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Chartplotters are hardly newcomers in the world of marine navigation devices. Yet with advancing technology, one already reputable company is on the horizon of cutting-edge apparatuses, truly living up to its name with the Standard Horizon CPV350 Color Chartplotter.

For the yachter who appreciates a hint of flashiness and sophistication, the CPV350's bells and whistles won't disappoint. The gadget is a Class D DSC VHF with built-in chartplotter that can emit a distress call with just a touch of a button, sending latitude and longitude across the VHF frequency to the Coast Guard and other boats within range. The 25-Watt VHF and 30W loud hailer have an uncanny ability to sense and signal fog.

Even bright sunlight can't hamper the view of this system's wide screen, which has an aesthetically pleasing 800x480 resolution with 256 colors on just a 7-inch screen (approximately 6.0"h x 9.2"w x 2.9"d). Think big graphics, color, and prominence! The display can be customized to show chart and the optional fish finder in full or split screen view, and comes equipped with easy-use rotary knobs. Channel surfers who like to monitor multiple channels can stay trigger-happy with the device's alpha-numeric display, which makes changing channels and DSC functionality a snap. The CPV350 also boasts a front panel microphone plus front panel keys that feature backlighting, with specifically labeled INFO, ROUTE and MARK keys for accuracy. This deluxe contraption be packed full of plenty of marks to ensure safe navigation and timely arrival at your destination.

While it's flashy, Standard Horizon's CPV350 is certainly still highly efficient for the practical yachtsman. Those who are used to normal GPS functions, such as those routes and waypoints, will still find those capabilities on this model, plus Dual Watch, NOAA weather alerts, Tri Watch, and DSC Polling. Standard Horizon has been an innovator of the ability to poll the GPS location of another vessel, and likewise, the CPV350 can tell the user the position of other vessels. Anglers, too, will appreciate its compatibility with Standard Horizon's FF520 Black Box Fish Finder.

This system retails at just over $900. With such a high-tech device in such a small package, the CPV350 Color Chartplotter could just be the next great discovery you map out.

Learn more about this author, Logan Stewart.
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