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Using Garmin Auto Guidance on a Marine Chartplotter

The Auto Guidance+™ marine technology feature allows some Garmin chartplotters to create paths to destinations that avoid land and various obstacles in the water, based on chart data.

Some compatible chartplotters have the Auto Guidance+ feature built-in, whereas others will not show the Auto Guidance+ option without a separately-purchased supplemental map.

Chartplotters that include the Auto Guidance+ feature


  • ECHOMAP™ UHD2 7 | ECHOMAP™ UHD2 9 chartplotters

  • ECHOMAP™ Ultra 2 chartplotters | ECHOMAP™ Ultra series chartplotters

  • GPSMAP® 5x7 series chartplotters | GPSMAP® 7x1 series chartplotters

  • GPSMAP® 7x2 series chartplotters | GPSMAP ® 9x2 series chartplotters

  • GPSMAP® 7x3 series chartplotters | GPSMAP® 9x3 series chartplotters | GPSMAP® 12x3 series chartplotters | GPSMAP® 1x3 series chartplotters

  • GPSMAP® 8x0 series chartplotters | GPSMAP® 10x0 series chartplotters

  • GPSMAP® 10x2 series chartplotters | GPSMAP® 12x2 series chartplotters  

  • GPSMAP® 74xx series chartplotters | GPSMAP® 76xx series chartplotters

  • GPSMAP® 8xxx series chartplotters

    • Excludes the GPSMAP® 87xx chartplotters



NOTE: Devices loaded with g2 charts will not have Auto Guidance unless the charts are updated to g3 charts. 

Chartplotters that require a supplemental map to use Auto Guidance+

  • echoMAP™ series

  • echoMAP™ CHIRP series

  • ECHOMAP™ Plus series

  • ECHOMAP™ UHD series

  • GPSMAP® 87xx series


NOTES:
   • Auto Guidance+ uses chart information to draw paths. This information does not include obstacle and bottom clearance. Always defer to navaids, water conditions, and visual sightings of land, shallow water, or other obstacles when navigating.
   • Auto Guidance+ will not be offered if the boat is in too-shallow water or too close to shore as defined by the chartplotter's Auto Guidance+ parameters. It also will not create a path to destinations that fall outside these parameters, such as a marina berth.
   • If using a chartplotter that includes Auto Guidance+ features with the built-in chart, supplemental maps must be purchased to use Auto Guidance outside the built-in chart's boundaries.
   • It may be necessary to update the chartplotter's system software to use Auto Guidance+. See for instructions.


Before using the Auto Guidance+ feature, set up parameters such as the minimum water depth and lowest height that the boat can travel through.

Auto Guidance+ parameters

The Auto Guidance+ feature uses the following operator-defined parameters to determine this path, based on chart data:

  • Safe depth / preferred depth: the minimum water depth to safely drive the boat

    • The lowest safe depth on charts made in 2007 is 6 feet

    • The lowest safe depth on charts made after 2007 is 3 feet, even if the safe depth is set lower than 3 feet

  • Safe height / vertical clearance: the minimum height beneath which a boat can safely pass

  • Shoreline distance: the preferred minimum distance away from the shore

    • Nearest: 250 feet

    • Near: 350 feet

    • Normal: 500 feet

    • Far: 650 feet

    • Farthest: 750 feet

To set up Auto Guidance+ parameters:

  1. Select Home

  2. Select Configure or Settings

  3. Select Preferences

  4. Select Navigation

  5. Select Auto Guidance

  6. Select Preferred Depth or Safe Depth

  7. Enter a value

    • The lowest safe depth on charts made in 2007 is 6 feet

    • The lowest safe depth on charts made after 2007 is 3 feet, even if the safe depth is set lower than 3 feet

  8. Select Done

  9. Select Safe Height or Vertical Clearance

  10. Enter a value

  11. Select Done

  12. Select Shoreline Distance


Auto Guidance+ paths cannot be generated to destinations outside the chart boundary area, or over exceptionally long distances. The complexity of the path, such as through many narrow channels, will also limit the path distance. It may be necessary to create multiple, smaller Auto Guidance paths.

Starting an Auto Guidance+ path using a waypoint

  1. Select Home

  2. Select User Data

    • If this option does not appear, select Where To? or Info first

  3. Select Waypoints 

  4. Select the specific waypoint to navigate to, or create a new waypoint

  5. Select Review

  6. Select Navigate To

  7. Select Guide To or Auto Guidance

Starting an Auto Guidance+ path from a chart

  1. Select Home

  2. Select the Nav Chart or Fishing Chart, whichever is preferred for use

  3. Select the preferred destination of the Auto Guidance path on the chartplotter screen

  4. Select Guide To or Auto Guidance+ 

Auto Guidance+ will now create a path to the selected point. The chartplotter will provide the following prompts:

  • Review Hazards

  • Adjust Path

  • Cancel Auto Guidance

  • Start Navigation

After selecting Start Navigation, the chartplotter will show a magenta line on the chart that represents the calculated Auto Guidance+ path. A gray section of the line indicates that Auto Guidance+ could not calculate a path in that section that meets the chartplotter's safe depth and safe height Auto Guidance+ parameters.

After arriving at the destination, or calculating and canceling the path, the chartplotter will provide the option to save the path. This path can be exported along with other user data such as routes and waypoints.

Paths created in Auto Guidance+ are not compatible with third-party autopilot systems.

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