Whether you’re outfitting a new boat or refitting an existing vessel, selecting the right electronics can make your head spin because of the dizzying variety of brands and models, each touted as the one to buy. We’re here to help you narrow down the choices.
Every year at Marine Electronics Journal, we ask manufacturers to name the one model or series of electronics that they consider their best based on factors such as innovation, popularity or utility, or maybe it has proved itself over time. There are 20 product categories in all, from AIS to wireless devices. We call the results the Best & Brightest Boating Electronics.
For the next several weeks The Mic will continue to report on the winners. Last week we reviewed the second batch of fishfinders/sonars. This time we’ll tell you about some of the best electronic charts.
C-MAP REVEAL X delivers a fresh, dynamic chart experience, making navigation clearer than ever before. C-MAP REVEAL X offers clearer navigation, day and night modes, improved autorouting as well as game-changing Shaded Relief REVEAL layer and satellite overlay. The charts fully integrate with the Simrad companion app and include a Map Inspector Tool allowing quick access to information with a simple touch of the screen, including tides and currents and detailed marina port plans. REVEAL X North America charts received a major update in 2024 including satellite imagery improvements in more than 19 states, Shaded Relief improvements on more than 500 lakes, enhanced geometry/positioning Information for 13,000 bridges, plus the addition of vertical and horizontal clearance data for more than 6,400 bridges.
A navigation app that thinks like you do. Filled with great planning and real-time navigation features, Maptech’s iPlot app for the iPad is easy to use, no operating manual required. Its raster charts look exactly like the paper ones that you see in Maptech’s ChartKit books and waterproof charts, familiar to planners and armchair sailors, who can create trips at home or in the office then simply activate those routes onboard. The iPlot app is a feature-rich navigation tool that costs a fraction compared to onboard systems.
Plot your paradise with the best, most up-to-date Garmin Navionics Vision+ premium marine cartography. For offshore or inland waters, this all-in-one solution offers premier-grade chart features, including high-resolution relief shading, detail-rich integrated mapping of coastal features, lakes, rivers and more. It features 3D views, satellite imagery, advanced Auto Guidance+ technology and access to daily updates via the ActiveCaptain app for the freshest chart data every time out. Combining the best features of Garmin and Navionics automatic routing solutions, Auto Guidance+ gives you a suggested dock-to-dock path to follow through channels, inlets, marina entrances and more. Multiple shading options aid in shallow water navigation and make it easy to select depth ranges for the best fishing spots.
Humminbird CoastMaster Coastal V1
Find the path to your next big catch with the incredible accuracy and detail of Humminbird CoastMaster, providing highly accurate chart coverage for all US coastal waters. From easy-to-read contours to highlighted depth ranges, you’ll have the tools to identify the spots you know will hold fish and navigate there safely. Always know where you are and what’s ahead with full chart detail for the East Coast, West Coast and Gulf of Mexico, complete with 3-, 9-, 12-, 24-, and 200-mile markers.
