After using my Garmin 182C with a Chesapeake Bluechart since 2003, last summer I decided to update the map. Garmin advised me to buy a blank card and programming cable in addition to the map since otherwise I would need to pull the 182c out of the Navpod on my Hunter 420. I did that and after much telephone time with Garmin and trips to the boat I got the map loaded.
What I immediately noticed with the new map is water is displayed in dark blue rather than light blue which results in less contrast between blue water and the black spot soundings and depth contours. In addition, black wording on the map is enclosed in rectangular boxes which obscure map data. These problems make the display so hard to read that my wife and I find the unit unusable unless we revert to our original 2003 outdated map. This is not a sunlight issue since the bimini shields the unit from direct sunlight.
I went around in circles with Garmin for months since then including removing the unit and sending it to them this winter. They said they tried some “adjustments” but couldn’t change anything. They said they had changed the Bluecharts after I bought my unit but there is nothing they can do to fix the way it looks. They acknowledged that others have complained but made it sound like most people don’t have a problem with the changed displays. I suspect not many people have bothered to update their charts.
Garmin has always claimed the Bluecharts can be updated which is absolutely not true unless a user wants to accept degraded performance. This is deceptive advertising- it should be clearly advertised that future map upgrades can result in degraded performance.
For my troubles, Garmin offered me a coupon worth 30% off the purchase of items thru their website at their website price. I couldn’t save the coupon and must purchase the items in the next 30 days. I told them to keep it; I’m not spending any more money to update the chart and I’m not going to spend money to change the chart plotter and Navpod. We will live with the old map and I don’t know what we will do when we need a map for outside the Chesapeake Bay.
I give up, Garmin wins.
Pete
What I immediately noticed with the new map is water is displayed in dark blue rather than light blue which results in less contrast between blue water and the black spot soundings and depth contours. In addition, black wording on the map is enclosed in rectangular boxes which obscure map data. These problems make the display so hard to read that my wife and I find the unit unusable unless we revert to our original 2003 outdated map. This is not a sunlight issue since the bimini shields the unit from direct sunlight.
I went around in circles with Garmin for months since then including removing the unit and sending it to them this winter. They said they tried some “adjustments” but couldn’t change anything. They said they had changed the Bluecharts after I bought my unit but there is nothing they can do to fix the way it looks. They acknowledged that others have complained but made it sound like most people don’t have a problem with the changed displays. I suspect not many people have bothered to update their charts.
Garmin has always claimed the Bluecharts can be updated which is absolutely not true unless a user wants to accept degraded performance. This is deceptive advertising- it should be clearly advertised that future map upgrades can result in degraded performance.
For my troubles, Garmin offered me a coupon worth 30% off the purchase of items thru their website at their website price. I couldn’t save the coupon and must purchase the items in the next 30 days. I told them to keep it; I’m not spending any more money to update the chart and I’m not going to spend money to change the chart plotter and Navpod. We will live with the old map and I don’t know what we will do when we need a map for outside the Chesapeake Bay.
I give up, Garmin wins.
Pete
