I have an old Garmin 76 GPS, which works fine buy wonder if there's marine software I can get that can be loaded on an automotive GPS for backup purposes. I understand NOAA charts are for Windows applications. Thanks
charts for automotive GPS
- Thread starter teddybear
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Lowrance used to make automotive gps's that could take a secure digital card which had the entire coastal US. The card was only about $100. I still use mine as a backup, but it's not waterproof. Garmin's Nuvi 500 does both, with the addition of their blue chart sd's. I read that Garmin has also come out with an inexpensive coastal sd card. And I think I read that some Magellan gps's will do both but their charts were expensive.
One problem is that automotive gps's do "turn by turn" routing, showing each street to turn on. Marine gps's use "point to point" routing, which just goes from waypoint to waypoint. If the gps isn't programmed to be able to do both, you're stuck with one or the other.
Also, in many cases, the charts are expensive and limited to one manufacturer's hardware. It may be just as cheap to buy a the unit and charts as a package.
Here's an alternative: last month, I cruised along the Gulf Coast using a netbook that has the latest free Sea Clear charts. It connected to a bluetooth gps sensor, so the netbook could stay down below, nice and dry. It worked very well. Compared to even the automotive gps's, the display was huge so it was very easy to read when we got into shallow areas.
One problem is that automotive gps's do "turn by turn" routing, showing each street to turn on. Marine gps's use "point to point" routing, which just goes from waypoint to waypoint. If the gps isn't programmed to be able to do both, you're stuck with one or the other.
Also, in many cases, the charts are expensive and limited to one manufacturer's hardware. It may be just as cheap to buy a the unit and charts as a package.
Here's an alternative: last month, I cruised along the Gulf Coast using a netbook that has the latest free Sea Clear charts. It connected to a bluetooth gps sensor, so the netbook could stay down below, nice and dry. It worked very well. Compared to even the automotive gps's, the display was huge so it was very easy to read when we got into shallow areas.
I have all of the components now to build our 12 volt computer....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-navigation/Comp-ChartPlot-Index.html
....that will run SeaClear like was mentioned and we will have it down below and will download a route with waypoints to a Map 76 in the cockpit when needed. I downloaded the free NOAA charts for Florida and the Northeast and the Erie Canal and I have converted a lot of .....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-navigation/Navigation Aids-Index.html
....USGS free Topo maps of inland lakes and they also run great on the SeaClear.
We also bought a second Map76 that appeared to be brand new for less than $100 off of Ebay for a backup. You might think about doing that as a backup,
Sum
Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID
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http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-navigation/Comp-ChartPlot-Index.html
....that will run SeaClear like was mentioned and we will have it down below and will download a route with waypoints to a Map 76 in the cockpit when needed. I downloaded the free NOAA charts for Florida and the Northeast and the Erie Canal and I have converted a lot of .....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-navigation/Navigation Aids-Index.html
....USGS free Topo maps of inland lakes and they also run great on the SeaClear.
We also bought a second Map76 that appeared to be brand new for less than $100 off of Ebay for a backup. You might think about doing that as a backup,
Sum
Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID
Our Mac Pages
Mac-Venture Links
If you're in unfamiliar waters, a waterproof mapping gps in the cockpit is a huge benefit. I bought a Lowrance handheld and use the old sd card in it. I checked it against the latest charts on Sea Clear to be sure the bottom depths and navigational markers are the same.
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