Top Electronics Tips for First Time Boaters
Many second-hand boats are sold with outdated or minimal electronic navigation equipment. Upgrading your onboard electronics can enhance your safety, navigation, and overall experience on the water.
If you have a small inflatable, a fishing or power boat, a RIB under 6m or a small sailing boat here are our recommendations to enhance your time on the water...
Electronics For Small Inflatable Boats
PORTABLE FISHING PACK
If you have a small inflatable without a 12V system and you want to install a fishfinder or a fishfinder/plotter combination unit then consider the Garmin Portable Kit with one of the Garmin Striker Fishfinders (up to 7”). The Kit protects and carries your fishfinder and includes a sealed, rechargeable battery with smart charger, built-in transducer cable management and storage plus suction cup transducer mount and float.
You can even put a mapping chartplotter/ fishfinder such as the Garmin Echomap UHD2 Touch Chartplotter Fishfinder combo inside. It's preloaded with Garmin Navionics+ with Navionics data for the UK, Ireland and the NW coast of Europe.
If you don’t want to screw your transducer to the transom then use the Minn Kota Portable Transducer Pole Bracket. It features a reinforced composite, multi trim, lever lock bracket which resists flexing, warping and UV damage. It's a quick robust and reliable solution for mounting a temporary transducer.
VHF RADIO
Keep yourself safe and carry a VHF radio when in your inflatable - your mobile phone may not always get a signal so a VHF is an essential safety item. These two models are popular with our small boat customers
Standard Horizon HX210 Handheld VHF with FM Radio - A rugged, powerful 6W floating handheld VHF with an integral FM receiver. If dropped in the water, the radio will float face up and a water activated strobe light will flash. You can also use it for listening to FM radio while out fishing.
Consider also the compact Icom IC-M25 Euro VHF Radio - A very light (only 220g) floating handheld Marine VHF Transceiver with slim body for optimum handling. If dropped in the water, the LCD and button backlights flash together with a bright red LED to aid recovery.
Electronics For Small Inflatable Boats
PORTABLE FISHING PACK
If you have a small inflatable without a 12V system and you want to install a fishfinder or a fishfinder/plotter combination unit then consider the Garmin Portable Kit with one of the Garmin Striker Fishfinders (up to 7”). The Kit protects and carries your fishfinder and includes a sealed, rechargeable battery with smart charger, built-in transducer cable management and storage plus suction cup transducer mount and float.
You can even put a mapping chartplotter/ fishfinder such as the Garmin Echomap UHD2 Touch Chartplotter Fishfinder combo inside. It's preloaded with Garmin Navionics+ with Navionics data for the UK, Ireland and the NW coast of Europe.
If you don’t want to screw your transducer to the transom then use the Minn Kota Portable Transducer Pole Bracket. It features a reinforced composite, multi trim, lever lock bracket which resists flexing, warping and UV damage. It's a quick robust and reliable solution for mounting a temporary transducer.
VHF RADIO
Keep yourself safe and carry a VHF radio when in your inflatable - your mobile phone may not always get a signal so a VHF is an essential safety item. These two models are popular with our small boat customers
Standard Horizon HX210 Handheld VHF with FM Radio - A rugged, powerful 6W floating handheld VHF with an integral FM receiver. If dropped in the water, the radio will float face up and a water activated strobe light will flash. You can also use it for listening to FM radio while out fishing.
Consider also the compact Icom IC-M25 Euro VHF Radio - A very light (only 220g) floating handheld Marine VHF Transceiver with slim body for optimum handling. If dropped in the water, the LCD and button backlights flash together with a bright red LED to aid recovery.
Electronics For RIBs & Power Boats under 6m
CHARTPLOTTER
No chartplotter onboard? - Know where you are and how deep the water is with a Chartplotter/Fishfinder combination unit. These are 3 of our best-selling units and they ideal for a smaller boat:
Simrad Cruise 7 - designed for those who dont need all the bells and whistles that are associated with the latest MFDs and chartplotters. A simple and intuitive button controlled user interface allows you to navigate without fuss. A bright sunlight viewable display combined with a IPX7 waterproof rating means you can mount the Cruise either inside or outside the boat. It is shipped with a small transducer than can be bonded inside the hull or mounted on a transom.
Raymarine Element 7 - a button controlled wide screen chartplotter with NMEA 2000 and Wi-Fi RADAR connection. Engineered for simplicity and affordable performance. Features a powerful quad-core processor and an all-weather, sunlight viewable display. Element’s simple and straightforward LightHouse Sport operating system lets you navigate with confidence.
Garmin GPSMap Multifunction Displays - The GPSMAP Chartplotter Range delivers a high-resolution display, faster processing, and seamless integration with Garmin’s marine network, offering advanced navigation, sonar, and sailing features like Garmin SailAssist™. It supports Ultra High-Definition scanning sonar, Panoptix LiveScope™, and connects to multiple devices via NMEA networks, Wi-Fi, and the ActiveCaptain® app for complete control.
AUDIO SYSTEM
Add a sound system with Bluetooth streaming capability such as the Aquatic AV GP1 Gauge Size Marine Bluetooth Stereo With Speakers. This marine stereo kit includes a waterproof GP1 stereo, 6.5” marine speakers, and an AM/FM antenna, offering powerful audio in a compact, gauge-size design. With Bluetooth, USB, MP3, AM/FM radio, and a built-in 288W amplifier to power up to 8 speakers, it's perfect for small dash installations.
FIXED VHF RADIO
Here are a couple of super compact radios that are perfect for a console or dashboard with limited room:
Icom IC-M330GE VHF Radio with GPS - Ultra Compact Model. This small space-saving radio that can fit in those tight spaces where a traditional full sized radio cannot. It may be small in size but is certainly not lacking in features.
Standard Horizon GX1400GPS E VHF with Internal GPS - An affordable Ultra Compact Class D Fixed Mount VHF Radio with an internal 66 channel GPS receiver built into the front panel for ease of use.
Electronics For Small Sailing Boats up to 30ft
CHARTPLOTTERS
Pick a chartplotter that fits within your boat's confines. Bigger is usually better when it come to screen size. 5-7" screens are good for using split screen features or zooming in. They are also easier to see from across the boat.
Garmin GPSMAP MFD - an advanced navigation solution, the GPSMAP range of touchscreen chartplotters has built-in Garmin SailAssist™ features, including laylines, race features, set and drift, wind data and more.
B&G Vulcan 7R Sailing Chartplotter - a great value, sailing chartplotter designed for coastal cruising and club racing. This easy-to-use, intuitive 7-inch multi-touch screen is packed with B&G’s unique sailing features including SailSteer and RacePanel.
Raymarine Element 7s Chartplotter - A button controlled wide screen chartplotter with NMEA 2000 and Wi-Fi RADAR connection. Engineered for simplicity and affordable performance with a powerful quad-core processor and an all-weather, sunlight viewable display Element’s simple and straightforward LightHouse Sport operating system lets you navigate with confidence.
VHF RADIOS
VHF marine radios are used for a variety of purposes including; contacting harbours & marinas, summoning rescue services or ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship communication. Fixed panel-mount radios offer greater range than a handheld because of their extra power and external antenna.
Icom M423GE DSC VHF Radio - with built-in GPS. The IC-M423GE is ideal for customers who are looking for a compact radio for their boat with advanced functions and dual station control.
Consider something like the Icom HM-195B CommandMic to provide a second radio station on board. Having a second VHF station or command mic on board gives you added convenience and safety by allowing you to communicate from different areas of your boat, like the cockpit or cabin, without running back to the main radio. It ensures you can stay connected and respond quickly in any situation, making it especially useful on larger boats or when you're managing the helm solo.
INSTRUMENTS
Instruments have moved on a long way from the older analogue single function types. Now, multi-function NMEA 2000-based instruments with colour screens can be configured to show any data from sensors that are on the NMEA 2000 bus.
Garmin GNX Wireless Wind Pack - GNX Wind gives you the wind data necessary to make confident decisions. It includes the GNX Wind Instrument and gWind Wireless 2 transducer. With a compatible GPS chartplotter, GNX Wind provides two data fields and a digital wind rose to simultaneously display true* and apparent wind data, Steer Pilot, boat speed and more. The gWind Wireless 2 transducer is easy to install and eliminates cables for masts up to 15m (50ft).
* For true wind information, speed through the water and heading inputs are required.
AUTOPILOTS
A properly operating sailboat autopilot will keep your sailboat on a selected course even in strong currents and winds. Compact Tiller Pilots are a good small boat solution.
Simrad Tiller Pilots - designed for high precision, reliable autosteering while drawing low current to optimise battery life. The hard wearing, waterproof body contains all the controls and has been tested for many hours in total immersion. Exceptionally quiet in use, the Tillerpilot gives fast and positive performance for effective steering in a wide range of sea states and wind conditions.
Raymarine Tiller Pilot - this waterproof and robust tiller pilot can be used as a stand alone pilot or can be connected to GPS for auto control. 6 large tactile buttons enable the user to switch in and out of Auto mode and to make simple one button press course adjustments. A backlit LCD display will give navigational data such as a heading, distance to waypoint, bearing to waypoint and cross track error.
