Pros and Cons of GPS on a Boat

In a car, it is more and more common to see GPS units standard. hey often come with connettivity to your smart phone for apps like Waze, etc. Is the boat market far behind? What are the pros and cons of gps units on a boat. In this video we will cover:

0:00 Intro
1:00 Pro- Comparing boats to the automotive world
2:47 Pro- Setting waypioints and charting a course
3:32 Pro- Making used boats easier to sell
4:12 Con- The can be expensive
4:37 Con- Takes up a lot of room on the dash
5:04 Con- Something to break and repair
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For more info check out these resources:

*How to get a good deal when purchasing a boat from a dealer:

*One on one boat chat to ask me questions:

*Len's Cove Learning Center:
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[boatinglessons]

Is anyone out there still using old schoold navigation like compass and charts or have you all switched to digital? Let us know here!

[ross]

GPS is so valuable when fishing late evening or early morning to know where you are on the body of water. Before GPS, I've been on a big body of water trying to get back to the boat launch after dark and it was really difficult because I couldn't see land features to get a fix on my location. There was also always the concern for hitting sandbars and large submerged boulders.

[matiasturunen]

Here in finland it is highly recommended to have analog (paper map + compass) navigation stuff in addition to electronical. You can always run out of battery

[wolfpackflt]

A GPS is a blessing while boating at night.

[robertlivingston]

If you've ever spent the night having to beech because you're lost in the fog you'll never be without one.

[jeffk]

I only use my GPS when I am fishing or in combination with my radar. I have a laptop that has all of the updated NOAA and Canadian paper charts for reference. I still have some paper charts but rarely pull them out unless I am looking for a specific area that I want to see on a full size chart. I have compass mounted above my GPS along with an electronic compass tied into the navigation system. I also have a ditch bag with a small handheld GPS, VHF radio and EPIRB.

[skinny]

I use a galaxy tab a with navionics app . The price is low and the screen is much larger than the cheaper gps units. Buy a mount, plug in to 12v and away you go

[bonsaicollector]

Hi Fella. I like your videos. Keep doing it. I am buying my first boat, It is a Cherokee 60 feet with 2 Detroit engine 1070hp, the engines sounds is fantastic, both v12 diesel, but it 1989 engines. Rebuild on 2019. I like the vintage look of the Cherokee and also the sound of the Detroit Engines too, but I do not know anything about this Detroit engines. Do you have anything to add on my knowledge about it?

[Jerry]

It also depends on the mounting. What kind of boating and where. If you’re on a boat capable of going offshore. You need to make sure that the GPS doesn’t come off its mount. That’s a common occurrence. Regardless of whether or not you have GPS. Have paper charts, a plotter, and a hand bearing compass. Electronics can fall. Always have an analog backup and practice with it. Even if you never need to use it. Better to have it and not need it than that need it and not have it.

[SuperAxmaker]

Can you recommend a gps brand for boats?

[tomzhang]

Hi Sean, I've been keeping seeing cruisers with volvo pentra engines. But i heard that volvo has been out of business or such. Does that mean i should avoid them, just like force outboards?

[alcabrera]

There's only one con and that's the price, however the benefits of having one far outweigh that con.

[scratchinforstackz]

I just use the stars to navigate on the sea

[johnx]

You usually do good, informative videos. This one seems to be an opinion piece of little merit.
Having been in the navy, having a RYA sailing skippers ticket, a coxswains ticket and also been in marine rescue for years, I can attest that although some people I have rescued have suffered navigation-software assisted incidents, they are far outweighed by the non-electronic incidents.
Buy a boat without navigation equipment - it should be cheaper than a boat with it.
Like all things, you get what you pay for. (Unless you get ripped off!)
I would say though, the biggest fail for electronic navigation incidents is not updating the charts.
Sandbanks move!
NB - with fast moving boats, paper charts and magnetic compasses aren't up to the job.

[bonsaicollector]

Hi Fella. I like your videos. Keep doing it. I am buying my first boat, It is a Cherokee 60 feet with 2 Detroit engine 1070hp, the engines sounds is fantastic, both v12 diesel, but it 1989 engines. Rebuild on 2019. I like the vintage look of the Cherokee and also the sound of the Detroit Engines too, but I do not know anything about this Detroit engines. Do you have anything to add on my knowledge about it?