Does anyone know about the Garmin 76 GPS? It comes with the PC cable and it is preloaded with coastal markers. Also, is the Garmin 72 a descent GPS for coastal navigation?
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Briann Smith
Garmin 76
The Garmin 76 is a good GPS but does not have the capability of uploading Mapsource information. I have a 76 and was disappointed that I could not upload chart info to it. Garmin now puts out a model 76S which is capable of doing the uploading but the limit is 32 mbs. I am going to buy a 76s in the very near future.
The Garmin 76 is a good GPS but does not have the capability of uploading Mapsource information. I have a 76 and was disappointed that I could not upload chart info to it. Garmin now puts out a model 76S which is capable of doing the uploading but the limit is 32 mbs. I am going to buy a 76s in the very near future.
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Steve S
Garmin 60C/S
FYI. Garmin has just release two new units (60C and 60CS), both can upload BlueChart maps, and will connect to a PC via USB. The screen is also very nice (from what I've heard). You also might be able to find a nice second hand 76S from someone wishing to upgrade.
FYI. Garmin has just release two new units (60C and 60CS), both can upload BlueChart maps, and will connect to a PC via USB. The screen is also very nice (from what I've heard). You also might be able to find a nice second hand 76S from someone wishing to upgrade.
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Daryl
Garmin 76!
I bought one of these last summer to replace my old Garmin 45. They are great. The day after I got it I began a 700 mile trip on the east coast and was pleased to find almost every marker is already preprogrammed in the unit. With the 76 and a paper chart you could go anywhere. I haven't used the cable yet but this year I'll hook it to my laptop with charting software
I bought one of these last summer to replace my old Garmin 45. They are great. The day after I got it I began a 700 mile trip on the east coast and was pleased to find almost every marker is already preprogrammed in the unit. With the 76 and a paper chart you could go anywhere. I haven't used the cable yet but this year I'll hook it to my laptop with charting software
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Trevor
Garmin 76
I bought my 76 two years ago and it works great. I have a navigation program (Nobeltec)with charts on my home computer, and I plan my routes on it and just upload them onto the 76 via the PC cable. Then I just hit navigate route on the GPS and I have a highway route to follow. I've mounted the unit in my companionway opening so I can see it from the wheel when underway. The screen is large enough to see from several feet away. I used a RAM mount for this and plug it into a cigarette outlet in the boat, so I don't require batteries. I always carry paper charts with me in case of a failure, and to see other areas. I have also recently purchased a cheap older laptop on which I have the Nobeltec, so I can use the GPS hooked up to that as a chart plotter, but I have not yet mounted it so I can see it from the helm. The 76 also has an anchor alarm which you can set for when you are swinging on the hook. Nice piece of mind for when you are sleeping, in case you start to drag. It's a nice basic unit, but if you don't have a nav program for it, it would be difficult to plan routes with it. Good luck
I bought my 76 two years ago and it works great. I have a navigation program (Nobeltec)with charts on my home computer, and I plan my routes on it and just upload them onto the 76 via the PC cable. Then I just hit navigate route on the GPS and I have a highway route to follow. I've mounted the unit in my companionway opening so I can see it from the wheel when underway. The screen is large enough to see from several feet away. I used a RAM mount for this and plug it into a cigarette outlet in the boat, so I don't require batteries. I always carry paper charts with me in case of a failure, and to see other areas. I have also recently purchased a cheap older laptop on which I have the Nobeltec, so I can use the GPS hooked up to that as a chart plotter, but I have not yet mounted it so I can see it from the helm. The 76 also has an anchor alarm which you can set for when you are swinging on the hook. Nice piece of mind for when you are sleeping, in case you start to drag. It's a nice basic unit, but if you don't have a nav program for it, it would be difficult to plan routes with it. Good luck
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George Kobernus
Garmin 76S
I've had my 76S a couple of years. Great Unit. I use it for land travel also. Useful attachments are the pc cable, remote antenna, and dc/ac plugs. Used it last spring on a 400 mi trip and every navaid I needed was on the base map that comes with the unit. Garmin web site support is great. I accidentally erased all the base map waypoints and just downloaded them from the web site. Purchased the Mapsource Blue chart Americas CD and downloaded the charts I wanted for Lake Michigan. Looks exactly like the paper charts. The Bluechart cd allows you to plan your routes on the pc and then download/upload them between the pc and the 76S. Very slick. Installed two cd plugs in the cockpit and mount mine at the wheel. Also, have dc plugs in the cabin. With the remote antenna, I can monitor position in the cabin while updating progress on charts. Also, have plug/antenna in my birth so I can monitor the anchor alarm at night, check barometer etc. Trevor has great eys, the screen measures 1.75 x 2.25 inches, and I can read it OK at arms length, but not much further without squinting. Sunlight will wash the screen out. I've used it at night and then you can really see it well. Sorta like playing a Gameboy. The 76S has all kinds of features. Punch a button to capture current positions for later transfer to the paper chart. Other neat feathers include tide tables, altimeter, and barometer. I don't find route planning on it very hard, but doing routes on the PC is the way to go. The "breadcrumb”-tracking tracking feature is great -- you just tell it to reverse your track and you have an exact return route to follow home. Took me about a year to learn how to use it without getting confused by all the menus. This is one amazing piece of technology. More expensive (and easier to read) fixed units have all the same stuff, but they are not as versatile. I keep finding new ways to use it on land and on the water. Best I can tell, the 60S will be priced about $100 above current price for 76S. As a result there is bound to be further discounting of the 76S. Since the two units appear to have similar capabilities, I'd wait to see if the color screen and additional memory of the 60S is worth what you'd pay over the 76S.
I've had my 76S a couple of years. Great Unit. I use it for land travel also. Useful attachments are the pc cable, remote antenna, and dc/ac plugs. Used it last spring on a 400 mi trip and every navaid I needed was on the base map that comes with the unit. Garmin web site support is great. I accidentally erased all the base map waypoints and just downloaded them from the web site. Purchased the Mapsource Blue chart Americas CD and downloaded the charts I wanted for Lake Michigan. Looks exactly like the paper charts. The Bluechart cd allows you to plan your routes on the pc and then download/upload them between the pc and the 76S. Very slick. Installed two cd plugs in the cockpit and mount mine at the wheel. Also, have dc plugs in the cabin. With the remote antenna, I can monitor position in the cabin while updating progress on charts. Also, have plug/antenna in my birth so I can monitor the anchor alarm at night, check barometer etc. Trevor has great eys, the screen measures 1.75 x 2.25 inches, and I can read it OK at arms length, but not much further without squinting. Sunlight will wash the screen out. I've used it at night and then you can really see it well. Sorta like playing a Gameboy. The 76S has all kinds of features. Punch a button to capture current positions for later transfer to the paper chart. Other neat feathers include tide tables, altimeter, and barometer. I don't find route planning on it very hard, but doing routes on the PC is the way to go. The "breadcrumb”-tracking tracking feature is great -- you just tell it to reverse your track and you have an exact return route to follow home. Took me about a year to learn how to use it without getting confused by all the menus. This is one amazing piece of technology. More expensive (and easier to read) fixed units have all the same stuff, but they are not as versatile. I keep finding new ways to use it on land and on the water. Best I can tell, the 60S will be priced about $100 above current price for 76S. As a result there is bound to be further discounting of the 76S. Since the two units appear to have similar capabilities, I'd wait to see if the color screen and additional memory of the 60S is worth what you'd pay over the 76S.
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Travis
Garmin 72
You can't find a better boating GPS for 150 bucks than the Garmin 72. It has coastal navigation aids (not very handy though), backlit screen, speed in MPH and Knots, 500 waypoints, WAAS, 8 mgs of memory (not much but good to store a few trips) and a very handy trip computer. Some of the really helpful features are a tide chart (this book itself costs 20 bucks) and a anchor alarm- if your sleeping on the hook and your anchor lets go, an alarm will go off to let you know. Very good stuff for 150 small ones.
You can't find a better boating GPS for 150 bucks than the Garmin 72. It has coastal navigation aids (not very handy though), backlit screen, speed in MPH and Knots, 500 waypoints, WAAS, 8 mgs of memory (not much but good to store a few trips) and a very handy trip computer. Some of the really helpful features are a tide chart (this book itself costs 20 bucks) and a anchor alarm- if your sleeping on the hook and your anchor lets go, an alarm will go off to let you know. Very good stuff for 150 small ones.
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