Boating Law Facts

Sense you have found the perfect boat. Now you’re ready to outfit it with boat electronicsYou have a huge array of choices, which is good, but it may seem to make it confusing choosing from within them. Much will depend on the type of boater you are and the type of electronics you use in general. Do you know how to read charts and stars, or do you only want the latest in electronic equipment? 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? Knowing your own attitude toward electronics, your preferred type of boating and type of boat will make an easier time of choosing your electronics outfitting.

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. Choosing the right equipment is the first step, but learning to use it properly is equally as important. 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.

Besides, you should know how to navigate by other means in the event of your electronics failing. Knowing how to read navigational charts and plan your route is still a required skill. With that in mind, here are 6 tips for choosing your boat electronics.

1.      The boat electronics you should choose should be an automatic identification system, or AIS. Its purpose is for Vessel Traffic Services to find and broadcast the identity of boats. Your automatic identification system gear is the most important electronic device you’ll own. It allows 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 popular option is a multifunction GPS/plotter, which puts multiple functions into one device. Such multifunction machines can even allow you to run radar and fishfinder data through one display. They are also quite easy to expand for other devises and displays.

3.If you have a choice of display size, remember that the bigger it is, the easier it will be to view. 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.When there is an interest in onboard entertainment you may want to coordinate your mutifunction display for several perifheral electronic devises. Other devises like satelite recievers, computers, DVD players and music systems can be connected. These are great extras to have, but don’t get them at the expense of choosing inferior safety equipment. Be sure to mount your navigation equipment in an easily accessed area on the helm.

5.      A depth sounder is another good investment in the safety of your boat. 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 normal laptops do, but they can also be equipped 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, GPS plotter, your AIS device, and depth sounder are the most important pieces of marine electronics for your boat because they pertain to your safety and the safety of your passengers. After having these devises in place first, and if it’s in your budget, there are plenty of extras you can include in the way of entertainment equipment and fish finding devices that you can have fun with.

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