The USS Minnow might have made it back in the allotted 3 hours if Gilligan possessed marine GPS units to find his bearings after the big storm. Marine units are specifically designed to operate on the water and now considered standard equipment on m any vessels and watercrafts. Whether traveling on the open seas, lakes or rivers, ship captains now may employ a device that gives them access to onshore and off shore maps as well as plotting functions. When on the open water for significant lengths of time, having the ability to locate fish or account for tides is a must.

Much maritime data such as sea bed levels and navigation channels permit the ship captain to safely navigate waters that would be treacherous without a navigation device. Because marine use is so specialized, it is often necessary to pinpoint your exact location on the water as well as mark productive locations to allow you to return to that location frequently. With this feature, you can map out coordinates that assist in homing as well as find your way back to shore should you become disoriented or operate after dark hours or in inclement of weather where shore cant be easily seen. This can also save you from running a ground result Gilligan and the Skipper would be thankful for.

Commercial and sport fishermen use GPS to precisely locate where they are relative to a desired location and to track the movement of schools of fish. Although it isnt a built in feature, many professional fishermen are able to interpolate the next likely location of fish for the next day. Teams fishing may also cooperate in relaying their position to other vessels and share advice as to the most advantageous fishing spots to visit. Many units have a fish finder that combines GPS and sonar to track schools of fish as well as to safely navigate tight waters. Many GPS devices communicate with each other and can relate fish find information to share with the other team members.

Many units come with color displays making it very easy to express depth and fish information. Having a back lit display is helpful should you be out during dark hours and is an necessary option. Temperature information is essential in monitoring the optimum range for fishing a specific species. Other units include a Man Overboard feature that is truly a lifesaver as with the bobbing up and down of waves may make a crew member temporarily invisible so returning back to the general vicinity is required.