What is a Chartplotter and Why Do I Need One? - A chartplotter is an electronic navigation system that combines a GPS receiver with the capability to display electronic maritime charts, enabling the boat operator to continuously monitor the position and movement of his or her craft in relation to the surrounding physical environment, both above and below the water. Many boaters often refer to a chartplotter simply as a GPS unit but I like to keep things a bit salty and refer to them by their more proper name. Proper understanding and usage of your boat's electronics can aid in your becoming a safer boater and better angler.
A chartplotter is an electronic navigation system
that combines a GPS receiver with the capability to display electronic
maritime charts, enabling the boat operator to continuously monitor the
position and movement of his or her craft in relation to the
surrounding physical environment, both above and below the water. Many
boaters often refer to a chartplotter simply as a GPS unit but I like
to keep things a bit salty and refer to them by their more proper name.
With
an integral processor combining GPS data with electronic charts, a
chartplotter pinpoints the location of the host vessel and can use the
GPS data to calculate boat speed and direction, as well as determine
the time and distance to the destination or next waypoint. It displays
all this data in real time so that a navigator knows exactly where his
or her boat is and where it is heading, as well as continuously
updating its position relative to its surrounding physical environment.
Units will have either a built-in internal antenna or an external
antenna that requires relatively painless mounting. Both function well
but if you are considering flush-mounting your unit, contact your
prospective retailer or manufacturer for possible loss of signal
strength if using a built-in antenna. This is really not an issue with
the majority of available plotters, but is food for thought.
Mariners
often use chartplotters to pre-load routes that can then be edited or
manipulated at any time before or during time underway. Some plotters
allow the navigator to store hundreds of routes at a time for future
use. Previously navigated routes can easily be stored and retrieved.
Each route consists of a number of waypoints to assist navigation and
avoid hazards, such as sand bars, shallow rocks or reefs, and known
navigational hazards. These are represented by longitude and latitude
references and are depicted on a screen to give the user a visual
representation of the watercraft's surroundings. Each waypoint is a
numbered position and as a vessel progresses past each one the system
indicates the distance travelled and course remaining until the next
waypoint. Another function of these machines is the ability to show if
the boat has strayed off course and will provide information to correct
the bearing in order to arrive at the next waypoint. Fisherman can
easily store, manage, and locate very specific locations for more
enjoyable and productive trips. I, being a devout structure fisherman
and safety conscience boater, consider a quality and user-friendly
chartplotter, as a near necessity. I'm partial to the Northstar and
Lowrance brands but that may be from years of use and a distinct
familiarity with their features and controls. Do a little research and
the right machine for your usage requirements will become apparent as
today's market is loaded with good machines from various manufacturers.
In another article I will discuss the sometimes daunting task of how to
name, manage, and organize all the hangs, piles, and wrecks that often
clutter a fisherman's plotter.
With the combination of GPS
functionality and embedded charts, chartplotters have become an
essential navigational and fishing tool which is relatively inexpensive
to buy and easy to install and use on any type of watercraft. With a
single chip now capable of storing electronic charts for an entire
seaboard, they are remarkably cost-effective marine safety, navigation,
and fishing tool. Don't wait until you're in the middle of a shipping
channel during dense fog or grounded on a shoal with your family aboard
to contemplate purchasing a piece of marine electronics with a
chartplotting function. Besides, as stated above, a plotter of any
decent quality makes navigating to your favorite fishing haunts much
less labor-intensive.
Today's chartplotter has come a long way
from conventional paper charts, often featuring a range of additional
functions including man overboard markers, zoom abilities, overlays,
and much more. Marine safety organizations and the United States Coast
Guard recommend that boat owners continue to carry paper charts in case
of power failure and as an additional source of navigational data.
About the author: Mark is an avid boater, angler, and member of the Hooksetter Supply Pro Staff. Boater safety and etiquette are important in both his personal and professional life. By encouraging proper use of navigational tools such as chartplotters and paper charts, he hopes to make our waters safer for all. He lists wreck fishing and tuna jigging as two of his favorite forms of fishing. Be safe and catch 'em up!
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