Looking Ahead

Garmin’s new forward-looking transducer lets you “see” underwater obstructions

- Michael Fisher

When I started sailing 40 years ago, all I had was a leadline: no depth sounder, no electricity, in fact, but I managed (with a little luck) to cruise from Europe to the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal and on to the Pacific islands. I cannot tell you how much easier that would have been had we been able to see under the surface 100 yards ahead—as is now possible with Garmin’s new PS51TH transducer, which turns a Garmin plotter into a forward-looking echosounder.

In the box with the transducer is a rugged stainless steel through-hull fitting, the same size as other Garmin transducers. For a one day test, it was simple to swap out the standard transducer for the forward-looking one, but for permanent installation, you’ll need to lift the boat and change to the new skin fitting. Stainless steel is used to give greater strength in case you hit something hard and break the protruding transducer.