In the past three months, the marine electronics industry has announced several new products that clearly show how big-boat navigation features are migrating down to smaller systems. While these new systems are physically smaller and come with smaller price tags too, they still deliver big performance.

You can benefit in several ways. First, the overall prices are down given the performance levels, so you can afford more capabilities for your boat, large or small.

With this issue of Canadian Yachting, we are starting to "frame up" the glass helm from the perspective of an older boat that deserves better navigation and ancillary equipment.

A prime example would have been the older classic, twin-engine cruiser that our group restored recently. Well over 100 lbs. of fatigued old wire with corroded connections and chaffed insulation was carefully disconnected, removed and replaced.

Technology today is like hanging out in the Lost “n” Found – we get lost in the dizzying pace of development of electronic devices and software, but then we get found again by advances in user simplicity that these technological developments make possible. The new Fugawi X-Traverse software from Canadian-based Northport Systems Inc. is just such a development.

At least one marine electronics dealer we interviewed said your VHF antenna was an item that should be replaced annually. Ken Harrison at Summerhill.ca on the other hand, said that a good antenna should last 5 to 8 years (depending on whether or not it was used as a grab handle)!

Even if you never venture away from your favourite sheltered lake or river, a VHF radio is well worth the $200 investment for a basic radio and the ROC (M) Course and License to operate it. Here's why.

In the April 2010 issue of Canadian Yachting, we were starting to "frame up" the glass helm from the perspective of an older boat that deserves better navigation and ancillary equipment.

Of course, the "glass helm" refers to the single screen onto which all the information can be displayed. Several companies now offer NMEA 2000-certified multifunction display systems and once the NMEA 2000 trunk line (or backbone) is installed in your boat, the next logical step is to buy your multifunction display screen.