The depths of your favorite lake, river or stretch of coastal water probably hold more secrets than you will ever know. But a remote underwater video camera can help you learn more about the reefs, rock piles, weedbeds, wrecks and aquatic life below the surface.
That’s the idea behind the new Aqua-Vu Multi-Vu Pro Open-Water system. While some underwater video systems have their own viewing screens, the Multi-Vu Pro lets you view real-time images of the underwater world on an existing multifunction display (MFD). And in split-screen mode, you can view the sonar and/or chart plotter at the same time.
A cable tether supplies power down to the camera and feeds a video signal up to a control module on the boat. The module connects to 12-volt DC power (either an onboard battery system or the supplied battery) and networks via HDMI or RCA ports and supplied connector cables with compatible video-enabled MFDs from brands such as Garmin, Lowrance, Raymarine and Simrad. You can also network the system with an onboard flat-screen TV.
The Aqua-Vu camera shoots video in high definition up to 720p, and with 120-degree field of view. It can illuminate the depths as well. Aqua-Vu uses a ring of infrared lights around the lens, and the image shifts from full color to monochrome when the infrared lights are activated. The Aqua-Vu video camera does not float, so avoid snagging it on the bottom because you just might lose your camera.
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The 5-inch-long camera can be pre-adjusted to shoot imagery ahead of it, behind it, straight down, and 45-degree down and upward angles. A stabilizing fin keeps the camera steady in a current or as the boat drifts, and you can add 14 ounces of auxiliary weight to bring the camera’s total mass to 3.25 pounds, helping to keep the cable as vertical as possible. It comes with a 75-foot camera cable, but Aqua-Vu offers an optional 125-foot cable for viewing at greater depths. $799.99; aquavu.com
