A look under your boat: Sonar made simple

For eyes above and below your boat, the GSD 22 is an all-star co-pilot. This digital sounder provides high-speed data returns and super-crisp detail that will lead you to your next big fish. Compatible with many Garmin chartplotters, the data from the GSD 22 is displayed on a GPSMAP 5208 on the video below. For a taste at what kind of underwater activity the 22 shows mariners, and how it can help you on the water, take a look at this "Sonar Basics" video we put together. Then check back next week for two more advanced tutorials we have in the works. See you then!

Awards are a breeze for MFDs

In Miami and elsewhere, our multifunction displays are getting a lot of love. In fact, our new multi-function displays landed SAIL's 2008 Freeman K. Pittman Innovation Award in the electronics category. These MFDs take all the tools that mariners would want and incorporate innovative ideas from our automotive devices. And with a wide range of prices and sizes - and premium features such as high-def radar and touchscreen displays - there really is a chartplotter for every boat and budget!

Jake's Journal: I couldn't pass up this sail

I was reminded today just how much I love my job. There's officially no better way to spend a Friday afternoon than on a sailboat off the coast of Miami in 80-degree weather with Garmin devices (and a good breeze) removing any trace of stress. Captain Karen and Ray, good friends of Garmin, showed us how to properly wrap up a workweek. They also showed my colleague Steve how to crank up the jib. Little did he know when he volunteered that it was one of the few strenuous tasks of the afternoon. But even several minutes of heavy cranking couldn't make him cranky. Each of us then took a turn behind the steering wheel (yep, that's me at the helm) as Captain Karen kept watch. We waved at fellow boaters who were excited to see the Garmin banners flapping in the wind. And all the while, our chartplotter, Colorado 400c and high-def radar kept us cruising in style.

Dave's Docklines: Going coastal

The Miami International Boat Show is off to a great start, and already several stars are emerging. The huge touchscreen chartplotters - especially the 15-inch display - have had all eyes (and fingertips) on them. People love the clarity and ease of use of the new marine instrument displays. The high-def radar - and the way that it can overlay on 3D charts - is creating quite a buzz. And even the Colorado 400c, the new kid on the block, is rocking (and rolling) with its preloaded coastal charts for the U.S. and the Bahamas. So if you're coming to the boat show, swing by Booth 1689 and enjoy the fun for yourself. If you're nowhere near South Beach, you can at least enjoy these photos. (Or book a flight to Florida.)

Jake's Journal: Getting my feet wet in Miami

With many of our colleagues in Barcelona talking about the nüvifone, I somehow drew the short straw and was sent to the boat show. In Miami. This could be the best straw I've ever drawn (even topping bendy straws and twisty straws). Take Wednesday's assignment for example. Instead of boot camp, we had boat camp. Several members of Team Garmin gathered on a beautiful 60-footer to get more hands-on experience with our latest marine products.

Mother Nature did her part to give us a thorough testing environment. A mid-day monsoon showcased our XM Weather features and decreased visibility, making our big-screen radar and sonar displays more valuable than ever. And we loved our BlueChart g2 Vision with high-resolution satellite imagery, our new high-definition radar and the ability to switch between fish-eye view and mariner's view. Even the large monitors with touchscreen capabilities reveled in the rain. And we made a new friend - Pete the Pelican hitched a ride for a half-hour. Check out more pictures and screenshots below, and stay tuned for more from the Miami International Boat Show.

The making of....

In addition to the minisite's teaser clips, here are some behind-the-scenes takes from the making of Garmin's Super Bowl commercial. We'll keep 'em coming as the days pass, but in the meantime, stay tuned to the blog for your next sneak peek at what's to come during the big game!

Endeavour: A new Cat in town

If you recall last week’s entry I wrote about a fast Zebra... well the animal theme continues this week with Cats. Big Cats. Check out Endeavour’s new 48ft Powercat - 48ft long, 18ft wide, 20ft high with room for 12 of your closest friends. I recently caught up with this Cat in Tampa Bay and was able to help the new owner with his Garmin 5212 Touchscreen Multi Function Display. The owner had recently taken delivery of the boat and was proud to show off his new Garmin unit. He plans to take the boat to the Bahamas for a bit and then cruise extensively... maybe up to the Chesapeake Bay this summer.

The 5212 is the primary GPS unit on the boat.  It has all the charts that the Customer will ever need built in to the unit.  That’s right...high quality, highly detailed NOAA charts of the entire US coast line plus Explorer Charts of the Bahamas and Exumas all built in. The owner opted to add Radar (GMR41), Sonar (GSD22) and live XM weather (GDL30A) to the display so he has all the information needed to make navigation decisions at a glance. As you can see from the picture, you can even split the screen so you can see all 4 options GPS, Radar, Sonar and Weather at one time. Here’s a tip... say you are in split screen and decide you want to focus on one function like GPS. Well if you touch the screen on the GPS panel...it immediately shows that panel full screen so you can input a waypoint or plot a course.  When you are done hit the “Back” button and it goes back to split screen. Cool.

Although the 5212 has all the navigational charts that the owner needs built in, he opted to purchase a G2 Vision card for Southwest Florida and the Bahamas. The Vision Card gives the user additional features and information for a particular region...Satellite Imagery, Aerial Photo’s, Mariners Eye View, Fish Eye View and Auto Guidance. These additional features will add to situational awareness and make cruising in unfamiliar water a little easier. Check out our website for a complete listing of the Vision Card features.

Thanks for tuning in this week...I look forward to seeing you On The Water.

Garmin's Marine Radar goes High-Def

This holiday season, the two biggest buzzwords have been GPS and high-def. So we decided to help out our friends on the water by improving our two most popular radar devices. The GMR 18 HD and GMR 24 HD provide even better target separation and clearer definition.

Breaking it down by the numbers, here's what makes these new devices exceptional. The GMR 18 HD features a 5-degree horizontal and 25-degree vertical beamwidth, which allow for accurate target acquisition and separation, and boasts a best-in-class range of 36 nautical miles (nm). The GMR 24 HD features an industry-leading 3.6-degree horizontal and 25-degree vertical beamwidth, and has a maximum effective range of 48 nautical miles. Click here to read more.

Dave's Docklines: XM, rain or shine

So, you ask..."How’s the weather?" Well thanks to this collaboration between XM and Garmin, now you know. XM, the official weather prognosticators for the Ft Lauderdale boat show set up several weather kiosks around the show with live weather courtesy of our GDL30 XM weather receiver showing on Garmin 5212 displays. Customers were able to see live, up-to-the-minute forecasts of local weather conditions as they walked about the show. The hard-working staff at XM and WeatherWorks manned the kiosks the entire show and were able to show customers what was in store for them. Of course they were also able to entertain the customer with over 150 channels of audio...just like Garmin customers are able to do when they purchase a GDL30A and connect the audio out cables to their on board stereo system.  All you need is a stereo with "Auxiliary Inputs"; the installation could not be any easier. Imagine that...you are cruising offshore with your crew safe in the knowledge that you can see thunderstorms popping up before they get too close and at the same time listening to your favorite XM audio channel. Nice.