Garmin® Offers the Complete System with New Boating Peripherals

Next-Generation Radar, Wind Sensors and Audio System Announced 

Garmin, the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced a wide range of marine peripherals that can enhance safety and the enjoyment of boaters’ time on the water.  The peripherals include next-generation radars, a series of new wind transducers and a fully integrated in-boat audio system.

“There are so many integral marine electronics that offer valuable information to the boater and help make the boating experience an enjoyable one,” said Dan Bartel, vice president of worldwide sales. “Today, yacht captains looking to improve their situational awareness can take advantage of our new radomes.  Sailors wanting to gain a tactical advantage in a regatta will gravitate to our state-of-the-art wind transducers.  And just about anyone looking for that on-the-water soundtrack will enjoy our fully integrated in-boat audio system.” 

GMR 18/24 xHD

Garmin is proud to introduce next-generation, 4kW high-definition dome radars, GMR™ 18 xHD and 24 xHD.  Integrating a dynamic new look and implementing intuitive open-array features into a dome, the GMR 18 xHD and 24 xHD provide a clearer picture and make operation and settings simple to understand and use.

The GMR 18 xHD and 24 xHD boast a greater performance and higher resolution than the previous series of Garmin dome radars.  Now, with a max speed of 48 rpm and auto adjustment based on range, the boater will receive faster returns to help better understand surroundings and avoid collisions.  Also, with new Dynamic Auto Gain and Dynamic Sea Filter, the radars continuously adjust to surroundings and provide optimal performance in varying conditions.

With a range of 48 nautical miles, the GMR 18 xHD and 24 xHD offer dual range operation that allows for a split-screen display of near and far radar views.  And now with vibrant 8-bit color, the boater gets a more accurate representation of what obstructions or weather patterns may be on the horizon.

Garmin Meteor 300 Audio System

Bring music on the water with the fully integrated, in-boat audio system, Garmin Meteor™ 300.  With an intuitive user-interface and seamless Garmin integration into the boat’s helm, Garmin Meteor 300 is a multi-zone audio black box solution that is a must-have for full, rich sound.

If moving around the boat, Garmin Meteor 300 provides the unique feature of Bluetooth® wireless streaming and control. This allows the boater to move freely while actively maintaining a connection for music streaming and accessibility.  When at the helm and with compatible chartplotter, the boater is provided flexible configuration of the media bar, button and full screen virtual device.  Album art is also available that allows the boater to visually determine what music can be played.

Garmin Meteor 300 is a multimedia audio solution that provides access and control to media from the convenience of a Garmin chartplotter.  Meteor 300 offers a sleek docking station accessory that is designed to charge and protect smartphones and media devices from the boating environment.

An optional remote control is offered for installation away from the helm that controls the media box and displays NMEA 2000® data such as wind direction, depth, water temperature and more. 

At launch, Garmin Meteor 300 will be compatible with the GPSMAP® 500 and 700 series, GPSMAP 6000 and GPSMAP 7000 series with future expansion to other series of Garmin chartplotters.

gWind Series

The new series of Garmin wind products enable Garmin or Nexus® users to integrate superiorly designed products seamlessly into a pre-existing system.  With a simple plug-and-play installation and leveraging a unique design, the new gWind™ Series provides more accurate wind data than ever before.

The gWind Series consists of the gWind, a wired version of the wind transducer; gWind Wireless, a wireless transducer that provides easy installation and doesn’t require running cables up the mast; and gWind Race, a solution for competitive sailors that includes a 3’ straight pole that raises the wind transducer above the mast for reduced turbulence.

The twin fin design of the gWind Series yields extremely accurate wind data even with low wind speed.  A slight angle to the twin fins provides stability for the sensor. With the integration of a propeller, the gWind series provides better accuracy and efficiency with light wind.

Integral to the system is the GND™ 10, a black box bridge for critical NMEA 2000 data and the Nexus Network which enables Garmin chartplotter users to utilize Nexus sail equipment and vice versa.  The GND 10 is easy to install and offers a plug-and-play experience to the boater.

The new GMR 18 xHD and 24 xHD will be available Q4 of 2013.  Garmin Meteor and the gWind Sensors will be available Q1 of 2014.  For additional information about the GMR radars, Garmin Meteor and gWind Sensors, click here

Garmin’s marine business segment is a leading provider of navigation and communication equipment to retail and OEM customers.  Garmin’s portfolio includes the industry’s most sophisticated array of chartplotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar, high-definition radar, autopilot, high-resolution mapping, sailing instrumentation and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability, and ease-of-use.

About Garmin Ltd.

The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – most of which are enabled by GPS technology.  Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200.

Notice on forward-looking statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company’s future product introductions are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise