Global Positioning System
- Thread starter wlaschober
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Some GPS options.
I am partial to Garmin so I would start here:
http://garmn.factoryoutletstore.com/cat/1672/Garmin-Handheld-GPS.html
Charts are great, even when I was on Lake Erie I thought so. When the weather closes in and there is no land in sight a red line to your waypoint is very comforting. But I sailed for years with my little Garmin 12XL. Best feature was that it plugged in at the helm so I never had to worry about batteries failing. I am not sure which handhelds still have that feature.
Another great source for any GPS is E-Bay:
http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=ga..._trksid=m270.l1313&_odkw=garmin+gps&_osacat=0
I am partial to Garmin so I would start here:
http://garmn.factoryoutletstore.com/cat/1672/Garmin-Handheld-GPS.html
Charts are great, even when I was on Lake Erie I thought so. When the weather closes in and there is no land in sight a red line to your waypoint is very comforting. But I sailed for years with my little Garmin 12XL. Best feature was that it plugged in at the helm so I never had to worry about batteries failing. I am not sure which handhelds still have that feature.
Another great source for any GPS is E-Bay:
http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=ga..._trksid=m270.l1313&_odkw=garmin+gps&_osacat=0
Re: Some GPS options.
I have had a Garmin MAPgps76 for several years. It is still widely sold (has lasted the test of time) and has many built in features. It has basic land maps installed and you can purchase and install BLUECHART (marine charts). It is battery powered but there is an optional 12 volt (cigarette lighter) cord available that I use and plug into the appropriate outlet that I installed in my cockpit. There may be better ones - I'm not that well versed in them, but this one is relatively inexpensive.
I have had a Garmin MAPgps76 for several years. It is still widely sold (has lasted the test of time) and has many built in features. It has basic land maps installed and you can purchase and install BLUECHART (marine charts). It is battery powered but there is an optional 12 volt (cigarette lighter) cord available that I use and plug into the appropriate outlet that I installed in my cockpit. There may be better ones - I'm not that well versed in them, but this one is relatively inexpensive.
Practical Sailor's Review
PS states that pcnation.com has the 76CSX for $275; however, it looks like they only offer the CX model not the CSX model.
BTW. I use an 8 year old Garmin e-Trex legend handheld as a backup to my Raymarine C-80 chartplotter and the old reliable - paper charts.
December 2008 PS Best Choice is the Garmin GPSMAP 76CSX. Tiger GPS (www.tigergps.com/garmingpsmap76csx.html) has this model for $329.99.
PS states that pcnation.com has the 76CSX for $275; however, it looks like they only offer the CX model not the CSX model.
BTW. I use an 8 year old Garmin e-Trex legend handheld as a backup to my Raymarine C-80 chartplotter and the old reliable - paper charts.
In that case, I strongly suggest you skip the GPS and buy paper charts and the tools to go with them. After you know how to get around that way, you can then get GPS as a convienience. You should always have paper charts as backup and I believe this is legally required in Canadian waters.
The number of people (and airplane pilots) out there now who are totally dependent on electronic boxes that can fail and a system that could be shut down by a strong solar storm or the governement during a terrorist attack is scary.
Knowing the basics of traditional navigation is not difficult to learn and satisfying to know in its own right. There are actually only about a half dozen fairly simple things you need to know how to do to get around safely but you need to know how to do them when you are tired, when you are seasick, and when you are scared. Without that basic knowledge, you'll find it much easier to make a disasterous mistake with a GPS in similar conditions.
I like the Garmin GPS units and have four myself... One for my truck, one handheld, one for my boat and a dual-purpose unit that goes between my car and my boat.
The Colorado looks like a good unit, and has either the coastal US charts or the inland US charts built in, which is very convenient.
BTW, the main difference between the Garmin GPSMap 76c and 76cx series is the removable memory card that the "x" series has. The "s" models, like the 76CSX have an altimeter and fluxgate compass built in.
The Colorado looks like a good unit, and has either the coastal US charts or the inland US charts built in, which is very convenient.
BTW, the main difference between the Garmin GPSMap 76c and 76cx series is the removable memory card that the "x" series has. The "s" models, like the 76CSX have an altimeter and fluxgate compass built in.
Like Robert says, I have paper charts on my boat. However, I also have a Garmin GPS12 which is a very basic unit giving me Lat/Long, VMG, Time, and a few other things. It is interfaced to my Wheel Pilot 32. Plus, I also have a laptop with SeaClear II and a portable GPS antenna connect to it. The SeaClear software uses NOAA digital charts and plots where I am, what direction I am heading and my speed. So I have multiple tools at my disposal.
I use a Garmin 72. It gives me more than I have yet learned to use. It shows the nav buoys as I get close and a trail of my trip for several trips. Generally I am happy with a Lat, Lon fix, so knowing where I am every second is not a big deal for me
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
I second the Garmin 76Cx for your area
For the simple reason that you can purchase the chip, or program to download the necessary bluewater charts with all the info you will need. As others have said however, a battery surge blinds your navigator, so back it all up with paper charts and manual instruments. You will also need the guidebooks for the area if you are going to be cruising extensively.
This particular model can also be tagged in to your depth sounder to relay depth info, but usually if you already have a sounder, you likely already also have an instrument for readout.
The other benefit of this unit is its portability.
If on the other hand, budget is not an issue and you want the best of the best, get one of the Navman 5000 series which integrates radar, GPS, chartplotter, and sounder. Then when it goes down, you loose everything at once. There is something to be said for separate stand alone systems.
For the simple reason that you can purchase the chip, or program to download the necessary bluewater charts with all the info you will need. As others have said however, a battery surge blinds your navigator, so back it all up with paper charts and manual instruments. You will also need the guidebooks for the area if you are going to be cruising extensively.
This particular model can also be tagged in to your depth sounder to relay depth info, but usually if you already have a sounder, you likely already also have an instrument for readout.
The other benefit of this unit is its portability.
If on the other hand, budget is not an issue and you want the best of the best, get one of the Navman 5000 series which integrates radar, GPS, chartplotter, and sounder. Then when it goes down, you loose everything at once. There is something to be said for separate stand alone systems.
I agree - check out the latest review in the December 2008 issue of Practical Sailor. I've used the G76Map for several years and love it. I've used it in Florida, the carribean, the great lakes and in Alaska to name a few places. Also works great at 30,000 ft at 600 mph...
More on my personal experiences with the Garmin handheld at this link:
http://h260.com/gps/gps1.html
Make a list of the features you want. I'm also partial to Garmin as once you learn a system you want to stick with it. I would look for one that has an audible anchor alarm. I would want one that is waterproof. Check power consumption or plug in capabilities. Having chart capabilities is a great feature as instead of paper charts you can see the boat icon as it moves across the chart in the screen giving you bottom contour, navigation aids and charted depth readings. Monochrome screens get a lot of glare so a color screen is more desirable. I always keep a hand held as back up to the chart plotter and at night keep it in my bunk with the anchor alarm on. Cannot advise you for a specific model but hope I may have given some ideas.
I use Garmin 76CS. I bought the blue charts for $ 149.00. Not all GPS can display Blue Charts. Its display is just as readable when the sun is out as when it is not. When pluggin in to a cigarette lighter its back lite remains on - this is nice to see when used during night time. I use rechargable batteries - they als at least 8 hours. Has compass in it as well. Features such as Velocity Made Good, average speed and otrher data can be displayed on the screen. I highly reccomend it for land or over water use.
Garmin Units
I have had a Garmin GPS 76 (black and white unit) for several years, it's a great unit, the color one is a little nicer though. I recently bought a Garmin GPSMAP 478 which is a very nice unit, it's a little bigger than a handheld, but still portable. I bought this unit to swap between my sailboat, fishing boat, and car. It comes preloaded with the maps (though I think for inland lakes you need the 378 *difference only being the charts*). There are several add ons for these units like XM weather/Radio, depth sounder/fish finder, etc. I am probably going to add the weather to the unit sometime, but that requires a subscription to XM. I really like the unit (GPSMAP 478) both on water and on land. Garmin has been a great company, I had a garmin palm pilot nav unit years ago and it went bad outside of the warranty time, they said to send it in and they would take a look at it, they sent me a brand new one.
Good luck.
I have had a Garmin GPS 76 (black and white unit) for several years, it's a great unit, the color one is a little nicer though. I recently bought a Garmin GPSMAP 478 which is a very nice unit, it's a little bigger than a handheld, but still portable. I bought this unit to swap between my sailboat, fishing boat, and car. It comes preloaded with the maps (though I think for inland lakes you need the 378 *difference only being the charts*). There are several add ons for these units like XM weather/Radio, depth sounder/fish finder, etc. I am probably going to add the weather to the unit sometime, but that requires a subscription to XM. I really like the unit (GPSMAP 478) both on water and on land. Garmin has been a great company, I had a garmin palm pilot nav unit years ago and it went bad outside of the warranty time, they said to send it in and they would take a look at it, they sent me a brand new one.
Good luck.
Looks like its a Garmin. I have a Garmin GPSMAP 60CX. It comes loaded with a generic land base map of the United States. I purchased Blue Charts for my region for sailing... and am planning to purchase a topo map (chip) for the Eastern United States.
The unit does more than I can understand.
Garmin support is good.
The unit does more than I can understand.
Garmin support is good.
I'd recommend the 76-series over the 60-series for one major reason. The 76-series float—the 60-series do not. 
I don't know if the Colorado floats, but believe it does.
I don't know if the Colorado floats, but believe it does.
As George said, the latest “Practical Sailor” has a comparison of the Garmin 76CSX, the Colorado 400c, and the Oregon 400c. Good article.. They liked the 76CSX more because it is more oriented to sea use instead of land use, and it floats. I have liked Garmin stuff from the beginning because if the excellent software interface.. My old 12 (not even XL) still works fine. My old Raytheon (not Raymarine) LORAN unit still works very well also! Of course ya have to have paper charts to go with them.. The new stuff, the Garmin 545 and SeaClear running on the laptop with a Bluetooth GPS receiver puck are very convenient, but I still have the paper on board..
cheap handheld and seaclear II
1. Seaclear's free (http://www.sping.com/)
2. There is an online, responsible govt source for free charts (http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download.htm)
3. replace laptop when it breaks
I have a Garmin GPS 48. It has no graphics. It is as precise as other units. You can either plot lat/lon on paper or use a laptop w/appropriate s/w. I recommend a cheap laptop with Seaclear II.
1. Seaclear's free (http://www.sping.com/)
2. There is an online, responsible govt source for free charts (http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download.htm)
3. replace laptop when it breaks
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