Garmin tips and tricks with callum whelan

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In this weeks Tips and Tricks video, Callum Whelan guides us through some very useful functions built into the Garmin Marine GPS chartplotter system. The two functions demonstrated are the Auto Guidance function and the Go-To function.

Auto-guidance

Garmin Auto Guidance is an advanced navigation feature that helps boaters plan their routes with ease. By analyzing chart data, it automatically suggests the best path to a destination, factoring in the boat’s dimensions to avoid shallow waters, low bridges, and other hazards. Available on late-model Rivieras, Auto Guidance provides a smart, efficient way to navigate while enhancing safety and convenience on the water.

For example, planning a trip in the Broadwater is easy as you just have to put a start and end location, and the Garmin system will work out the rest. While this feature is smart and useful, the captain must always maintain a lookout and use the pre-planned route as a guide, as it isn’t always accurate and cannot see other boats and unknown obstacles on the water.

go-to

Garmin’s Go-To function is a simple yet powerful navigation tool that allows boaters to quickly set a direct course to a selected waypoint. Whether heading to a favourite fishing spot, marina, or dock, Go-To provides a straight-line route for efficient travel. Also available on late-model Rivieras, this feature ensures quick and easy navigation with just a few taps. This feature works best in more open waters, as the Go-To function doesn’t take known obstacles into consideration.

The Go-To function is very similar to Heading Hold, however Heading Hold directs the boat along a course derived from the compass which means that the current and wind can move the boat sideways off path while the vessel still holds the heading. The Go-To function uses GPS as well as the compass to keep the vessel on a GPS track, meaning the vessel will maintain a consistent route and not be pushed off path from wind or current.

Overall, these functions can be very helpful in aiding captains in navigation, however the captain should always maintain proper lookout and not rely on these functions for navigation.