Free GPS Guidance
Archive for the ‘Fishfinder GPS’ Category
Whenever I bring up the topic of marine GPS units with my fishing buddy Grover, he dismisses the topic out of hand. According to him, fishermen should be able to anticipate hotbeds for angling without any outside assistance. Of course there were plenty of points I could have made to poke holes in his position. For instance, is it “cheating” to check the weather report before heading out to the lake?
Besides that, I always remind Grover that Garmin chartplotters are good for much more than finding fish. In fact, I rely on them as navigational tools on dark nights when clouds obscure the stars overhead. When you’re out in the middle of a lake in pitch darkness, there’s no way to guarantee you’ll miss rock outcroppings and other debris that’s just waiting to run your boat aground. Grover couldn’t help but admit that I was right.
Anglers tend to take one of two approaches to a fishing trip: either they’re in it for the relaxation and camaraderie or they’re deadly serious about reeling in a trophy fish. Family fishing trips seldom become competitive; it’s usually enough to catch a few bass or trout in an inland lake while spending the rest of the time shooting the breeze and enjoying a cold beverage or two.
Fishing competitions are another matter entirely. Serious anglers often realy possess keen fishing instincts that have been honed through years of experience. Still, they accept help wherever they can get it. An Eagle fishfinder features a combination of sonar and GPS mapping technology, allowing anglers to pinpoint the likeliest location where a school of fish might be hanging out. When pride and prize money are on the line, a fishfinder is practically as essential as the boat itself.
What are Gimbals, and Why do I Need Them?
Gimbals are used in mounting systems, especially for marine vessels, which consist normally of two concentric rings mounted such that their axes are able to pivot at right angles from each other such that one swings freely within the other. They work much like a gyroscope and are used as a mount for equipment such as a compass or other nautical equipment (even stoves, lamps, etc). Gimbals operate in such a manner that objects are permitted to swing freely between them so that the object will remain suspended in a level manner regardless of any motion of their support. Gimbals are commonly used for sea-faring instruments so as to counteract the motion of the vessel.
There are several parts to a gimbal mount. Normally it is made of a set of rings, but sometimes is a ball and socket arrangement, attaching ultimately to a bracket which will support the equipment and another part which will attach to the vessel. In this case, we would use them to attach our GPS fishfinders and/or chartplotters as important and useful marine accessories.