o some if may feel like a somewhat recent electronics surge, but in reality improved technology and advanced electronics have been evolving into our boats for decades. As gadgets have been created to improve our day-to-day lives, those same upgrades have been improving our life on the water. Technology is always advancing and we will likely see even more developments in the foreseeable future. To give that dream context, some companies have spoken about their experiences with the advancement of technology for boaters as a whole.

Garmin Marine is a household name among boaters, coming up with next-generation technology aimed at making boating a more luxurious and relaxing experience. When we asked David Dunn, the director of Garmin’s marine sales, what he thought of the influence technology has had on Garmin, he noted that integration has become one of the biggest selling points of their products.

“The more information boaters can control and access directly from their displays—the one master source of information—the greater the convenience, which ultimately results in a more enjoyable on-the-water experience,” said Dunn.

When we go out on the water, it is comforting to know our experience is tailored to us. No one will have exactly the same preferences, as everyone boats differently. Companies such as Garmin have discovered this and have dedicated their efforts to providing customers with the most comfortable and pleasant experience they can, which has greatly impacted and improved the boating lifestyle for all of us.

There have been hundreds of thousands of twists and turns when it comes to the development of boating technology and moments that seemed to change that world forever. None feel as recent as the technological boom of the 1990’s. The Internet became a daily assistant, GPS systems bloomed and information became readily available.

All aspects of life were heavily influenced by this boom, and the marine industry was not exempt. Many companies such as Garmin were up and running before the boom, working to make boaters’ lives more convenient every day. The sudden and rapid advancement of technology assisted many companies to do this even more efficiently.

Dunn expounds, “Garmin was founded in 1989, so we’ve evolved with the technological boom, oftentimes leading innovations in the marine electronics market. As the world’s largest marine electronics manufacturer, Garmin is always evaluating the latest advancements and trends to ensure we are offering our customers the most innovative and reliable electronics on the water.”

The boating world does not operate according to an exact formula, as we all know. It is ever-changing like the motion of the Great Lakes themselves. There will always be more to learn when it comes to making quality of life advancements for boaters so that boating enthusiasts can enjoy their time out on the water even more.

Marine electronics are a bit of a unique case in the realm of technology. As we all know, the itty-bitty gears and trinkets in most electronics are particularly fragile. Anyone who has owned a Smartphone for about three years without getting it upgraded will attest that the device can’t get too hot or too wet. It needs to be pampered more than your modern princess.

If you are going to have a device that spends its life out on the water, it needs to be one quality piece of electronic equipment. It needs to be able to withstand the summer heat and, most importantly in this case, it needs to be waterproof.

So how have companies learned to make these high-tech contraptions durable enough to withstand all sorts of watery fun?

Many of the devices coming out have the ability to absorb the harsh sun’s UV-rays, ensuring that the product won’t overheat and destroy the fragile mechanisms within. As for waterproofing, they often have a protective hydrophobic coating as well as an additional layer of armor that will assist against any heavy impacts. When it comes to marine electronics, higher quality does not mean sacrificing the machine’s constitution. In fact, it means the exact opposite.

A hundred years ago, the boaters of the Great Lakes would never have imagined the wonderful advancements we have made in order to create a more comfortable experience on the water. Not to mention that a lot of the functions of these technologies such as GPS also make boating a safer and worry-free hobby.

Once upon a time, we couldn’t see the hot spots of fishing areas and mark them on maps, or enjoy imaging that distinguishes fish from foliage. More amazingly, technology is evolving every single day! Who knows? There may be advancements in store for us that, like the mariners of a hundred years ago, we can’t even begin to imagine. The boating lifestyle isn’t what it used to be—it’s even better.