Recommend hand held GPS?

[debcouture56]

We are new to sailing (recently traded our power boat for a Hunter 28). It does not have a chart plotter so we plan to use a hand held GPS for the next couple of years until we pull the boat out to paint and install a transducer. We plan to sail from Daytona Beach to the Keys in May and would like recommendations on a hand held GPS.

Thanks!
Deb

 

[Stu Jackson]

Best deal on a reasonable unit: Garmin GPS Map 76 Cx from West Marine, you have to pay extra for the charts, but it has everything you'll need. We love ours. Consider it a handheld chartplotter.

 

[Nodak7]

We are new to sailing (recently traded our power boat for a Hunter 28). It does not have a chart plotter so we plan to use a hand held GPS for the next couple of years until we pull the boat out to paint and install a transducer. We plan to sail from Daytona Beach to the Keys in May and would like recommendations on a hand held GPS.

Thanks!
Deb

Deb, just a quick question why are you waiting to pull to install a transducer? If you want a chartplotter with depth you can install a transducer inside the hull without drilling any holes. Just clean the hull real good get some plumbers putty and apply plumbers putty and transducer to the hull. It will shoot straight thru the fiberglass. I have used this method with a number of transducers and it has worked with no problems. Then take the price of the handheld and apply it to a Lowrance HDS 5 Chartplotter. You will be most satisfied and your eyes will be glad you did.

 

[Joe]

One quick fix... while mulling over your choice of hand helds.... is to download the Earth NC app. I have it on my Android phone and it's pretty cool for a limited feature gps chart plotter. It's not free.. $9.95. But could be good back up to your future purchase.

 

[Wanderer138]

Ditto on the Garmin. If you wait for a sale at West Marine you can get one at a very good price. In the meantime, take Nodak7's advice and get a depthsounder. The Humminbird Piranha fishfinder (about $60) is easy to install and its large display shows changes in the bottom profile as well as numbers. Very handy in the constantly shifting sandbars around Ponce Inlet. While you're waiting for the sale, try a paper copy of NOAA Chart 11485 ICW Tolomato River to Palm Shores. For less than $20 it covers the ICW and near-shore waters from north of St. Augustine to past Cocoa.

 

[Gunni]

Sounds like an adventure! The Garmin Map76 series are solid handhelds, price them with the optional BlueChart software, you need that. Every sailor should have a handheld (or two). You might also want to consider the Garmin Map640. Much larger screen, includes the BlueChart software, recharges in its dock, has a Lithium battery for hand-held use, and converts to a highway GPS at the push of a button. When you install your helm chartplotter the Map640 can be installed below - the built in antennae works fine there.

Whichever you choose, plan to spend lots of time practicing with the device in simulator mode before you leave.

 

[patrickfarley]

I have been looking at the Lowrance Elite-4 Color Fishfinder/Chartplotter. http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-Elite4-Color-Fishfinder/Chartplotter-Combo/product/53518400/247265 I checked it out at Bass Pro Shop and it looks really nice. It is easy to use and read. The big question I have is how to I place the transducer so I see the shoal before it gets to the transom. If the transducer is on the transom I think that my keel with hit the shoal before I see it on the screen. Will that trick with the plumbers putty work?

My previous experience on the West coast of Florida is that the charts have very little to do with reality. The sandbars change too rapidly. Even local knowledge does not always keep up. When I lived in Sarasota going through Big Pass meant having someone on the bow or sailing by braille.

I hope that a depth finder(fishfinder) will cut down on the groundings.

By the way the guy at Bass Pro Shop said that if I apply for a credit card when I buy I get 10% off of anything I buy that day. I also need a new marine radio and few other things. I am waiting until I need to buy(can't get lost on Lake Lanier) or when there is a sale on a comparable fishfinder/chartplotter. Still looking.

 

[Stu Jackson]

The big question I have is how to I place the transducer so I see the shoal before it gets to the transom. If the transducer is on the transom I think that my keel with hit the shoal before I see it on the screen.

I hope that a depth finder(fishfinder) will cut down on the groundings.

You can't

and

Won't happen.

 

[Wanderer138]

Fishfinders vs depthsounders

You can't

and

Won't happen.

Sorry Stu, but with a little trial and error using plumbers wax or vaseline, a transom-mount fishfinder transducer can be installed inside the hull forward of the keel. How far forward will depend on the length of the transducer cable and where the display is mounted. Fishfinder transducers are small so finding a good spot in the hull should be easy.

A fishfinder display also shows the bottom profile. In a shoal area, you can see how fast the bottom is coming up, which gives you time to take appropriate action before you run out of depth. Fishfinder scan rate can be adjusted by the user and should be set at the fastest rate in a shoal area.

Finally, most sandbars in Florida have gentle slopes, which provide fair warning before you run out of depth. Of course, in places with rock bottom (Keys, Bahamas, Maine) you gotta pay more attention.

 

[David S]

Ditto on the Garmin. If you wait for a sale at West Marine you can get one at a very good price. In the meantime, take Nodak7's advice and get a depthsounder. The Humminbird Piranha fishfinder (about $60) is easy to install and its large display shows changes in the bottom profile as well as numbers. Very handy in the constantly shifting sandbars around Ponce Inlet. While you're waiting for the sale, try a paper copy of NOAA Chart 11485 ICW Tolomato River to Palm Shores. For less than $20 it covers the ICW and near-shore waters from north of St. Augustine to past Cocoa.

Wanderer138, I will look into fishfinders, sounds like an inexpensive item for a depthsounder. Will this have a transducer and can it be installed inside the hull and up front close to the bow. I trailer a O'day 22, & have a relative in Indian Bay w/backyard water dock and acsess to Indian River, a land base for me while in the area. Could contact me, would like your experince in the area?
p.s. can I enter my email here?

David S

 

[Bill1565]

The big question I have is how to I place the transducer so I see the shoal before it gets to the transom. If the transducer is on the transom I think that my keel with hit the shoal before I see it on the screen. Will that trick with the plumbers putty work?

I have mounted various D/F pucks inside 4 or 5 boats using polyester resin, epoxy resin, or silicon caulking. Trick is you must have a solid glass hull and make sure there are no air bubbles in the resin or caulk. You can test the depth finder by placing the puck in a ziplock bag full of water, then moving it around in the boat till you find a location where you get a reading.

As for avoiding shoals found by the depth finder, you will need cat quick reflexes, a big engine and a propeller that will stop the boat's forward motion in 5 or 10 feet as well as a hell of a lot of luck.

Think about it. Two knots is 3+ feet per second.

 

[TerryGufshoz]

Since I just do coastal cruising, I use an app for my iphone and ipad. The one I like is called "Charts" by EarthNC. I like it because it's accurate and it's FREE. I've tried several navigational apps and it's the best. If you don't agree, you're not out any $.
You'll still need depth and speed. I used to have an O'Day 23 and I used a fish finder that had a speed wheel...no holes in the hull. I think it was a Hummingbird Plus.

 

[Bill Roosa]

There are two types of sailors, those who run aground and those who lie about running aground. While I run aground regularly while gunk-holing I do this at low speed so the boat does not go hard aground and we just back off. course we have mud and sand exclusively here in the Bay so grounding is not the problem you have on rock.
I've never found that my GPS really helps to keep me from grounding and that a sailors eye for the local terrain is the best way to avoid the situation.
If the ground slopes steeply into the water on one side of the channel and has a shallow slope on the other favor the steep side.

 

[Wanderer138]

The ability to respond to sudden changes in depth is a challenge for a larger boat. The Wanderer has a modified full keel and doesn't turn anywhere as quickly as the H23, so my usual strategy in shoaling water is to inch along with just enough speed to provide steerage (usually under a knot) while keeping an eye on the wind and current and watching the bottom profile like a hawk. If I see the bottom still coming up with two feet of water under the keel in an unfamiliar area, I change course or put the engine hard in reverse...pronto. That approach hasn't always kept me from going aground, but the groundings were soft and I could back the boat off. The H23 was easier... I could step off to lighten the boat, then walk it back to deeper water (3800 lb, 27-inch draft).

 

[serenisea]

Garmin 76C

We are new to sailing (recently traded our power boat for a Hunter 28). It does not have a chart plotter so we plan to use a hand held GPS for the next couple of years until we pull the boat out to paint and install a transducer. We plan to sail from Daytona Beach to the Keys in May and would like recommendations on a hand held GPS.

Thanks!
Deb

I also recommend the Garmin 76C or Cx for your purpose. Also, get the power cord to hook to the battery, as you will go through two AA batteries every 24 hours. West Marine has had some pretty good sales on this unit lately. You can get a RAM mount for the binicle rail, which works well and is fully adjustable. You can also use the 76C as an antenna for a laptop with a charting software for down below.

If you have an iphone, Navionics is available for $14.95. Many people just use this, but it is a little risky. This is the software Raymarine uses. There are also iphone apps for tracking ship AIS transponders as well, which is very helpful out here in California.

But the bottom line--have an updated set of charts and plot your positions and dead reckon if needed.

Good luck.

 

[BLUE MAX]

GPS

:neutral: Deb...........I would suggest a 4GS i PHONE with the APP "iNavX" downloaded for safe travels..........and .............then i would download "My Radar" to track the storms coming your way!! All the best, Richard 2014066600.................

We are new to sailing (recently traded our power boat for a Hunter 28). It does not have a chart plotter so we plan to use a hand held GPS for the next couple of years until we pull the boat out to paint and install a transducer. We plan to sail from Daytona Beach to the Keys in May and would like recommendations on a hand held GPS.

Thanks!
Deb

 

[BLUE MAX]

GPS

and...............maybe the new iPAD 3 will have a better visual platform when it come out!!.........Richard:neutral:

:neutral: Deb...........I would suggest a 4GS i PHONE with the APP "iNavX" downloaded for safe travels..........and .............then i would download "My Radar" to track the storms coming your way!! All the best, Richard 2014066600.................

 

[kitbrad]

Look for a Garmin Model 640. It is portable, all charts included, land & sea. Use for both boat or auto. They are great. Antenna built in. Easy to use snap in/out brackets for boat & vehicle. When you purchase your big GPS, which you probably won't after using the 640, move it to your vehicle.
I have a 40' sailboat and sail the Chesapeake & Coastal waters. The 640 is the only GPS I use. Never failed me. It is a wonderful piece of equipment & easy to use.
Welcome to sailing.
Kitbrad@email.com

 

[Jeff]

I've had the Garmin 76CX for several years. We've used it several times in the BVI and St. Martin. This has the color screen. Easy to read in the direct sunlight. 2AA batteries last quite a while but the 12V cig/plug is a must. You can also buy larger micro SD cards for about $5.00. I like the IPX7 waterproof rating too. Nice feature to have when it's pouring out. Very good piece of equipment. Bought it all on Amazon. They are priced about $177. You will need to purchase detailed maps for your cruising area from Garmin of course. Only basic maps are included with the unit.

 

[BLUE MAX]

Charts

is it still free.............i only see $14.95....................do you have a LINK? Richard

Since I just do coastal cruising, I use an app for my iphone and ipad. The one I like is called "Charts" by EarthNC. I like it because it's accurate and it's FREE. I've tried several navigational apps and it's the best. If you don't agree, you're not out any $.
You'll still need depth and speed. I used to have an O'Day 23 and I used a fish finder that had a speed wheel...no holes in the hull. I think it was a Hummingbird Plus.