knew his life’s mission was to fish professionally.

Hamner spent much of his childhood fishing for bluegill in nearby ponds with his dad and grandpa in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Proving his talent early on, Justin and his dad won their first fishing tournament together when Justin was just 7 years old.

“From then on, that’s all I thought about,” Hamner said.

As Justin got older and his passion for the sport grew, he began competing in junior Bassmaster tournaments and won three state championships. These tournaments introduced him to competitive freshwater fishing and gave him the opportunity to fish alongside many of his childhood heroes. 

“At the time, Bassmaster was taking each state champion and had a Junior World Championship. You got to fish with an Elite Series Pro for that world championship,” Hamner said. “So, that brought me into the professional bass fishing world.”

With support from his wife and Justin’s own drive and determination, he continued to hone in on his craft and keep his eyes set on larger competitions. But the road to becoming a pro was no easy feat.

LiveScope comes into play

Justin worked two jobs to save enough money to compete in his first open. After months of preparation and grueling hours spent mowing lawns and pouring concrete, Justin was the first angler to miss the Bassmaster Elite Series cut for the following season.

“That stung. It hurt a lot,” Hamner said. “I almost didn’t even try the next year because we didn’t have any money, and I didn’t want to put the family at more of a risk than we already were.”

Justin persisted and the next year, after more time on the water and Garmin LiveScope live-scanning sonar on board, he qualified.

“I remember we were fishing, and one of [Patrick Walters] friends told us he had LiveScope on his boat. Patrick threw his shaky head by a tree, and we watched the shaky head go down the worm and just looked at each other,” Hamner said. “That night, both of us ordered one.”

Justin was already targeting fish by using suspending lures, such as jerkbaits, before having LiveScope on his boat. But, with Garmin tech on board, he was shocked to unlock new fishing spots on lakes he had fished for years. He was equally surprised to discover unexpected fish patterns.

“[LiveScope] was breaking the mold of what everybody thought fish did,” Hamner said. “We were just scratching the surface. There were way more fish out there, and they were not doing what we thought they were doing.”

Transformative technology

Justin credits LiveScope with transforming him from a competitive angler to an elite one. The key to becoming elite: being efficient and continuously learning. During the offseason, Justin said he’s constantly covering water, learning about seasonal baits and studying fish patterns.

“The amount of time I’ve spent with LiveScope learning everything I can about it and everything about fish just enhances your knowledge of what fish do, how they react to certain baits and ultimately, how to catch them,” Hamner said.

With live sonar, Justin said he spends a lot less time guessing whether a fish active or not.  He’s also able to quickly identify unproductive fishing areas, known as dead water, in tournaments.

“They might have been here in practice, but after 15 minutes into the tournament day, I can tell if these fish are sitting on the bottom, not wanting to chase,” Hamner said.

Plus, Justin said he spends a lot of time marking waypoints and planning his spots with the help of Garmin mapping before any big tournament.

When it comes to trolling a bank or a channel, Justin uses his Garmin trolling motor and its reverse feature to sneak up on fish.

“Instead of having to loop around, come back and waste all that time trying to set up, you see it, and you can immediately stop and position yourself how you need to be,” Hamner said. “That just makes you way more efficient.”

In the grass-filled waters of Alabama, hitting the reverse to knock grass off his Force® Pro trolling motor is a bonus.

For Justin, Garmin technology didn’t completely change the way he fished. Instead, he used it to enhance his already stacked skill set. He said the moment he saw LiveScope in action, he knew it was going to be revolutionary.

No matter the experience level, Garmin LiveScope is for every angler. Don’t wait to get your hands on the tool that takes anglers from good to great.

_{Justin Hamner is a Garmin-sponsored pro.}

The post Becoming an elite angler with Garmin appeared first on Garmin Blog.

If you’re looking to add a Garmin radar to your vessel but want to learn more about radar imagery first, keep reading as we break down key features.

How it works

Garmin boat radars use electromagnetic radio waves to detect objects, landforms, weather cells and more. A wave is sent out at the speed of light, hits a target and is reflected back toward the radar. It’s then processed and shows up on your compatible Garmin MFD screen.

Garmin GMR Fantom radars with built-in MotionScope technology use the Doppler effect to detect and highlight targets ranging from 20’ up to 96 nautical miles. Targets will appear in different colors, depending on the direction in which the target is moving. MotionScope technology helps boaters avoid collisions with other vessels as well as find flocks of birds and track hazardous weather.

Plus, with pulse compression technology and 8-bit true color imagery, see higher resolution targets with increased separation.

Reading basic radar images

There are many different radar features that help you see your surroundings. Keep a close eye on each of these images to gain a better understanding of what’s around you.

Target size: Adjust target size for better separation on your screen.

Dynamic auto gain: The dynamic auto gain feature will automatically adjust your gain to filter out noise from environmental factors. You can also manually adjust the gain with a higher gain giving you a longer but narrower view. Lower gain will have shorter reach but allows you to see more of your surrounding view.

• Auto bird gain: The auto bird gain feature will adjust the gain level to best locate birds at the water’s surface, perfect for finding fish.
• Dynamic sea filter: Automatically filter your image to eliminate small, close waves and water so you primarily see boats, channel markers and other targets. Sea clutter can improve target visibility particularly in medium and rough sea conditions.
• Rain clutter: To better navigate and follow traffic targets through rainstorms, the rain clutter filter adjustment will reduce what weather is showing up on your radar so targets remain visible.

Echo trails: Visible targets will appear with a colored trail behind them so you’re aware of what direction other vessels are moving in to avoid a collision.

Reading advanced radar images

If you’re looking for advanced ways to monitor, target and navigate your surroundings, check out these additional Garmin radar imagery features.

Dual range with overlay: The dual range with overlay feature shows split-screen images for both close and long range. Plus, dual range capabilities support chart overlay, so you can layer radar images on top of your navigation chart.

MARPA target tracking: This feature allows you to track up to 30 nearby targets. When you’ve selected a target to track, it will appear with a green ring around it and a dashed green line indicating its projected target and GPS heading. When a target gets within range of your vessel, a red ring, alarm and message banner will notify you so you can change your course.

Cross-talk rejection: To prevent ghost images, cross-talk rejection eliminates interference from other nearby radar sources, giving you a more accurate image.

Alerts and markers: To help avoid potential collisions, variable range markers (VRM) and electronic bearing lines (EBL) give distance and bearing to vessels and land structures. Once you’ve set the desired zone around your vessel, you’ll receive an alert when you move too close.

Protect your boat and vessels around you with a Garmin radar. Learn more about Garmin radar offerings and find a radar that fits your vessel.

The post Understanding your Garmin marine radar appeared first on Garmin Blog.

If you’re a new user, keep reading as we tackle some common ActiveCaptain questions.

How do I get started with the ActiveCaptain app?

To use the ActiveCaptain app, insert your dedicated ActiveCaptain SD card into your chartplotter. Then connect the ActiveCaptain app with your chartplotter through Wi-Fi® connectivity. Pair with a Bluetooth® connection to receive smart notifications on your chartplotter. For integration across your boat, ActiveCaptain can wirelessly keep your vessel updated with the latest charts, software and more.

How can I use ActiveCaptain app for my charts?

To download your charts, zoom into the area you want to see, and your purchased charts will appear. If you want to explore an area you don’t have a chart for, zoom in and you’ll be shown charts that are available for purchase. With your purchase of  Garmin Navionics+  or Garmin Navionics Vision+ mapping, you’ll have access to 1 year of updates. You can manage your subscription in the ActiveCaptain app by navigating to My Charts.

Once you’ve set up the app, access and wirelessly update your charts on your mobile device and directly to your chartplotter with the OneChart feature. Access your charts and plan routes from anywhere, no matter if you’re at home or on the water.

How can I plan my routes and trips on ActiveCaptain?

Planning your routes is not only time efficient but it also makes navigating a bit easier. When you’ve downloaded Garmin Navionics+ charts to your mobile device or chartplotter, use Auto Guidance+ technology¹  to receive a suggested path to your desired location. Using your preferred depth and overhead clearance as well as chart data and frequently traveled routes, Auto Guidance+ technology calculates a path that leads you through channels, inlets and more. The suggested route is easy to edit if you want to add a stop along the way or make additional adjustments.

When manually creating a route, plot waypoints along your desired route in the app. Sync the route from the app to your chartplotter and navigate to your destination with ease.

When you connect ActiveCaptain to your chartplotter, your data is automatically synced to both devices. This allows you to edit routes and waypoints in the ActiveCaptain app or your chartplotter for a seamless experience.  

How can I share experiences with other boaters using ActiveCaptain?

See photos, read reviews and share information about marinas, hazards and points of interest when you join the ActiveCaptain Community through the ActiveCaptain app. With access to other boaters’ reviews and images, you can plan better for any trip or excursion. When paired with your chartplotter, access community information straight from your display.

The Quickdraw Contours feature helps you create your own custom maps with contours and depth labels from the transducer onboard. When you take part in the free Garmin Quickdraw Community, you can download a community chart with input from other boaters. Depth data coming from numerous sources can influence the detail on the fishing maps for everyone’s benefit.

To share contours to the Quickdraw community from ActiveCaptain, sync your plotter with the ActiveCaptain app and enable the “contribute to community” toggle. Your depth contributions will automatically be shared with other users.

Can I remotely monitor and control my boat with ActiveCaptain?

With integrated connectivity through the Garmin OnDeck system, control various switches on your boat virtually anywhere. When you pair the ActiveCaptain app with the hub, you’ll be able to track boat movement; monitor your boat’s battery power, bilge activity, shore power and more through smartphone alerts; and control critical switches onboard.

Stay posted on the status of your boat with the help of Garmin OnDeck.

With a Garmin chartplotter on board, stay up to date on the latest software changes, navigate your favorite routes and explore with ease when you download the ActiveCaptain app. If you don’t have a Garmin chartplotter, check out the Navionics® Boating app.

_{¹Auto Guidance is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations}

The post Common questions from new ActiveCaptain users appeared first on Garmin Blog.

The updates help ensure that mariners can navigate their desired routes easily and efficiently with updated shorelines, docks and marinas. Plus, more marked hazards and detailed navigational aids such as buoys and lights make for even better cruising.

What’s new?

Fishing chart updates: With depth data from user sonar logs and targeted survey activities, it’s likely Garmin added a few of your favorite fishing spots to charts. In 2025, sonar logs integrated into Garmin fishing maps exceeded 12 million.

Relief shading: Sonar data, surveys and crowdsourced depth data are continually processed to improve the relief shading overlay and provide boaters with enhanced detail through quarterly updates. With the influx data from all over the world, high-resolution relief shading images are enhanced to better show underwater structure and overall bottom landscape.

Labels and navaids: Cruise with better situational awareness from improvements including concise and clear labels and navaids for enhanced navigation. Labels became increasingly readable with limited clutter while navaids included new and updated symbols, enriched information, and improved visibility of lights and light sectors.

Other notable mentions include:

• Approximately 111,800 miles (about 180,000 kilometers) of coastline updates
• More than 15,000 Notice to Mariner updates
• Upwards of 16,000 electronic navigation chart (ENC) updates
• Almost 700 new paper charts

See the latest updates to marine mapping and view our most recent charts to find the right navigation tool for you. 

Get daily updates, detailed charts and high-resolution imagery with a Garmin Navionics+ or Garmin Navionics Vision+ subscription. For Garmin chartplotter users, purchase a new chart and receive a 1-year renewable subscription. Select chartplotters have preinstalled Garmin Navionics+ charts. Download the ActiveCaptain® app on your compatible mobile device or download our Garmin Express software on a computer to keep your charts up to date. For non-Garmin chartplotter users, Navionics+ and premium Navionics Platinum+ can be purchased. To access charts without a chartplotter, check out the feature-packed Navionics® Boating app.

Download your desired Garmin charts with improved coastal and lake mapping today. Enhanced navigation and smooth sailing is on the horizon.

_{¹Based on 2024 sales}

The post Marine chart updates exceed 12 million in 2025 appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Luckily, Garmin has a lineup of dedicated sailing instruments purpose-built to provide sailors with the wind data they need to be successful. Whether you’re new or have limited marine electronics on your boat, here’s what you need to start reading the wind.

For the wind

gWind Wireless 2 transducer

To navigate and improve sail trim for increased speed on the water, the Garmin gWind Wireless 2 transducer gives you the wind data you need. For true wind speed and angle readings while sailing, this transducer takes the wind relative to your boat (aka, apparent wind) and sends that data via ANT® connection to your paired compatible Garmin GPSMAP® chartplotter and GNX Wind instrument. Your chartplotter will then calculate true wind using the apparent wind readings from the transducer and the heading, boat speed and other metrics from your onboard display.

Performing best at low wind speeds, the transducer determines wind speed data based on the spin of the three-bladed propeller. The faster it spins, the higher the wind speed. When determining the angle of the wind, the twin-fin moves to the side that the wind is pushing against. Position your boat for its highest efficiency with this data in hand. 

Plus, the wireless option creates an easy-to-install solution for eliminating wires through the masts up to 50’.

GNX Wind

GNX Wind is a reliable and mighty wind instrument, perfect for 20’-40’ sailboats with limited wind systems onboard. It is NMEA 2000® compatible and displays highly visible wind data from any angle. With a lens purpose-built to avoid fogging and with easy-to-read digits, see both true and apparent wind through the digital wind rose, Steer Pilot, boat speed and more in all lighting conditions.

Plus, see true and apparent wind speed and angles as well as true wind direction, boat speed, speed over ground, heading and more on the display screen.

GNX Wired/Wireless Sail Pack 52

To make confident decisions when it comes to adjusting your sails, the bundled GNX Wired or Wireless Sail Pack 52 includes instruments for both wind and water data to provide sailors with a comprehensive overview of wind data at a high level of accuracy. The bundle includes a gWind wired or wireless transducer, the easy-to-read GNX 20 instrument display and an AIRMAR® DST810 thru-hull transducer that provides heel/trim and pitch/roll inputs using water depth, boat speed and temperature with altitude sensing. Data is provided to the NMEA 2000 network, GNX 20  and the GNX Wind marine instrument, which displays metrics on an easy-to-see screen.

To see wind metrics no matter where you are on your boat, stream data from the GNX Wind instrument to your quatix® marine smartwatch. When you add a GPSMAP chartplotter to the onboard network, you will also get additional features such as advanced wind gauges and graphs, polar data, laylines and more.

Get to where you’re going with ease when you have the proper Garmin marine electronics. For more wind instruments, browse our full collection of sailing equipment.

_{NMEA®, NMEA 2000®, and the NMEA 2000 logo are registered trademarks of the National Marine Electronics Association.}

The post Reading the wind for improved sailing with Garmin appeared first on Garmin Blog.

Whether you’re fishing a lake or cruising through coastal waters, having detail-rich mapping is vital when exploring inland and offshore. Both Garmin Navionics+ and premium Garmin Navionics Vision+ can be a great choice for any marine adventure with all-in-one navigation charts that boast extensive coverage areas.

Plot your course with the world’s #1 marine mapping solution¹ on your compatible chartplotter. You can choose the standard option, Garmin Navionics+, or go for the premium Garmin Navionics Vision+ for additional features. Below, we’ll break down the difference.

Benefits of Garmin Navionics+

With Garmin Navionics+ marine and lake mapping, mariners receive integrated Garmin and Navionics nautical charts with coastal waters, lakes, rivers and more for your chartplotter. It also includes built-in Auto Guidance+ technology² that provides boaters with optimal suggested dock-to-dock paths that take into consideration chart data and frequently traveled routes as well as desired depth and overhead clearance set by the user.

Garmin Navionics+ gives you options to adjust your display, including shallow water shading, depth range shading and up to 1’ contours. Using user-defined depth, you’ll see a clear view of shallow areas to avoid. If you’re wanting to zone in on specific depth for fishing or navigation, you can set up to 10 color-shaded options at user-defined depth levels.

Because having up-to-date mapping is essential to decision-making on the water, view thousands of daily chart content updates with a 1-year marine chart subscription. Plus, join fellow boaters on the ActiveCaptain^® Community to see popular points of interest, recommendations and advice from boaters who frequent the area you plan to explore.

Benefits of Garmin Navionics Vision+

Premium Garmin Navionics Vision+ mapping comes with a more robust collection of downloadable charts and advanced features.

Layers for advanced navigation include high-resolution relief shading and satellite imagery. Perfect for inland and coastal adventures, relief shading gives boaters an easy-to-interpret clear view of depths and bottom structure. See a realistic view of your surroundings for increased situational awareness when viewing satellite imagery.

Garmin Navionics Vision+ includes aerial and surface photos for an above-water view of ports, bridges, docks, navigational landmarks and more when clicking on the photo icon.  You can also access side scan images of fallen timber, fish attractors, wrecks and potential hazards georeferenced on the chart.

For 3D views from differing perspectives, switch to Mariner Eye for topside imagery and FishEye 3D views for below waterline imagery depicting bottom and contours.

You can see bottom hardness and submerged features by viewing the sonar imagery overlay. If you’re fishing select lakes, see subtle and dramatic transition areas in contrasting color.

For more accurate depth data, dynamic lake level allows users to adjust maps to reflect current water levels and shorelines. This is helpful when navigating through inland waters, such as reservoirs, where the water levels may fluctuate.

Check out Garmin chart options and choose the Garmin Navionics+ or Garmin Navionics Vision+ plan you need. The included 1-year subscription means you can easily keep your charts updated via a Garmin Express account or the ActiveCaptain app.

_{¹Based on 2024 reported sales}

_{²Auto Guidance technology is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations}

The post Benefits of having Navionics mapping on your boat appeared first on Garmin Blog.