If you have Garmin marine equipment installed in your boat then you may need to update the marine charts and maps on your systems from time to time. Many new charts come on SD card and can be purchased from Garmin direct – but how do you install the new charts? Read this easy guide to find out how to install a Garmin Inland SD Card below.
Garmin Inland SD Cards
Many of the newer SD memory cards that are used with Garmin marine GPS units tend to show waters in a given map location. This lets the mariner have a lot more information on the inland water ways than they used to. Some of the examples are rivers, lakes, and streams – but the SD card will also include public highways and roads – especially useful if you use a handheld marine GPS device.
If you buy a new Garmin Inland SD card then it will also offer coverage and information on lake shorelines and depth. It can be used as a guide for boating and fishing on many of the different water ways and lakes in North America and Europe. This is how to install them.
Step 1: Find where the SD card slot is located – typically this is on the side of the Garmin GPS device. If you find that there is already an existing chart SD card is in the slot then you will need to eject it. Many SD memory cards can be ejected by pushing in the top of the card – this will release it automatically and you can then simply pull it away from the card slot.
Step 2: Flip up the white plastic button on the SD card – this should then be in the “un-lock” position. If you do this then the marine GPS unit can easily access the data that is stored on the new map and chart card.
Step 3: Push your new Garmin Inland Waterways SD card into the card slot on the Garmin GPS unit. Your new SD card will slide into the slot until it properly engages with the GPS unit – you should hear it click.
Step 4: Turn on the GPS unit. It should now provide access to all the new Garmin Inland water ways chart information that you need to have a successful fishing or boating adventure.
Additional Advice & Warnings
Always keep your Garmin marine SD cards in a protective case when not in use and be careful not to get them wet. Never expose the data chart card to hot temperatures as this can damage the marine chart data that is kept on it.
Guest Post: This article was written and supplied by the team at GPS Bites. GPS Bites is a website dedicated to all things to do with navigation and they also have a page with a new Garmin discount code on it which will let fishermen and boating people save money when buying new Garmin marine maps and charts.