From the workbench

News

How-to guides, buyer's takes, and the occasional rant. Written by people who actually rig boats.

12 Articles
Best AIS Transponders of 2026: Class B Buyer's Guide
#AISTRANSPONDER · BOATSAFETY · GARMINMARINE · MARINEELECTRONICS · MARINESAFETY · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · OFFSHORELIFE · RAYMARINEAIS · SAILINGLIFE · VESPERMARINE · AUG 14, 2026 · 11 MIN

Best AIS Transponders of 2026: Class B Buyer's Guide

Home › Marine Electronics Blog › AIS Transponders › Best AIS Transponders 2026 Best AIS Transponders of 2026: Class B...
How to Install a Transom-Mount Transducer (Step by Step)
BASSBOATING · BOATING · BOATING2026 · BOATINGLIFE · COASTAL BOATING · FISHFINDER · FISHINGBOAT · GARMIN · HUMMINBIRD · LOWRANCE · MARINE TRANSDUCER · MARINEELECTRONICS · OFFSHOREBOATING · TRANSDUCER · TRANSOM · AUG 12, 2026 · 12 MIN

How to Install a Transom-Mount Transducer (Step by Step)

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Raymarine Evolution EV-100 Review: Entry-Level Autopilot Done Right
AUTOPILOTS · AUTOPILOTSYSTEM · BOATLIFE · BOATTECH · CENTERCONSOLE · CENTERCONSOLEFISHING · FISHINGBOAT · MARINEAUTOPILOT · MARINEELECTRONICS · NAVIGATIONELECTRONICS · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOAT · OFFSHOREBOATING · RAYMARINEEVOLUTION · SAILBOATLIFE · JUL 31, 2026 · 10 MIN

Raymarine Evolution EV-100 Review: Entry-Level Autopilot Done Right

      By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing,...
12V vs 24V vs 36V Trolling Motor Systems Explained
24VTROLLINGMOTOR · 36VTROLLINGMOTOR · ANGLERS · BASSBOATING · MARINE ELECTRONICS · MINN KOTA · MOTOR GUIDE · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · SALT FISHING · TROLLING MOTOR · TROLLINGMOTORTIPS · JUL 25, 2026 · 11 MIN

12V vs 24V vs 36V Trolling Motor Systems Explained

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Garmin GPSMAP 9000 Series: Full Breakdown for Offshore Boaters
BOAT ELECTRONICS · BOATING · CENTER CONSOLE BOATING · CHARTPLOTTER · FISH FINDER · FISHFINDER · FISHINGBOAT · FISIHING LIFE · GARMIN · GPSMAP · GPSMAP9000 · MARINE COMMUNICATIONS · MARINE ELECTRONICS · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · PANOPTIX · SAILBOATLIFE · SALT FISHING · JUL 7, 2026 · 11 MIN

Garmin GPSMAP 9000 Series: Full Breakdown for Offshore Boaters

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Garmin Livescope Plus System: Complete Setup Guide
BASS FISHING · BASS FISHING NATION · BOAT ELECTRONICS · BOATING · CENTER CONSOLE BOATING · FISHINGSETUP · FISIHING LIFE · GARMIN · GARMINLIVESCOPE · LIVESCOPEPLUS · LIVESONAR · MARINE ELECTRONICS · MARINE TECH · MINN KOTA · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · PRODUCT MARKETING · JUL 7, 2026 · 11 MIN

Garmin Livescope Plus System: Complete Setup Guide

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Raymarine Axiom Pro vs Axiom 2 Pro: Which Should You Buy?
AXIOM · AXIOM 2 PRO · BOAT ELECTRONICS · BOATING · BOATLIFE · CENTER CONSOLE BOATING · CHARTPLOTTER · FISHING · HELMSETUP · MARINE ELECTRONICS · MARINE TECH · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · RAYMARINE · JUL 6, 2026 · 7 MIN

Raymarine Axiom Pro vs Axiom 2 Pro: Which Should You Buy?

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Marine Transducer Buyer's Guide: Through-Hull, Transom & In-Hull
BASS BOATS · BOAT ELECTRONICS · BOATING · BOATLIFE · CENTER CONSOLE BOATING · CHIRPSONAR · FISH FINDER · FISHFINDER · FISIHING LIFE · MARINE ELECTRONICS · MARINE TRANSDUCER · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · THROUGHHULL · TRANSDUCER · JUL 2, 2026 · 7 MIN

Marine Transducer Buyer's Guide: Through-Hull, Transom & In-Hull

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Best Marine Autopilot Systems of 2026: Buyer's Guide
AUTOPILOTS · B&G · BANDG · BOAT ELECTRONICS · BOATING · BOATLIFE · FISHING · GARMIN · MARINE AUTOPILOTS · MARINE ELECTRONICS · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · RAYMARINE · SAILBOATLIFE · SIMRAD · JUL 1, 2026 · 7 MIN

Best Marine Autopilot Systems of 2026: Buyer's Guide

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Best Marine Radar Systems of 2026: Solid State vs Magnetron
BOAT ELECTRONICS · BOATING · BOATLIFE · CENTER CONSOLE BOATING · COASTAL BOATING · GARMIN · MARINE ELECTRONICS · MARINE RADAR · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · RADAR INSTALL · RAYMARINE · SIMRAD · SOLID STATE RADAR · JUN 26, 2026 · 7 MIN

Best Marine Radar Systems of 2026: Solid State vs Magnetron

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Best Marine VHF Radios of 2026: Fixed-Mount vs. Handheld — Which One Do You Actually Need?
BOATING · BOATLIFE · BOATSTAGRAM · CENTERCONSOLE · COASTAL BOATING · ICOM · MARINE COMMUNICATIONS · MARINE ELECTRONICS · MARINE SAFETY · NVNMARINE · OFFSHOREBOATING · STANDARD HORIZON · VHF · VHF RADIOS · JUN 25, 2026 · 5 MIN

Best Marine VHF Radios of 2026: Fixed-Mount vs. Handheld — Which One Do You Actually Need?

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...
Best Marine Chartplotters of 2026: Complete Buyer's Guide
B&G · BANDG · BOATLIFE · CENTERCONSOLE · CHARTPLOTTER · FISHINGBOAT · GARMIN · LOWRANCE · MARINEGEAR2026 · MARINENAVIGATION · NMEA2000 · OFFSHOREBOATING · RAYMARINE · SIMRAD · JUN 4, 2026 · 7 MIN

Best Marine Chartplotters of 2026: Complete Buyer's Guide

By the NVN Marine Expert Team — Our team has spent 10+ years on the water installing, testing, and troubleshooting...