If you are looking into buying a handheld GPS, then chances are you already have an idea of what these items are and how they can make your life easier. In fact, many people are starting to look into these very useful Global Positioning System devices, since they quite literally tell you where you are in the world.

Garmin Colorado 400i  Obviously if you are active in outdoor sports, such as hiking, camping or boating or the like, a GPS can be a very handy item, giving you piece of mind that you will always know exactly where you are. With a GPS, you never need to fear getting lost in the wilderness ever again.

When it comes to choosing a handheld GPS, the first step is to know what you will be using it for. For example, the best GPS for hiking in the Canadian Rockies may not be as useful if you are trying to navigate the city streets of London. Moreover, if you are using your GPS in a boat or car, as well as when walking, you should look for a multipurpose unit.

From freshwater lakes to backcountry trails, Colorado 400i is your guide to the wet and wild. With preloaded U.S. Inland lakes, this rugged, advanced handheld is ready for adventure. Packed with features, it includes a high-sensitivity receiver, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, SD card slot, color display, picture viewer and more. Even exchange tracks, waypoints, routes and geocaches wirelessly between similar units. When the going gets tough, Colorado leads the way.

Explore Inland Lakes
Colorado comes with built-in U.S. Inland lakes and a worldwide basemap with imagery perfect for all your outdoor pursuits. Map detail includes shoreline details, depth contours, boat ramps and mile markers for thousands of lakes in the continental U.S.

Share Wirelessly
With Colorado 400i you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with other Colorado users. Now you can send your favorite hike to your buddy to enjoy or the location of a cache to find. Sharing data is easy. Just select send to transfer your information to other Colorado units.

Rock on. Find Fun
Intuitive and fun, Colorado features a Rock n Roller™ input wheel for easy one-handed operation and supports Geocaching.com GPX files for downloading geocaches and detail straight to your unit. Customize Colorado’s interface based on your favorite activity. Even show off photos of your excursions with its picture viewer. Slim, lightweight and waterproof, Colorado is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.

Keep Your Fix
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, Colorado 400i locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear whether youre in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Colorado to help you find your way when you need it the most.

Get Your Bearings
Colorado 400i has a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even while you’re standing still, and its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.

Plug in and Go
Conveniently plug in optional preloaded SD cards for all your outdoor activities on land or water. Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps, and Colorado provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Add topographic maps to take advantage of Colorado’s 3-D map view which gives you a better perspective of your elevation. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don’t have to worry about getting it wet.

Colorado 400i: For adventure in any direction.

• Model: 32013

WaterStates Trading Company specializes in LOW prices on QUALITY water sports, boating and fishing and camping supplies. We offer communication, safety, navigation and entertainment electronics for your boating or camping experience.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 million people go boating each year. While boating is much safer than driving a car, there are still enough boating accidents to raise some alarm signals as to why boating accidents occur.

Safety

53% of fatal boating accident victims drowned, while 39% suffered trauma and 9% died of other causes. Most boating deaths result from falling out of a small open boat, without a PFD, whether it capsizes or not. Make sure that all boaters have on flotation devices.

When boating be alert to sudden boat motion changes, wind shifts, light flashes and the beginning of choppy water. These sudden changes can all mean a storm is brewing. Always carry a radio with the local “Marine Band” on it. The Marine Band broadcasts storm warnings, which should alert you to head in to a dock until the storm blows over.

On The Water

There is no excuse for littering, especially on the water. The litter that you throw into the water can contaminate fish, the water that goes to our cities, and surrounding farmlands. Going out on the boat with your family can be a fun experience that can create many happy childhood memories for your children. Growing up on the water is an experience that not all children get to have. If sunbathing is a priority, then a calm inlet where you can tie floats to the boat and be lazy in the water is a perfect spot. Many now rent houseboats where they spend their vacations enjoying the peace and tranquility of the waterways.

Canoes

Canoes are designed for ease of getting in and out, especially for older folks wishing to get into the sport. Canoes are versatile and practical for a number of reasons, and can work in a number of different situations. When it comes to introducing yourself to the water, canoes are a great place to start. The longer canoes are excellent for long open water trips, but you can also buy one-person smaller canoes for running white water.

One feature that the canoe has over the Kayak is its storage capacity, which allows passengers to haul large amounts of accessories and supplies on extended water trips. Canoes however can sometimes be difficult to transport, unless you have a full-sized pickup truck and especially if you plan on loading it yourself. Another drawback of canoes is that when it rains heavily, the boat can fill up with water very rapidly.

Kayaks

The way kayaks are designed; they seem to blend in with the natural surroundings instead of disturbing them. Kayaks are never motorized…they are propelled manually, using one oar that has a paddle on either side. Kayaks are small, streamlined boats that have tapered ends and slightly thicker centers. There are openings in the middle that are just large enough to fit one person. One benefit that kayaks have over canoes is their portability. Kayaks are very easy to transport due to their size as compared to a canoe. Another thing that is making Kayaks very popular is their storability.

Inflatable kayaks are becoming more and more popular for this main reason. The serenity of paddling your kayak along a glassy lake in the early morning or along a river through a small canyon at sunset can be an incomparable experience.

Engine driven boats

Before starting your engine, always carefully sniff for gasoline fumes in the engine and fuel areas, open hatches and run the blower. Fuel fires and explosions burn and kill boaters each year. People who take boat trips often fail to realize the potential disasters that can ensue if they are not careful and safe on-board their boat. Over 1,000 people die on boating trips per year, and many of the dangers associated with boating are easily preventable.

Alcohol and Boating

Did you know?

* The use of alcohol is involved in about a third of all recreational boating fatalities?

* The penalties for BUI (boating under the influence) can include large fines, revocation of operator privileges and serious jail terms?

* It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in every state?

Every boater needs to understand the risks of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs (BUI). The Coast Guard also enforces a federal law that prohibits BUI. This law pertains to ALL boats (from canoes and rowboats to the largest ships) — and includes foreign vessels that operate in U.S. waters, as well as U.S. vessels on the high seas.

Conclusion

Bottom line: don’t drink and boat, wear your lifejacket, carry a radio with the Marine Band on it, take a safe boating course and maintain a proper lookout, especially for boaters who fit the profile of an accident-maker.

Each year hundreds of lives are lost… thousands are injured… and millions of dollars of property damage occurs because of preventable recreational boating accidents on U.S. waterways. Too often pleasure outings turn tragic. You — as a boat operator, passenger, or concerned individual — can make a difference. Copyright © 2007 Jerry Tarrer

WaterStates Trading Company specializes in LOW prices on QUALITY water sports, boating and fishing and camping supplies. We offer communication, safety, navigation and entertainment electronics for your boating or camping experience.

The freshwater fish known as the muskie are often referred to as the fish that takes at least a 1000 casts to hook. Fighting and landing one of the toughest freshwater fish in all North America is quite another story. The Muskie is hard-charging and rod-bending exciting fish that will adapt only to get the attention of the angler who is on the other end of the line.

Today we will look at 5 essential tips to catching muskies that have been proven very successful.

Five Tips for Catching Muskies

- Techniques and Tips General – While casting for muskies, please pay close attention to the opportunity for trolling or drifting. Make several artificial lure presentations and do not shy away from the larger baits in the tackle box as muskies prefer the heavier lures.

- Artificial Lure Specifications – The best way to avoid catching an unwanted walleye or maybe even a pike is to stick with a bigger lure. On the other hand if you do not mind what is caught then by all means continue with what you brought!

- Geographic Location – One of the best ways to find muskies is to fish by rocks and weeds. By working your lure directly above weed beds and/or along rocky crevices and lake edges you will be that much better prepared for that giant musky strike! If fishing from a boat is what’s happening today then the ever-present fish-finder will alert you to the exacting location of the pack of muskies!

- Fishing Line – The line that is chosen is so important when muskie fishing and cannot be overlooked in the very least. As we all know we want to use our heaviest line possible. Because muskies are a very toothy-fish, a wire leader is preferred as most of them won’t be able to chomp through it. A great set-up for a standard muskie fishing adventure will be 15 to 20 pound braided test line with a leader.

- Rods and Reels – This is where personal choice comes into play yet it is naturally required that a heavier rod is mandated that’s medium to fast action. I would stay away from anything less than medium just in case that lunker strikes.

There’s always been a murmur of supporters who say that the muskie population in many locations is down and has been down for decades however there are many regions of the country were the Muskie fishing is out of this world!  Minnesota and Wisconsin has some great Muskie fishing.

 Does anyone know not to stick your hand in a muskie’s mouth? Remember that they can take fingers off, even a small one so be careful!

WaterStates Trading Company specializes in LOW prices on QUALITY water sports, boating and fishing and camping supplies. We offer communication, safety, navigation and entertainment electronics for your boating or camping experience.