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I've been reading the GPS thread and rather than hijack it, I thought I'd start a similar but different question.
I, too, have been thinking about a GPS. I want one with chart capability although I probably won't travel too far afield in the near future but charts of Lake Erie will probbly be helpful. The problem, as I see it, is that the charts are only as good as the last update. As I've said in this forum before, I've been surprised by shifting sand bars.
Wouldn't we be better served with a simple fishfinder that will show the bottom? I assume that they can be set with alarms as well?
John Russell 1999 C250 SR/WK #410 Bay Village, Ohio Sailing Lake Erie Don't Postpone Joy!
Yup--the fishfinder will give you a little better idea of why you just ran aground... I have one--Garmin's cheapest color model--and don't find it that much more informative than a simple depth reading. Realize that it's not a "picture of the bottom"--it's a continuously running graphic "tape" of the discrete readings, which runs at the same speed whether I'm standing still or on plane. It's better than nothing, but it might not be what some people expect.
The bottom line for me is I need both--the chartplotter more. Rocks are the issue here, and they move very infrequently. And the GPS shows me my route from here to there, how far to the next waypoint, what that navaid "over there" is (including the target on my radar screen), my speed, and did I say how to stay away from the rocks?
John I've had a Garmin 140 fishfinder for two years ago, has depth alarm, water temp,fishfinder and a display of the bottom. Depth alarm went off much too much this summer resulting in a pre-Labor Day haul out.........
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.