What's next for marine technology?

[Huron Angler]

I was thinking about using GPS on boats today and how many folks have them.

It occurred to me how many times we have been lost in fog or darkness on the Great Lakes, trolling for salmon(probably 10-15 times in my lifetime), when a GPS pretty much eliminates the possibility(assuming batteries are charged, good signal, etc).

We all know that the technology for GPS was held closely by the military/gov't for many years.

My question is...what else is being used currently by the Navy that might break out into recreational boating or fishing in the next decade that will be as common as GPS is(now that it's affordable)?

Theories are just as welcome as hard facts

 

[dingbat]

Re: What's next for marine technology?

I was thinking about using GPS on boats today and how many folks have them.

It occurred to me how many times we have been lost in fog or darkness on the Great Lakes, trolling for salmon(probably 10-15 times in my lifetime), when a GPS pretty much eliminates the possibility(assuming batteries are charged, good signal, etc).

Unfortunately, far too many believe that GPS is a good tool for use in fog or darkness as you noted. Unless you have a set of charts that show that broken down boat in your path, that passing freighter or that floating log your just asking for trouble using GPS as your sole means of navigation under those circumstances.

We have a couple of accidents a year from people using GPS to navigate at night and run into or over something. GPS never has, nor ever will be, a substitute for radar under those conditions

To answer your question, the latest and greatest must boat technology is FLIR. Doubt it will ever be "cheap" or a tool for the masses, but for those that run in darkness day in and day it's an indispensable piece of equipment no matter what the cost

 

[solar7647]

Re: What's next for marine technology?

The possiblities are endless, tech is moving so fast! They have developed contact lenses that can display imiges infront of you, They recieve a wireless signal from a computer and display everything that would be on the screen out infront of you on the landscap. Just think about that, you could have the GPS displayed over the landscap so you never have to look at a screen again or a fish finder that when you look at the water you could see the fish, depth and size of the fish. That would be cool

I must say though the US millitary still control the GPS, so with a flip of a switch they could completely screw all GPS units. Clinton was the reason GPS was released to the public.

Fun fact: GPS is super sensitive to time, if the time on the sattilites or at the Air Force controlled head qurters out west get messed up GPS location would be off by miles. Another fun fact the building where GPS is controlled cant be found on GPS.