gaRMin 1020xS

The Garmin 1020xs is one of the most versatile and capable chartplotter/sonar combos on the market, and is perfect for cruising, sailing or fishing.

BoASTING a crystal clear 10-inch colour SVGA display and preloaded worldwide basemap, the 1020xs impresses almost instantly. Once you begin to explore the features of the device, things just keep getting better.

For example, high-sensitivity internal 10 Hz GPS/GLONASS provides position and heading updates 10 times per second. It displays fluid on-screen location and proves to be incredibly accurate when marking waypoints and navigating.

There’s also scope for customization and addons. HD-ID, CHIRP and DownVü with CHIRP sonar technology are built-in, allowing you the flexibility to choose from several optional transducers.

For example, when used with a compatible CHIRP transducer, GPSMAP 1020xs displays crystal-clear sonar images detailing fishing hot spots, ship wreckage or a diving location.

However, the icing on the cake for us was the high level of Apple compatibility. With BlueChart Mobile, a free app downloaded from the App Store, you can plan marine routes on your iPad or iPhone, and then wirelessly transfer them to your boat’s compatible networked Garmin chartplotter. Also available from the App Store is Garmin Helm, which allows you to view and control your compatible Garmin chartplotter from an iPhone or iPad.

The Garmin 1020xs is one of the more high-end options on the market, but if you’re seriously into your fishing and diving, or operate commercial services, it comes highly recommended.