Garmin GPSMAP 78SC, is it worth it?

[bgstar19]

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on a Garmin GPSMAP 78SC. Is it worth it?
I searched the forums and didn't find much.
How is its location accuracy and compass accuracy, etc?
I will be using it mainly to navigate the waters of Narragansett Bay on an O'day 19 Weekender, mostly for day sailing and maybe an occasional overnight. I will have a paper chart for reference as well.

 

[kappykaplan]

I have one. It’s pretty old technology at this point but is a good backup unit for my other chart plotter.

 

[bgstar19]

I have one. It’s pretty old technology at this point but is a good backup unit for my other chart plotter.

Hey Kappy, how is its accuracy?

 

[kappykaplan]

It's not better or worse than any other GPS I've used - it gets the job done. Have used it on a couple of DELMARVA cruises. Created the route on my computer and downloaded to the hand held.

 

[jssailem]

BG. There is more to this than Is the Hand held accurate.
The handheld you identified will be very accurate, unless you are inside a metal building with a metal roof and no way to connect to the gps satellites.
But using a tool for navigation is more about how it will be used, the power source will be sufficient, the type of conditions to be sailed in, and the type of charts provided.
I suggest that you might look at a fish finder with a chart of the NorthEast.
Why you ask?
Well it gives you more than just a handheld. Sure you get the GPS and the associated speed, location info. You also get depth readings. This and a chart with a recent known position can help you find your harbor, or at least in your case a near by beach in the fog. It is navigating by depth sounding. An old fisherman's skill.
So you might want to identify more clearly the purpose you intend for the equipment you want to buy.
Oh and a decent fish finder would be much less than the Garmin hand held and just as accurate. You will need to have a small battery to run the fish finder. Maybe a 12V for a lawnmower, sized unit. This would give you plenty of power to run the unit for several days.

On the other hand, Handheld GPS units have been used by small boat owners for years. They usually carry a few packages of AA batteries to insert when the unit starts to go wacky...

 

[Head Sail]

A Garmin hand held 78Somthing came with my boat 6 years ago. I used it for anchor alarm and tide data. Never used it for navigation. The screen was to small and went through batteries fairly quickly. As Kappy said it's pretty old tech but accurate.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

I bought a 78Mapsc. Was very disappointed, when I found it did not have charting for the water. Just showed blue areas. Was great for geocaching though, and city streets. I had been using a 76Map, which came showing buoys etc in all channels, Texas to Maine. Called Garmin and found I COULD get that with a 300 dollar added chip.. I returned the 78, and found what might have been the last available 76. I navigated across the Gulf Of Mexico twice using a 76 . Also all through the Bahamas.Don't know what I'll do when it dies.

 

[jon hansen]

it will be a perfect fit for your needs. they come with inland and coastal charts, which is all you want. depth sounder will also be a good tool.
i own one, works great

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

it will be a perfect fit for your needs. they come with inland and coastal charts, which is all you want. depth sounder will also be a good tool.
i own one, works great

If mine had come with charts, I'd have kept it. They wanted $300 extra for charts that showed depths and buoys

 

[jon hansen]

charlie, mine came with the inland and near coastal already in it with no extra charge. for me up on the lakes it works. i bought it at west marine sale last summer. i still have an old black and white version that had more charts included.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

charlie, mine came with the inland and near coastal already in it with no extra charge. for me up on the lakes it works. i bought it at west marine sale last summer. i still have an old black and white version that had more charts included.

Got mine in 2012. Had zero actual channels- just blue -places Glad your's works. When this 76 dies, I'll find another maker.

 

[DrJudyB]

Have you considered using a Blue tooth GPS receiver and a phone or tablet? I have a hardwired chartplotter on my boat, but I also use an old tablet running Navionics, wirelessly connected to a Garmin Glo GPS ($99 on Amazon). And I can run the softwareon my smartphone.

My phone has a GPS, but using it drains the battery pretty fast. Using an external GPS on its own battery saves the battery on my tablet or phone so that everything lasts longer than a full day. I carry a spare battery brick for backup. It's good for about 3 days worth of charging the phone or tablet.

The Navionics charts cost me about $50 per year. The Navionics software is very user friendly.

 

[bgstar19]

A great thanks goes out to all for the feedback.

 

[jssailem]

Jon, Charlie‘s comment appears still to be the case. Online at Garmin the unit had US BLUECHART G2 coastal - Pre loaded. I suspect this is not a chip. You can add NE Coastal for another $139. That put cost nearly $400. You can find some great chart/fish finders with charts for around $200 and he would have a battery system that would last several days. The Garmin is a fine tool but a bit pricey for day sailing in a local bay for my blood.

 

[Serenity on Hudson]

Have a 76 something that I have used all over the US for day sailing. That is visual sailing with a quick look at the GPS for confirmation. Very accurate and rugged. Got a 76 sc for the new boat as a back-up to the Garmin chartplotter that came with the new Capri 22. I use the 76 in Florida where I mark whenever the keel touches bottom. Created my own map of Boca Ciega Bay. Sail a Catalina 14.2 EXPO in Florida. The 76 saved me once when it said I was caught in an eddy that was not obvious visually or felt by motion. Heeded the GPS, started the iron Genny and avoided swinging into a rocky shore. When something doesn't feel right, its good to have a second opinion.

 

[bgstar19]

Hey Serenity,
Thanks for sharing your insight and experiences.
Jssailem had suggested I look at fish-finder/chart-plotters which include depth sounding functionality for navigation purposes. I am now also considering Garmin's Echomap Plus 44cv, which comes pre-loaded with Bluechart G2 charts for the Coastal U.S. This would require an external 12 volt dc power supply however.

 

[Serenity on Hudson]

My NTM capri 22 came with a garmen echomap 50. The boat is not in the water yet, tested it when I got the battery connected . I'll likely turn it on along with the backup but generally sail visually. I know the river well so both are second opinions. I do use the speed over ground to trim the sails, instant feedback! The new 78? had maps, just not as detailed as the 76's maps, but shows all the ATN's and spot depths. Day sailing means not having to plan where you are going but following the wind. Sailing the Hudson through the highlands means dealing with erratic winds swirling around the mountains. Challenging! Isn't that why we sail?

 

[hawk232]

I am on my second 78sc. it does come with marine charts preloaded (I believe that's the "sc" designation. It works very well except its waterproofing. hence I am on my second one. on your oday it probably isn't much of an issue, but on wetter boats (like hobie tandem islands) they have to be kept in a dry pouch. if you search the internet (particulary relating to everglades challenge) you will see quite a high failure rate due to water ingress.

on the chart page it also eats batteries pretty quick. I get far longer life by keeping it on the "trip" page (predominantly interested in speed) until I need that chart, then switch back