In an increasingly connected world, it was only a matter of time before a smart watch connected to a fishing vessel’s electronics, and more. Garmin introduced its newest quatix 7 Pro series of watches in 2022, specifically for marine users.
"These are purpose-built watches for mariners and designed for life on the water,” says Carly Hysell, Garmin’s Associate Director of Public Relations. “The quatix 7 Pro has up to 16 days of battery life and is packed with wearable tech. It features a large 1.3” AMOLED display and a built-in LED flashlight with variable intensities—it’s a tool that will benefit any fisherman. And it’s rugged enough to withstand the extremes of commercial fishing. It features a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, along with traditional button controls that are useful in harsh marine environments, and a touchscreen interface for quick access to all the watch’s functions.”
Among other things, Hysell notes the quatix 7 Pro can connect with a vessel’s Garmin electronics, a valuable feature for captains that spend time assisting with on-deck operations, whether it be picking a scallop pile, running a pot hauler, or many other types of work. “The quatix 7 Pro gives users convenient remote-control access to compatible Garmin chartplotters, autopilots, Fusion audio systems and more, right from their wrist,” Hysell says.
The quatix 7 Pro can be set up to monitor engine status and receive alerts, another valuable feature for safety and efficiency. “The watch also boasts updated marine apps that track boating data and receive alerts to help enhance situational awareness while on the water,” says Hysell. “You can view data — including water depth, engine RPM, wind, custom data, and more — right from your chartplotter on your wrist.”
Hysell notes that when connected to a Garmin chartplotter the quatix 7 Pro can also be used to access the autopilot app, change the vessel’s heading, engage pattern steering, and follow a GPS route, as well as drop waypoints onto the plotter.
Beyond its functions that can aid fishing operations, quatix 7 Pro can help fishermen monitor their own performance and health. The ECG app1 uses sensors to record the electrical signals that control how your heart beats. It analyzes that recording to detect signs of an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AFib). Additionally, the watch constantly samples your heart rate2 to help gauge how hard you work during activities – even underwater, and it can monitor a user’s sleep and provide breakdown of their light, deep, and REM sleep stages. “You can also track your daily biometric and wellness trends at a glance to gain a more complete picture of your overall health,” Hysell says.
The ECG app is not available in all regions; see Garmin.com/ECG for availability. The ECG app is not intended for use by people under 22 years old.
