Garmin Announces NEW GC™ 245, 255 Models AND GPSMAP® 9500 Black Box System

A Special Announcement from our friends at Garmin –

Dock your boat with confidence using the all-new Garmin GC 245 and GC 255 marine cameras 

High-definition cameras built for Garmin chartplotters can provide distance markers and guidance lines to enhance situational awareness when docking in tight quarters 

The world’s most innovative and recognized marine electronics manufacturer, today announced the GC™ 245 and GC 255 marine cameras that are purpose-built to enhance proximity awareness and confidence at the dock. Featuring on-screen distance markers and guidance lines, these cameras can help provide peace of mind during low-speed maneuvers, such as docking in close quarters, with enhanced visibility from the helm. Both 1080p (full HD) cameras deliver multiple views directly to a compatible Garmin chartplotter, including standard, wide-angle FishEye and overhead Bird’s Eye view. 

“Garmin’s new GC 245 and GC 255 cameras bring many of the innovative video guidance capabilities found in our Surround View Camera System to smaller vessels so even more boaters can benefit from increased visibility at the helm. Much like a backup camera in your car or truck, on-screen prompts can give you confidence while docking or navigating your boat through narrow marina waterways to help protect your passengers and property.” 

–Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales 

Enhanced visibility on the water 

Utilizing cutting-edge camera technology, the GC 245 and GC 255 provide several enhanced video features for increased situational awareness and collision avoidance, including: 

• Multiple views: See what’s around the boat from different perspectives, including Standard View, wide-angle FishEye View, or Bird’s Eye View which gives a projected overhead view of the boat, similar to Surround View. All views work in normal and low light conditions. 
• On-screen guidance: Distance markers and guidance lines can be helpful visual references for boaters to understand the proximity of surrounding objects. These markers can be shown in Standard or Bird’s Eye view. 
• Multi-camera streaming: See up to four camera feeds simultaneously on a compatible chartplotter or share the video across networked chartplotters for better viewing throughout the vessel. 
• Digital zoom and pan: Utilize digital zoom to take a closer look at a specific area of interest or pan around the field of view to focus on anything within sight. 

Mounting and aesthetic options 

Engineered for a wide range of boats, the GC 255 has a stainless steel thru-hull design that can be flush-mounted for a sleek and modern aesthetic. The GC 245 features a surface-mount design with black or white options to complement the boat’s color scheme. It can be mounted with the dome up or 

down and does not require cutting into the vessel’s hull for simple installation. Both camera models also offer easy setup and full integration on the Garmin Marine Network or the Garmin BlueNet™ network. 

Rugged and weatherproof, these cameras have an IPX7 rating to withstand typical marine environments, including water and dust. 

Available now, the GC 245 surface mount camera has a suggested retail price of $699.99, while the flush mount GC 255 camera has a suggested retail price of $999.99. They are compatible with a wide range of Garmin chartplotters and multifunction displays, including the GPSMAP® x2, GPSMAP x3, GPSMAP 8400/8600 and GPSMAP 9000 series, along with the GPSMAP 8700 Black Box and the new GPSMAP 9500 Black Box. To learn more, visit garmin.com/marine. 

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GPSMAP® 9500 Black Box System 

Today, Garmin announced the GPSMAP® 9500 Black Box System that delivers the feature set of the GPSMAP 9000 series chartplotters packed into a black box configuration. With seven times the processing power of previous generations, the GPSMAP 9500 can connect to compatible third-party monitors (sold separately) and provides comprehensive connectivity throughout the vessel with faster networking speeds than ever before. 

Premium processing power & enhanced networking 

For captains who demand the best, the GPSMAP 9500 black box delivers superior processing performance, including Garmin’s fastest map drawing and Auto Guidance+™ routing. This premium processing power significantly benefits all onboard sensors like sonar, radar, cameras, video and digital switching, adding comprehensive connectivity and an enhanced user experience across the entire network. 

With the GPSMAP 9500 black box, mariners can build an extensive network for their helm that links multiple chartplotters, monitors, radars, cameras and sonars – including the new GSD™ 28 xCHIRP high-powered sonar or LiveScope™ XR live sonar – with up to 10 times faster networking speeds and minimal lag on the new gigabit-speed Garmin BlueNet™ network.

Powered by Garmin BlueNet, the GPSMAP 9500 offers enhanced multimedia streaming and seamless video integration, so onboard entertainment has never looked better. Users can even play and hear the same video throughout multiple screens and speakers on the network thanks to HDCP (high-bandwidth digital content protection) distribution. This premium black box can also connect to compatible existing Garmin marine systems, including other GPSMAP chartplotters, radars, autopilots, sensors and more via NMEA® 2000 and NMEA® 0183 networks, and built-in Wi-Fi® enables reliable wireless software updates via the ActiveCaptain® app with a compatible smartphone or tablet. 

Innovative integration 

Garmin’s flagship GPSMAP 9000 series, including the new GPSMAP 9500 black box, offers easy and expansive integration capabilities with onboard systems, including: 

• Engine monitoring lets captains keep tabs on engine data performance like rpm, speed, fuel flow, temperature, exceedance warnings and more. 
• OneHelm™ integrated digital switching offers full support for the EmpirBus™ system and other third-party monitoring, control and automation solutions. 

• Listen to music, enjoy a movie and get audio alerts with JL Audio or Fusion® audio entertainment integration. 
• Control and see footage directly on the chartplotter with extensive camera support; even get a live 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the vessel during low-speed maneuvers such as docking in a tight spot with Garmin’s Surround View Camera System (sold separately). 
• Connect a GPSMAP 9000 chartplotter with a compatible Garmin smartwatch for remote control of key MFD features including chart zoom, autopilot control and more, directly from the wrist. 
• Use voice commands to control the chartplotter through a compatible headset (not included). 
• The GPSMAP 9500 black box is compatible with up to 4K resolution third-party touchscreen monitors, and OEMs can customize the homepage layout and splash screen for a unique, branded look. 

Available now, the GPSMAP 9500 has a retail price of $4999.99. A worldwide basemap is included with support for Garmin Navionics+™ mapping, which includes a one-year subscription to daily updates for the most up-to-date content available, along with Garmin Navionics Vision+™ premium mapping for high-resolution relief shading, satellite imagery and more. To learn more, visit garmin.com/marine. 

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for anglers, sailors, mariners and boat enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing the most innovative, highest quality, and easiest to use marine electronics the industry has ever known, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. For the ninth consecutive year, Garmin was named the Manufacturer of the Year by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). Other Garmin marine brands include Navionics® and JL Audio. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual Newsroom, email our press team, connect with @garminmarine on social media, or follow our adventures at garmin.com/blog.