Association Forum - GPS

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

GPS - Whatcha got?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Page: of 3

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/16/2008 : 13:05:29

So on my boat show list is to go to the fishing section and look at the GPS's. We don't own one and never have.

I am thinking a handheld wuld be good for us so we can also use it on canoe trips and for hiking. I think a handful of points (like for our race markers and marinas) would be needed, but some of these advertise 1000 points plus on SD memory cards etc. A bunch of tracklogs would be good so I could record routes that sneak through shoals on our lake.

I have heard positive things about Garmin and Lowrance handhelds, and negative things about Magellans.

Can you guys share with me what you have found to be the key ingredients to a good GPS and what ones you have found to be the cream of the crop?

Thanks in advance!

"Iris"
1984 FK/SR #4040
http://frosthaus.blogspot.com/

Take a minute to register your boat with the association!!
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/owner_questionnaire.htm

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 13:22:31

I have a Garmin 398 chartplotter. 5" diagonal screen in color. I am a big fan of these larger units because the map shows up well and in enough detail to show the various obstacles, markings, etc. Of course it is not handheld so is limited to use on the sailboat. The 398 is now discontinued but others are like it. It has the maps of all waters in and around the United States including the Canadian Gulf Islands. It is a great cruising tool. If you never leave your lake it is overkill. The Garmin is very easy to use.

Top GPS features:
-Color
-Screen Size
-Built-in Maps with full nautical details
-Chartplotter
-Built-in antenna

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 13:49:36

I have owned several of the Garmin 76 series handheld marine GPS units. They are great. I bought one from West marine and one from an eBay store.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=161

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3442 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 17:17:29

My Magellan Marine handheld is great !

Then again...my friend gave it to me for free when he bought a new 26' motorboat with a built-in GPS. It was already set up for our boating area. So...getting it that way may have something to do with my perception.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 17:40:50

We've got a Garmin 276C which is a great little unit. We also have two Garmin 12's that I keep as backups. The 276 would be kind of big to use for a handheld although not out of the question. If I were going to get another handheld, I'd probably go with the Garmin 60 series. The only difference between it and the 76 series is that the 60's are waterproof. All their other specs are identical.

As far as key ingredients for the 276:
Anchor drag alarm (this is the reason I bought it)
Turn by turn instructions (my wife's favorite aspect)
Can be used in both road & water modes. Be advised that the stock base maps are very simple, and you'll need to purchase additional maps/charts for it to make it as useful as we find it. This adds another $300 or so. It may be more cost effective to look into one similar to Randy's that has built in highly detailed maps & charts. I didn't do the math on this, but I'm not sure the difference in overall cost is that great. I think these start with the 376C & go upwards.
Daylight visible color screen that's adjustable and easily readable by older eyes. The little screens on our 12's are much harder to read.
Can be integrated with a Garmin sounder for side by side display of a chart & bottom contours.
Maps/charts are available for all over the world, so if we go visit Rita's folks in SE Asia, we can get maps for the area.

I've never owned a Lowrance or a Magellan, but I've been very happy with all of the Garmin's I've owned & wouldn't hesitate to purchase another.

If you decide on a Garmin, check out [url="http://www.edgegps.com/"]EdgeGPS [/url]& their refurbished units. I was able to purchase our 276 for $350 & shipping. This was the cheapest price I was able to find anywhere on the internet.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 18:15:31

That is where I bought my new 76cs.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 18:20:45

Frank,
I'm pretty sure you recommended it to me (or the forum at large) in the first place. Good tip.

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 19:49:21

For a handheld, the Garmin 76 series are great.
Pro's:
- portable
- fast and reliable - if hiking under a forest canopy, my 76 will acquire a position quickly, whereas the $2700 Trimble hand-helds we had at work might never
- WAAS capable
- readily available free software to download/upload data

Con's:
- screen is small - but system settings can be set to display in larger font size
- cannot save and download data for differential-GPS calcs (not an issue for sailing)
- not waterproof

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

Members Avatar

USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 20:33:17

To be honest, you cant go wrong with any major brand. Its all presonal preference and your budget. Go to a store, hold one and see how it works. Talk to the salesman, tell him what your needs and price range is.
I have one and and love the color screen of my Magellan. Good luck.
Steve A

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2008 : 20:36:16

Garmin GPSMAP378 with XM Satelitte Weather and Radio. Comes pre-loaded with every street in the US and depth contours for most larger inland lakes. If I'd known I was going to wind up sailing at the coast I would've bought the GPSMAP478 which is identical but comes loaded with detailed saltwater info.

The unit has 6 million points of interest, holds 50 routes, 3,000 waypoints, a 10,000 point track log for leaving a trail of where you've been, plus more.

Because I bought the inland version I had to purchase the Galveston Bay charts on a memory chip so now I have the best if both worlds. With the G2 Chip I get satelitte pictures of selected ports and marinas.

The XM Weather is awesome. I will never leave the dock without this feature again. Gets all marine warnings, has color weather radar, and visible satelitte images, plus more.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=148&pID=401

I have no affiliation with Garmin. I just love their products. This is my second Garmin and will definitely buy more in the future. I've had a couple minor problems with a couple of cables but there Product Support is outstanding and the problems have been handled very quickly and free of charge even though the unit is well out of warranty.

GaryB
'89 SR/Wk #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 01/16/2008 20:37:06

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2008 : 07:55:14

Magellan no longer supports the marine world. I have a nice FX324 (color 5") with chips for the Cheasapeake to Canada for sale, but had to purchase a garmin 3010 to go past Annapolis. 10.5" is big enough to eat on and I love it. If you know how to operate the 76 you can run any Garmin - we have one of those too. Actually, at last count we have 8 gps on board including the TomTom and integral gps in the Furuno radar. We also have a sextant just in case GW decides to turn off the skies.

Sten

DPO Zephyr - '82 C25, FK, SR
SV Lysistrata - C&C 39 - St. Augustine, FL

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2008 : 12:22:41

Thanks for all the info guys. At teh show I poked them all and tried different things. At the end of the day I liked the Lowrance H2O. Simple to use, felt comfortable, and a decent price. The sales guy was trying to push me up to the H2Oc (colour screen) but I think I can keep the $50 in my pocket and look at the charts to see what colour a buoy is.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2008 : 13:40:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 ...If you decide on a Garmin, check out [url="http://www.edgegps.com/"]EdgeGPS [/url]& their refurbished units. I was able to purchase our 276 for $350 & shipping. This was the cheapest price I was able to find anywhere on the internet.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> [url="http://www.gpsdiscount.com/"]GPSDiscount [/url] has considerably lower prices on the items (new) I just checked. I bought my 276C there and was very pleased with them.

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2008 : 13:52:13

Refurbed garmin 3010 for $1088 on ebay. Perfect condition - not a blemish. That's a 10.5" plotter for more than 1/2 price. newer models come with charts preinstalled which makes them a real value. Check first - the chip for the Chesapeake to the Dry Tortollas was $300.

Sten

DPO Zephyr - '82 C25, FK, SR
SV Lysistrata - C&C 39 - St. Augustine, FL

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2008 : 13:58:57

Can't go wrong with a garmin. 76 series are great inexspensive marine handhelds.

When I used to act as the Navigator on the long distance races I'd have no less than 3 GPS's going at once. Usually a Garmin hand held, a magellan hand held and one that was built into the Nexus system. I've had two magellans die from dropping them about 2 feet onto the deck. They burn through batteries much quicker.

The garmin has hit the deck more times than I care to recall, and aside from the one that went in the drink (not on my watch) I never had a problem with them. Heck, it still might be working at the bottom of the lake for all I know.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2008 : 14:13:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Champipple
 ...and aside from the one that went in the drink (not on my watch) I never had a problem with them. Heck, it still might be working at the bottom of the lake for all I know.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Unless you dropped it through the ice, I suspect the battery has faded out.

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2008 : 20:31:54

Over the years I've collected 4.

276C Garmin
Lowrance 68C
Garmin 12 (handheld)
I just got the wife a Garmin C330.

If its not to late, give the color screen some more thought. Makes reading the screen much easier in the sunlight.

Also look for one that has a anchor alarm, for that added piece of mind when on the hook over night.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2008 : 07:38:43

I have a Garmin GPS76 and although it provides the basics I'm very interested in this thread and plan on upgrading to a medium price chart plotter.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2008 : 08:13:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tom Potter
 
If its not to late, give the color screen some more thought. Makes reading the screen much easier in the sunlight.

Also look for one that has a anchor alarm, for that added piece of mind when on the hook over night.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Noted. I hadn't thought about visibility as an item in the colour vs B&W debate.

A lot of folks seem to have fav's on this. One of the things I liked about the Lowrance is that it takes standard AA batteries. We have a solar charger. Some of the lithium batteries look like you'd be out on a limb to replace them. Is this the case?

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2008 : 14:39:05

I bought a Garmin GPSMap76 along with Bluechart pack for $380 two years ago from the www.thegpsstore.com. I uploaded a few dozen charts of the Chesapeake area - I hope I will get to sail off the edge of more than the 4 I have used so far. They connect seamlessly. The GPS is black and white, and the red cans are triangles and the green squares! It stores tracks, allows waypoint entry, has an anchor drag function, a man overboard marker, and nice displays of everything I need. Color may be important for quick viewing of new, unfamiliar, chart areas, but I find this model just fine for what I need.

Another nice function in a hand-held GPS would be a high-voltage shock when you sail obliviously past a bunch of bluefish and don't notice the sea gulls going nuts.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2008 : 19:00:15

A benefit of a GPS Chartplotter with a more permanent mount is that you are more likely to hook it up to your VHF for full DSC capability when DSC comes to your area.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 01/23/2008 19:00:55

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2008 : 11:23:18

The price has dropped since I bought my b/w Garmin GPSMap76 with Bluecharts from $380 down to about $300 at The GPS Store.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2008 : 12:12:36

I have a Garmin IQue 3600 PDA (Palm OS, hey also make it with Windows OS for people who like unstable OSes) for the cockpit, etrex legend backup, Macbook with MacEnc below with a bluetooth gps receiver topside

Edited by - on

Deric
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 01/29/2008 : 18:33:16

My new "old" 1978 boat came without a depth finder, a broken compass (cracked plastic), and a knotmeter that appeared to have suffered a short circuit event. I have been advised by others to get a gps with extras: speedomter, depth finder, compass, chart plotting.

I am considering the Humminbird 383c. Has anyone have any thoughts regarding the device?

At our sailing club this past Saturday, a speaker showed us a few gps systems. His high-end system was accurate within 2 centimeters; albeit, the cost was approximately $10,000. When I become aware of such items, I have the propensity to quickly forget details. Who has that kind of money for a gps anyway?

I would like to hear what folks have to say about the Humminbird 383c

Thank you,
Deric

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2008 : 07:53:58

"that kind of GPS" (accurate to 2 cm) is often used in surveying. Not sure about navigation though.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2008 : 08:56:23

No experience with it but, looking at an ad, I like the price. (price often drives my decisions on such things) I would be concerned with the size of the display. The cram a lot of data into a small space. I assume you'll mount that on a swing arm in the companionway or on the bulkhead. At those distances it might be hard to read, particularly for my middle aged eyes. 2 out of 4 comments at the web site I visited considered the screen size a "con"

Edited by - on

Page: of 3

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.