| Garmin, probably the best known manufacturer | | | | features, including a Fish Eye view below the |
| of GPS navigational devices, has been offering | | | | waterline that could show your sonar cone and |
| marine gps systems for a number of years now. | | | | sonar data as well as a Mariner's Eye view from |
| Garmin currently makes their own navigational | | | | above and behind your boat to assist navigating |
| charts for their gps chartplotter products and has | | | | channels. Bluechart g2 Vision also incorporates |
| been since about 2001. When Garmin originally | | | | satellite imagery and lets you overlay the satellite |
| began selling chartplotters, they licensed their | | | | data on your navigational chart. You can do the |
| cartographic data from another source and | | | | overlay on land or water separately or overlay |
| provided these to customers as G-charts. Garmin | | | | both simultaneously. Bluechart g2 Vision also has |
| designers soon decided to make their own charts | | | | an Auto Guidance feature that will, as the name |
| so they could provide additional functionality to | | | | implies, suggest a route for you to take to your |
| them. A key element Garmin implemented was | | | | chosen destination. |
| object oriented cartography, so that various | | | | Many of the Garmin 2010 chartplotters are |
| attributes could be associated with each feature. | | | | preloaded with Bluechart g2 marine maps of US |
| For example, a bridge could be assigned an | | | | coastal zones, including both Alaska and Hawaii, |
| attribute describing its height. Garmin also began | | | | plus the Bahamas. Additional maps of other |
| to incorporate other useful information for | | | | regions are available as SD cards that can be |
| seafarers including what services were available | | | | loaded into a slot on their chartplotters. Bluechart |
| from area ports and tidal data. Garmin named | | | | g2 and Bluechart g2 Vision charts are available in |
| these new custom maps Bluecharts. A drawback | | | | different size formats as well. Price varies with |
| of their approach for consumers was that Garmin | | | | size format; smaller charts are less expensive. |
| maps have not been compatible with chartplotters | | | | Sizes small (S), regular (R), large (L), and |
| from other manufacturers, so anyone with a | | | | sometimes extra large (X) are available. These |
| preference for Garmin charts but Raymarine | | | | different types of cards can be distinguished by |
| multifunction displays has been out of luck. On the | | | | their Garmin catalog numbering. A catalog number |
| positive side, Garmin has continued to make | | | | for a Garmin map that ends with an "R", for |
| technical innovations in marine cartography. | | | | instance, refers to a regular size map. Bluechart |
| The Garmin Bluechart maps, available now in | | | | g2 Vision card catalog numbers begin with a "V", |
| several varieties with different features and | | | | while the Bluechart g2 cards simply start with |
| coverage areas, provide cartography for | | | | "US" for a US map or "EU" for a European map, |
| saltwater marine coastal and offshore areas. | | | | etc. The numbers in between the "US", for |
| Garmin's custom charts are available in three | | | | example, and the "S/R/L/X" specify exactly what |
| generations of products: Bluechart, Bluechart g2, | | | | subregion is covered by that map. |
| and Bluechart g2 Vision. Bluechart has been | | | | An easy way to find a map for a specific region |
| discontinued, but there are still some products | | | | you are interested in is to use the Garmin |
| available and at good prices. Bluechart g2 added | | | | interactive coverage map tool available on the |
| 3D perspective and enabled faster redraws and | | | | official Garmin site. Their Google maps easily let |
| zooms compared to the original generation | | | | you view overlap or nonoverlap in maps covering |
| Bluechart maps. Extra details including real pictures | | | | your region of interest. Once you have a product |
| of ports and coastal features were also added. | | | | catalog number, you're all set to get your map |
| Bluechart g2 Vision adds more 3D viewing | | | | from your favorite retailer! |