For cruisers who like their gadgets as rugged as their passages, Garmin has released a new tool for the wrist: the quatix 8 smartwatch. Purpose-built for boating, sailing, and fishing, this is the latest in Garmin’s long-running line of marine-focused wearables—and it might just be the smartest one yet.
The big news? A built-in microphone and speaker. While that might sound like a minor update, the idea is to let sailors interact more naturally with their electronics—marking a waypoint or controlling a chartplotter with a simple voice command, rather than digging around for the MFD remote during a squall. According to Garmin, the watch can now take helm commands over Bluetooth and even handle basic phone calls when paired with a smartphone.
Of course, many boaters won’t be ditching their cockpit nav gear anytime soon. But for those who like wearable tech, especially while singlehanding or moving around deck, this generation offers a few meaningful upgrades.
Built Tough—And Dive Ready
The quatix 8 comes in two sizes (47 mm and 51 mm), both with AMOLED displays that Garmin says are brighter and easier to read in full sun. It’s also dive-rated to 40 meters, with leakproof buttons, a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, and the same titanium bezel found on past models. There’s even a built-in LED flashlight with red light mode for night ops.
Battery life is claimed at up to 16 days for the smaller watch and 29 days for the larger one—though those numbers, as always, depend on how much you’re asking the watch to do.
Connected Sailing Tools
Like its predecessors, the quatix 8 offers connectivity to Garmin’s marine ecosystem. That means you can use it as a remote for chartplotters, Fusion stereos, and trolling motors, plus access key sailing data such as wind speed, depth, heading, and tides—right on your wrist. Racing sailors will also find tools like tack assist, start sequence guidance, and a regatta timer built in.
In practical terms, that might mean checking anchor drag while you’re down below, or adjusting the volume on deck during a breezy reach—all without leaving the helm.
For coastal cruisers and liveaboards who like tracking fitness, wellness, or onboard routines, the watch also includes Garmin’s usual suite of health metrics, sleep tracking, and activity apps—handy for anyone trying to balance boat life with staying in shape.
Final Thoughts
The quatix 8 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but for sailors already in Garmin’s ecosystem—or looking for an all-in-one watch that speaks the language of the sea—it’s a solid evolution. It’s still a luxury-priced piece of kit, though, starting at $1,199.99, so it’s best suited for those who will make good use of its many (many) features.
Whether that’s you or not likely depends on whether you see wrist-based nav as a game-changer—or just another piece of gear to charge.
For full specs and compatibility details, visit garmin.com.
