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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Garmin Automobile GPS on sale

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5896 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/20/2008 : 19:19:36

I guess it's my day to find some good bargains, and I can't resist passing them along. [I swear I'm not selling this stuff on commission!]

I just bought a remanufactured Garmin GPS C550 (with warranty) for my car for $99.00 on sailnet.com, and thought someone here might also want one. Sailnet says their quantity is limited.

The hyperlink is as follows:
http://shop.sailnet.com/product_info.php/products_id/42771?campaignid=01112008z00

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2008 : 19:39:07

I just bought Rita a Garmin Nuvi 880 for her birthday, you wouldn't believe how difficult it was to actually get one on order!

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5896 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2008 : 19:55:21

I have an old one that needed to be upgraded, and $100 is hard to beat. My old gps has made my retirement travels a piece of cake. I never have to stop for directions anymore.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2008 : 21:46:43

Wow! Having a GPS in the car is amazing... I use my 276C in both the car (with street maps) and boat (with Blue Charts)--like Steve says, no more "where the hell am I going" moments!

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 11/20/2008 21:48:02

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/20/2008 : 21:58:11

Steve: Your link is to the C-530 (which has the 99.95 price)... The C-550 apparently adds two features--Bluetooth for cell phone integration, and integrated FM traffic monitering (which can be added to the 530). So which are you getting?

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5896 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2008 : 06:56:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 Wow! Having a GPS in the car is amazing... I use my 276C in both the car (with street maps) and boat (with Blue Charts)--like Steve says, no more "where the hell am I going" moments!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I also have the 276C for my boat, and initially used it for the car, but, with a gps specifically for the car, I no longer have to carry it back and forth, and switch memory chips between marine and streets, etc. It's more convenient.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Steve: Your link is to the C-530 (which has the 99.95 price)... The C-550 apparently adds two features--Bluetooth for cell phone integration, and integrated FM traffic monitering (which can be added to the 530). So which are you getting?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I bought the C-530. My reference to the 550 was apparently due to a senior moment. Those two features aren't important to me. According to Garmin, the C-530 is more powerful than my old C-330, and acquires the satellites more quickly, and isn't affected so much by overhanging trees and nearby buildings. Those features are nice, because you don't have to sit there and wait so long for the darn thing to acquire the satellites before you can start on your way.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2008 : 07:57:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 I also have the 276C for my boat, and initially used it for the car, but, with a gps specifically for the car, I no longer have to carry it back and forth, and switch memory chips between marine and streets, etc. It's more convenient.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Yup, it would be... My plan was to upgrade the GPS on the boat and relegate the 276C to the car, except for serious boat trips where I'd take it as a backup. I like that it has a battery for emergency purposes, where the "nicer" marine chartplotters don't.

However, this offer might alter my strategy...

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2008 : 14:59:04

Thanks Steve for the heads up. We were considering something like this and just tired of the many available and their soaring prices. This simplifies things.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT
# 3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2008 : 17:35:34

Milby, Its funny how one thinks they can get along without something until they get one, of course. I said that about a GPS until I got my Prius couple years ago. Now cant live without.
Nice find....

Steve A

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2008 : 17:37:59

What does it take to convert one of these Automobile GPS' to a Marine GPS? Is it just a matter of swapping a card? Can you still store waypoints and whatnot?

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2008 : 07:58:04

Two words - TOM TOM.... Simply brilliant and with features not found on the others.

They replaced one after I dropped it into the dink and no issues...

sten

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5896 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2008 : 09:59:38

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Prospector
 What does it take to convert one of these Automobile GPS' to a Marine GPS? Is it just a matter of swapping a card? Can you still store waypoints and whatnot?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It can't be done. Some of the marine units could be converted for use in the car, but not vice versa.

edit: Maybe I spoke too soon. I think some automobile units will give you lat and long, which can then be plotted on a paper chart for marine use, but there are inexpensive handheld models, like the ETrex, that will give you more useful information and be easier to use.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 11/25/2008 10:04:28

KD4AO
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2008 : 13:02:11

some of the Garmin units are intended for both land and water such as the GPSMAP 276C, 278, 378 and 478. Check out all of the models at https://garmin.com .

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millermg
Navigator

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159 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2008 : 18:11:59

Magellan makes a combo land/sea called the Crossover, which runs the Blue Sea charts. Lowrance makes one called the XOG which uses the Navtech charts. I bought the Lowrance primarily because both the unit and the charts were less than 1/2 the cost of the Magellan/Blue Sea combo ($650 vs. $300) but I see the Magellan unit price is now almost half of what it was this summer. The major disadvantage to the Lowrance is low battery life- only about 3 hrs. compared to 8 hours on the Magellan. Though both water resistant, the Magellan is probably a bit tougher too. But it's really cool to have all the features of your typical Nuvi road GPS (even the annoying voice instructions) with the nautical charts at the same time. Would be great for an amphibian car:)

I've heard Garmin is going crossover w/ all thier GPS's next year, with nautical chart loading capability. May be worth the wait.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5896 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2008 : 20:55:12

I bought a Garmin 276C for my boat, and later bought the software for streets and highways. To convert it for marine use, it cost me over $200, and, by comparison, you can now get a dedicated automotive gps for much less. After I bought my 276C, Garmin started to sell the 276C in a package deal which included the hardware and software necessary for automotive use. My point is that, if you can buy a complete package that permits both uses, it might make sense to do so, but the cost of the necessary hardware and software are so high that it usually doesn't make much sense to convert, when auto gps units are becoming so inexpensive.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2008 : 21:39:03

Check out this new Garmin that's coming out next spring. This is almost the perfect GOS. Marine, Auto, XM Satelitte Weather, XM Radio, XM Nav Traffic, plus more! The only negative I can find so far is that it doesn't save tracks when in automotive mode. You can still setup routes though.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=148&pID=14898

Edited by - GaryB on 11/25/2008 21:39:47

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 11/26/2008 : 10:44:17

Black friday looks like the day of the inexpensive GPS. Everyone has dropped prices significantly. If you want one, get one this week!

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 11/26/2008 : 13:51:55

Having spent 5 Christmas seasons in retail sales, I wouldn't shop on black Friday for water even if I was in the desert without water for a week!

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EAbrams
Navigator

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USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2008 : 14:10:39

Just my two cents

Just noticed Garmin is offering $200.00 rebate on models 378 and 478. They are land and sea GPS plotters. You can attach an optional sounder ($$$). Both have maps installed. The 378 is for lakes and the 478 the coast.

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