Garmin 78sc
- Thread starter dscribner
- Start date
For $50 more you can get the new 44dv, which is a mammoth upgrade vs the 78, and not all that much larger regarding required space. It's bigger, but will fit well in most spaces that the 78 will, ie sailboat helm, bulkhead, etc.
I still have my Gpsmap 76csx, which in my view is a better unit than the 78. I like that it has AA battery backup, which the 44 won't. But I'm looking hard at the 44 as a primary, moving the 76 to secondary.
I still have my Gpsmap 76csx, which in my view is a better unit than the 78. I like that it has AA battery backup, which the 44 won't. But I'm looking hard at the 44 as a primary, moving the 76 to secondary.
I saw the 44DV yesterday. Couldn't spend much time comparing but I went in to look at the 54DV and the 44 caught my eye. I too would like battery back up as on my 176C but like Skipper the 44DV would be a nice upgrade and I can keep the old one as a battery backup.
I also looked at the Dragonfly and was not impressed by looks or feel.
I also looked at the Dragonfly and was not impressed by looks or feel.
I've often thought that an extra battery IE small sealed 12v would be a good spare for a cruiser, if it has sufficient amps to crank the diesel for a brief period as a last resort should all other power fail.
However, for the GPSMap 76, the beauty in AA capability is not only the safety but the versatility. You can use it in the dinghy, on land\island, or in your pack if you crew on another boat. Safety: It will work if batts\engine\wiring, etc go out, and you only need a Costco pack of AA's to make it run forever. And, it can be quickly detached and stuffed in the ditch bag, with or without extra batts, for it's already loaded with batts. Also, ship's power draw is so tiny as to be irrelevant for a cruiser, and will go for many hours on AA's if needed.