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So you have finally found the boat of your dreams and you are ready to outfit it with marine electronics, fish finders, GPS, and so much more, but you aren’t sure where to start. This is not an uncommon thing for new boat owners, and if you have already started doing your research and found yourself a little confused or overwhelmed, this article will help you out. If you are trying to sort out what you do need and want in your boat but aren’t sure what you don’t need, we will help you figure out the differences between the fish finders and the GPS and all of the different marine electronics that are out there. It’s true, there are some things you WILL want to make sure you have, while others you can do without. Let’s narrow that down for you.
1. While the fish finders are fun, the first thing in marine electronics you definitely want to look into is the AIS, the automatic identification system. This is a gadget used to identify boats and find them, and will be the most critical piece of boating devices you own. This will allow you to exchange information with other boats in the event of an emergency, and likewise if someone else is in trouble. This is useful if you become lost for example, as this will connect with Vessel Traffic Services who will be able to help you out.
2. A GPS plotter is one thing you also want to be sure you have. You will find when you are looking at marine electronics that a lot of the GPS and fish finders are combined into multifunction devices to make your boating experience easier and more fun. Many of these devices will have screens big enough for you to see everything all at once, and are very convenient.
3. A depth sounder may be one of the most sound investments you make as well, and will be very handy in the event of inclement weather. Fish finders and depth sounders are a great tool to use with your GPS if you need to get back to shore quickly and safely when the waters turn rough.
4. Displays on your marine electronics need to be very large. If you are purchasing gadgets or fish finders you need to remember that the larger the screen is, the easier it will be to see it. This will not be so important on the beautiful days out you will have with your boat, but in inclement weather this will be very important. You don’t want to choose anything with a screen smaller than 8″, and even at least a 10″ display is the most ideal.
Everything from the Cadillac of fishfinders to deluxe satellite systems to on-board laptops is possible if you want to make your boat a technologically friendly place to be. Depending on how ritzy you want to go, your gadget tastes and preference in marine electronics is only going to be limited by your budget.
Boat Electronics
Keep your boat’s electrical systems running and reliable
“Boatowner’s Illustrated Electrical Handbook is perfect for learning how your boat’s electrical system and much of its equipment works, and it will be an invaluable guide when adding equipment as well. This book needs to be in every boater’s library as a ready reference on how to make effective repairs and modifications that comply with ABYC standards.”—Ed Sherman, Senior Instructor and Curriculum Designer, American Boat and Yacht Council
“A definitive technical book that is easy to read. Buy this book and throw out the rest.”—Motorboat & Yachting
Whether you take to the sea under power or sail, bounce around the bay in your runabout, or cross oceans in your cruiser, you’ll find everything you need to maintain, repair, and upgrade your boat’s DC and AC electrical systems with this comprehensive and fully illustrated guide.
Tackle onboard electrical projects and learn how to:
- Meet ABYC standards for both DC and AC wiring
- Install solar- and wind-power systems
- Add electrical components
- Prevent corrosion of your electrical system . . . and more
From the Back Cover
Keep your boat’s electrical systems running and reliable
“Boatowner’s Illustrated Electrical Handbook is perfect for learning how your boat’s electrical system and much of its equipment works, and it will be an invaluable guide when adding equipment as well. This book needs to be in every boater’s library as a ready reference on how to make effective repairs and modifications that comply with ABYC standards.”—Ed Sherman, Senior Instructor and Curriculum Designer, American Boat and Yacht Council
“A definitive technical book that is easy to read. Buy this book and throw out the rest.”—Motorboat & Yachting
Whether you take to the sea under power or sail, bounce around the bay in your runabout, or cross oceans in your cruiser, you’ll find everything you need to maintain, repair, and upgrade your boat’s DC and AC electrical systems with this comprehensive and fully illustrated guide.
Tackle onboard electrical projects and learn how to:
- Meet ABYC standards for both DC and AC wiring
- Install solar- and wind-power systems
- Add electrical components
- Prevent corrosion of your electrical system . . . and more
Charlie Wing received his Ph.D. in oceanography from MIT. Since then, he has spent his career explaining how things work. He founded two do-it-yourself house-building schools, hosted a PBS series on energy conservation, and has written more than a dozen top-selling do-it-yourself books. Wing lived aboard his boat for six years, during which he wrote the first edition of this book.
About the Author
Charlie Wing received his Ph.D. in oceanography from MIT, where he later worked as a research scientist. He has written a dozen books on home building and five top-selling boating books.
Boat Electronics Image
Boat Electronics Photo
Boat Electronics Image
Boat Electronics Photo
Most helpful customer reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful.
 Great Book
By D. W. Corcoran
This is a really impressive book. It provides a really good understanding of the many forces/dynamics of electrical systems on a boat.
There is a lot more to 12 volts, than a positive and ground. To my surprise, it’s more complex than 120 VAC in my house. At home, for the most part, you use one standard type of wire and have no concerns about your wiring causing any part of your house to corrode. While there is virtually a perfect and repeatable way to wire everything in your home, surprisingly their isn’t a perfect way to do things on your boat, you need to continuously make tradeoff’s when you add something new, and it helps to understand the tradeoff’s that were already made on your boat by the manufacturer’s and prior owner’s in making your next modification. Also, at home for the most part, your not worried about corrosion, while on a boat, the various metals in your boat want to use the water to establish electrical currents that are destructive … in the very worst case in a matter of days, if not months and years, to metal parts in your boat.
This book explains it all very well. Be sure to start from the beginning where it explains what a battery is. I skipped that section initially (I know the chemistry of a battery more than most people), but found it very helpful to read this section, as the following sections establish how the various metals in your boat colude to form their own battery like behavior where you didn’t intend, the result being corrosion.
Also, don’t underestimate the importance of the proper and frequent use of fuses/breakers on virtually every electrical run, fuses need to be sized to the diameter wire as well as the device, selection of wire diameter (larger diamater = heavy wire = boat goes slow, small diameter = voltage drops of a 1/2 volt or more potentially unaccaptable to devices), and standard ways to make electrical connections that will be trouble free.
While at somepoint you will want to look at various aspects of your boat to see what tradeoff’s were made by the manufacturer or previous owners, you don’t need to be near your boat to read this book and understand whats going on, making it a good winter read.
You should really read this in advance. While it also makes an excellent reference later, the worst time to read this is when your under time pressure to change something, since you really need to appreciate that there is more to modifying your electrical system than knowing the difference between 12v postive and ground.
b393capt
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful.
 Good but not great – but close.
By Hamor Marine Service
Harry Homeowner wouldn’t give it a second glance, but Bob Boatowner should. Dr. Charles has put it all together, from shore power to solar, it has plenty of references to ABYC standards for electrical installations. All of the inforamtion is precise and clear, he makes
references to the ABYC and the NEC as necessary. If you’re a licensed electrican (like me) you’ll appreciate the nomenclature.
If you’re Bob Boatowner with little or no experience making electrical installations – this book might not be for you. But, if you are willing to read and read again – you’ll be OK.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Thorough and detailed
By Chad Trani
This book has all the detailed information a person would want about DC wiring – particularly in a marine environment. It covers the basics as well as goes the extra distance to explain, in depth, the mechanisims and chemistry of how systems actually work. A great book for either the novice just getting started, or the veteran who wants to further flesh out his informational knowledge. I’d highly recommend it to a friend.
See all 11 customer reviews…
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