GLEN JUSTICE

It wasn't long ago that forward-facing sonar, which allows you to see things approaching the boat before you hit them, was the stuff of fantasy.

There were companies offering this technology, but the performance was lackluster or the technology was so expensive — tens of thousands of dollars — that most of us could do little more than gawk.

But next year, Interphase is releasing a product that can put realistic and accurate forward-facing sonar within reach of recreational boaters for $1,000 to $4,000.

The Ultrascan PC90 delivers imagery as far as 1,200 feet in front of the boat in real time, updating as quickly as 24 times a second. It also functions as a conventional sonar, scanning downward to about 600 feet.

The installation is much like a conventional sounder, using a single through-hull transducer or a pair of transom mounts, except that the Ultrascan PC90 connects to an onboard computer rather than a chartplotter and uses its own software. It will sell for about $4,000 (not counting installtion).

We haven't tested it, but the Ultrascan PC90 could be a game changer if it delivers on its promises. The ability to see ahead of the boat and below the surface when navigating in shallow water — or when fishing or doing anything else for that matter — could capture wide interest among boaters of all stripes.