2016 when it released its GMR
Fantom 4 and GMR Fantom
6 open-array radars, which use
solid-state power amplifi ers
and pulse-compression tech-
nology to harness the Doppler
eff ect and graphically diff er-
entiate moving targets from
stationary objects, eff ectively
determining which under-
way vessels are a threat and
which are not. Now Garmin
has introduced its radome-
enclosed GMR Fantom
18 ($1,600) and the GMR
Fantom 24 ($2,800) radars.
Both new sailboat-friendly
models (no spinning anten-
nas, known as “arrays,” to snag
lines) off er 40 watts of trans-
mitting power and a range of
20 feet to 48 nautical miles,
as well as Garmin’s propri-
etary MotionScope (Doppler)
technology. The Fantom 18
off ers a wider beam width of
5.2 degrees, while the Fantom
24 off ers a beam width of 3.7degrees; narrow beam widths
provide higher-resolution radar
imagery. Additionally, both new
Fantoms come with Garmin’s
Dynamic Auto Gain and Sea
Filter settings, which automat-
ically adjust gain levels based
on sea state and meteorolog-
ical conditions. The Fantoms
include 10-vessel MARPA
tracking capability as well.
Realizing that forward-
looking sonar can be of great
benefi t to sailors who are nos-
ing into unknown harbors or
inlets, or negotiating ice on
high-latitude cruises, Garmin
has introduced the Panoptix
PS51-TH FrontVu ($1,500)
through-hull transducer, a far
more suitable unit for sail-
boats than the older-style
Panoptix transducers, which
were mounted to either the
transom or trolling motor
on fi shing boats. The newest
Panoptix transducer elim-
inates drag and uses a verynarrow forward- looking beam
angle, allowing you to concen-
trate sonar energy on what’s in
front of the boat.
While touchscreen tech-
nology still snares headlines
in the so-called chart- plotter
wars, some sailors prefer a
hard-key interface, espe-
cially when conditions get
rough. Garmin’s new 1042xsv
($2,300) and 1242xsv ($3,000)
chart plotters feature hard-
key interfaces and support
radar, forward- looking sonar,
AIS, anemometers and other
instrumentation, while off er-
ing the fl exibility of NMEA
0183 and NMEA 2000 net-
work compatibility and Wi-Fi
connectivity, as well as an
ANT wireless component
to connect with sensors and
other onboard equipment.
Lastly, Garmin has also
released two new fi xed-mount
VHF radios, the VHF 110
($280) and the VHF 210 AIS($600). Both deliver 25 watts
of transmitting power and
digital selective calling, which
allows a user to make direct
calls to other vessels or, should
calamity strike, place multives-
sel distress calls. The VHF 210
AIS also includes a listen-only
Automatic Identifi cation
System receiver to help bolster
situational awareness of other
nearby vessels.Slim and Trim from Icom
Icom, no stranger to the
marine radio market, has
unveiled its new IC-M93D,
which it describes as the
“world’s slimmest fl oating
DSC radio.” While I didn’t
have a measuring tape handy,
the IC-M93D ($350) cer-
tainly felt like a tightly crafted
wireless VHF when I han-
dled it at the Fort Lauderdale
International Boat Show. The
svelte radio boasts a 2.3-inch
dot-matrix LCD screen that’sAydin Marine’s Seatether system collects data from multiple sources — entryways, bilges, power systems and cameras —
and shares it over cellular and even satellite systems for remote monitoring (left). Aydin components even include an engine-
room camera (center). Raymarine’s i70s displays can share a broad range of navigation information and other data (right).january/february 2017cruisingworld.com106BOATS & GEARGarmin has packaged Doppler radar technology into its new 18-and 24-inch Fantom radomes, which are more suitable for
sailboats than its open-array Doppler radars. Imagery can be viewed alongside charts and sonar on the company’s new plotters,
which feature hard-key controls (left, center). B&G’s Zeus3 range of plotters are off ered in screen sizes up to 16 inches (right). COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERSCRW0217_RV1_electronics (Schmidt).indd 106 11/22/16 10:03 AM