Recommend hand held GPS?

[Stu Jackson]

GPS tracks

however at gun cay it had me on land (about 200 yds off).

That's one reason why saving your tracks can come in very handy. Just go slow when you follow them back.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

The only problem was we went into nassau via the great issac/ berrys.. (took the short cut coming back)

Lucky for us we followed someone with good waypoints!

it gets tight about 100 yds off...

btw great site: skypics

 

[TerryGufshoz]

is it still free.............i only see $14.95....................do you have a LINK? Richard

I just checked, and I see that it isn't free. It was when I got it a year ago. It's "Marine Charts" by Earth NC.
After using it for a year, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

 

[TENACITY CS36T]

My Garmin 76Csx hand held has been rock solid, will go for a device with larger screen in the future but will keep this as a backup.

 

[capjules]

color is the way to go, a whole other world from monochrome... opens up so many posibilities that I would not have ventured to before, I used to give my self huge margins of error when nearing shallows, now with color I know exactly where I am at on the chart and get get much closer into shallower water for better anchoring. my garmin colorado 400C works for me.

 

[TedGrant]

Copper paint and data charges

A few follow ups:

> We are told the copper in the paint will impair the signal so the transducer
> must be external. What do you think?

Absolutely not a problem. The signal is sound, which copper doesn’t impair at all. Things like silicone and rubber do, don’t put them in the signal path.


Regarding smartphone apps, you said:
> I'm with AT&T and they don't have unlimited data plans.
>Won't that eat my lunch in data costs? Thanks!

I have Navionics on my iPhone and EarthNC on an iPad, both are available on Android also.

EarthNC does pull data from a server, although you can work around it. You can select some sections of maps and pull them into your device, and you could do that when you are in WiFi coverage so it can be free. Still, if you’re trying to watch your data usage, could be a pain.

Navionics stores everything locally, so there is zero data usage.

I much prefer the Navionics app.

Cheers,
Ted

 

[finding41]

I just ordered this:
ZeniThink Z102 ZePad Android 4 Cortex A9 Tablet GPS 3G WIFI

I am getting it because it does so many things. (Who's kidding who. It's cheap and so am I.) I plan to put active captain on it as well as seaclear2. and noaa charts.
I have a Lowrance LMS-350 as well.

 

[We2Sail12113]

Keeping the iPhone dry from breakling waves ?

Since I just do coastal cruising, I use an app for my iphone and ipad. QUOTE]

When using the iPhone (which I'd like to do), ho do you keep it dry and safe from brakng or boarding waves? Up in Buzzards Bay we get lts of chop, and it is not unusual to get a boarding wavem right over the bow and through the cockpit with a dodger, on an otherwise great day!

Thanks,

Bob
H27

 

[BillyK]

lifeproof case will work for you.

 

[Gunni]

Since I just do coastal cruising, I use an app for my iphone and ipad. QUOTE]

When using the iPhone (which I'd like to do), ho do you keep it dry and safe from brakng or boarding waves? Up in Buzzards Bay we get lts of chop, and it is not unusual to get a boarding wavem right over the bow and through the cockpit with a dodger, on an otherwise great day!

Thanks,

Bob
H27

You leave at home. Trap a landlubber electronic device in a sealed box with humidity or even a wet fingerprint and the internal air pressure in the box on a hot summer day will drive salty vapor into your device. It's even a problem for the waterproof IPX7 rated marinized electronics - they shouldn't be kept in vapor-tight cases in the heat.

 

[TwoDaysOff]

Lifeproof case. I've had mine for three months now. Water proof to ten feet. Shock proof. Dust proof. Worth the $80. There's nothing better out there that I have been able to find.

 

[TwoDaysOff]

Lifeproof

You leave at home. Trap a landlubber electronic device in a sealed box with humidity or even a wet fingerprint and the internal air pressure in the box on a hot summer day will drive salty vapor into your device. It's even a problem for the waterproof IPX7 rated marinized electronics - they shouldn't be kept in vapor-tight cases in the heat.

The lifeproof case is not vapor tight...

 

[BillyK]

I used my life proof case all last summer on the boat in all kind of rain/heat/cold and never had a moisture problem

 

[Capt. Kermie]

I have a Garmin Handheld GPS MAP76cs that I have used for years with color charts. It is discontinued now and probably obsolete. The screen is quite small and in hindsight I wish I had just got the helm mount big screen combo GPS/Sounder. Does anyone know if I can use BlueChart 2g or what ever the newer chart is? I am currently stuck with plain bluechart and there are no more upgraded current charts unless I can use the newer g version.

As for Apple products and smartphones, they were were never designed to withstand the roguors of saltwater sailing and could quite likely end up in davy jones locker. The batteries deplete fast and they are fragile in a boating environment, best stick with a unit designed for boating like Garmin. You have to have access to recharge a smartphone whereas with a handheld you can just change out to new batteries in an instant and they last days not hours.

 

[Gunni]

Believe the Map76 CSx had the Micro SD card (looks like phone SIM) and will run the Bluechart G2 mapping software. You have to download the charts via a computer connection and load.

Every year we have a few employees who manage to water damage their smart phone. In all cases the manufacturer is on to the "I was sweaty" excuse and deny warranty claims because water damage is excluded, and the devices have water sensors built in.

 

[dbh252]

We bought a 76Cx last year when we bought the boat. It's worked fine but it isn't ideal. I found it doesn't zoom out very far without losing detail, and I mean all detail. Just installed a gpsmap 421s, epoxied the transom mount to the inside of the hull, and bought a g2 vision card for it. Garmin has a $200 rebate right now if you buy both and West Marine will price match almost anything. After rebate, it's costing me $411. But hey, I'm happy having the old one as a backup. I'd say get what your budget and prudence will allow. You can always upgrade later.

 

[SailingHarry]

I don't know. I'm with verizon... I have NO data plan... cause I don't text. On my android phone(HTC Thunderbolt) it works fine.

Joe, please tell us more! I am stuck with a several-year-old win mobile phone specifically because it is the last smart phone you can activate on Verizon without a data plan, or so I thought. I have no desire to have a data plan, but would love to upgrade to android.

What's the secret?

Harry

 

[Canonshooternb]

I was just looking at one of those for my Hunter 25.5. Have you tested it with the transom mounted inside? If that works well I will be getting the same. The fellow at the boat show was telling me that I had to buy the through hull transducer. What was the price for the 421s ?

 

[dbh252]

Sorry to take so long. Yes, I've used it several times since install and it works great.

 

[dbh252]

I just searched for the best price on the internet. Be aware that the 421s does not have a built in map, just a low res worldwide photo. You must have a micro SD card with a map in order to get any functionality out of it. If you are still interested, pm me to get my attention and i can go through the details with you.