GPS for Mariners: A Guide for the Recreational Boater, 2nd Edition

By Robert J. SweetFrom the National Education Officer of the U.S. Power Squadrons, here is the operator's manual that should come with every boater's GPS receiver or chart plotter. GPS for Mariners was immediately well-received by nautical book buyers because it took the mystery out of what was, in 2003, still a somewhat mysterious black box. Sales of the book have been strong ever since – through the U.S. Power Squadrons and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary as well as through bookstores and marine stores. In the intervening six years, however, GPS has achieved almost universal acceptance. No one needs to be told in detail how the system works or why it is reliable anymore. Boaters today accept GPS as the ultimate navigation tool – they just want to know how to use it. At the same time, even the most basic GPS receivers are much more full-featured now than six years ago. It's hard to find a new GPS receiver – even a handheld unit – that doesn't have resident charts or maps, for example.