March 4, 2026

According to a report from the U.S. Coast Guard, there were 239 man overboard (MOB) incidents in 2024 — making MOB one of the most common primary incident types. For offshore coasters or inland cruisers, boat safety should be a top priority.

If you’re a mariner looking for equipment to inspire confidence on the water, look no further. Made for captains and passengers, the Garmin OnBoard™ system is for marine enthusiasts looking for added awareness and man overboard alerts while enjoying their aquatic adventure.

Why choose the Garmin OnBoard system?

To boat with peace of mind, confidence in getting your crew from point A to point B is key. The Garmin OnBoard system can help you focus on the adventure ahead instead of worrying about the journey to your destination.

The Garmin OnBoard system is a simple, topside solution for captain and passenger peace of mind. Instead of traditional tethered cords, this system comes with MOB tags that can be worn on the wrist or on a carabiner by both the captain and the passengers, helping to enhance boater awareness while on the water.  

Boating with added awareness using MOB tags

The MOB tags can be designated as either the passenger or captain on your compatible chartplotter to trigger the appropriate action if someone were to fall overboard.

When the tag loses connection with the vessel, both captain and passenger tags will prompt an audible alarm on compatible GPSMAP® or ECHOMAP™ chartplotters and the hub. Plus, a waypoint will be marked at the location the tag was last on the vessel. If the tag designated as “captain” falls overboard, engine power will be cutoff to avoid a ghost boat.

If you have a larger group aboard, no worries —  up to 8 tags can be paired to the system. And if those on board choose to enjoy the water or venture out on excursions, the tags can be disabled temporarily.

Rely on long-lasting battery performance throughout boating season. Each tag exceeds a single season of operation for extended captain and passenger protection.

Boat confidently and tag what matters. Learn more about boating best practices from Garmin by checking out our blog.