Going by tradition, mariners are guided by the stars during their long voyages at sea. However, during storms or cloudy nights, when the stars are nowhere to be seen in the skies, modern day mariners then rely on marine gps systems to get to where they need to go. A marine global positioning system is a very important part of a mariner’s line of work as it helps them to determine their location while they are at sea; since the open water can easily confuse even the most seasoned of mariners or sailors. This system is very helpful and important, that not a single boat manufactured for the past decade is sold without one, and boat owners refuse to go out without it installed in their vessels. It is considered that a marine global positioning system is a very essential part of the vessel’s gear in the same level that life vests are; hundreds of lives have been saved because of these systems. If you have a boat that does not have a GPS system installed in it yet, you need to start looking for different systems and compare prices and features of each model. The internet is a great source of these systems and because of the wide array of choices, you are sure to find one that will best fit your needs. An example would be the models that have waterproof cases which are very helpful in the event of a storm. There are models that you can operate regardless if you are standing under very bright sunlight and there are models that you can operate even if you have gloves on. When you begin comparing different prices on marine gps systems, keep in mind that the pricier the systems are, the more features it would include as compared to less costly systems. So it is important to determine what kind of features you would want to have and which ones you can do without as well as the amount of money you are willing to spend so you can determine what kind system you would go for. How you would use the GPS system on your boat will help you determine what kind of features you would like to add. There is the GPS laptop that you can use on your boat that has excellent imagery but this may not be very convenient for you. A marine gps handheld is best if you would like to have a system that you can take around the boat with you. If you are looking at a way to save money or if you would prefer to have a smaller system, then a smaller system and not the laptop version should be something you need to take into consideration.