I have a near new GPSmap 276C Garmin that I use on my 1971 22' Venture. What is the easiest and least expensive way to upgrade to an accurate costal map system for the West Coast from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border. The existing maps do not show breakwaters, oil islands or the accurate coast line, especially within harbors and at Catalina Island and the Islands off of Ventura, CA. Novelman
upscaled charts for GPSmap 276C
- Thread starter novelman17128
- Start date
- Status
Garmin Blue Charts
Pick up a copy of the Garmon Blue Charts for the Americas, select the US West Coast. You load these into your computer and download to the garmin. You can also get a preloaded card that will do the same. Rick
Pick up a copy of the Garmon Blue Charts for the Americas, select the US West Coast. You load these into your computer and download to the garmin. You can also get a preloaded card that will do the same. Rick
GPSmap
Rick, Thanks, I have ordered the Bluechart g2 for the West Coast and will begin using it at my next sail to Anacapa Island and Santa Barbara Island in my 22' Venture. Novelman
Rick, Thanks, I have ordered the Bluechart g2 for the West Coast and will begin using it at my next sail to Anacapa Island and Santa Barbara Island in my 22' Venture. Novelman
G-Chip
Novelman- The easiest way is to buy a Bluechart g-chip pre-loaded for your area. Plug and play. Rob Hessenius
Novelman- The easiest way is to buy a Bluechart g-chip pre-loaded for your area. Plug and play. Rob Hessenius
Bluecharts are excellent for that area
We sail out of Channel Islands Harbor. I can recommend the blue charts as the detail they supply for our part of the coast (Channel Islands, Catalina, Ventura, etc.) is superb. We've used 'em sailing from Pt. Reyes to San Diego and have never found a problem. Of course you never want to rely on only one source of nav data, but we find Blue Charts indespensible. Gary Kunkel Catalina 30 "Folie a Deux" Channel Islands Harbor, CA
We sail out of Channel Islands Harbor. I can recommend the blue charts as the detail they supply for our part of the coast (Channel Islands, Catalina, Ventura, etc.) is superb. We've used 'em sailing from Pt. Reyes to San Diego and have never found a problem. Of course you never want to rely on only one source of nav data, but we find Blue Charts indespensible. Gary Kunkel Catalina 30 "Folie a Deux" Channel Islands Harbor, CA
upscaled charts
Gary, Thanks, that's what I ordered and will use along the entire coast. I'll be in your area and using a month-by-month space at Ventura Isle Marina, probably in May,June and July. Can I still sail out to Santa Barbara Island, anchor and go ashore for the day? It's been more than 30 years since I've done so and I'm not sure of how to arrange actually going ashore and seeing the elephant seals, sea lions, seals rookeries as well as the bird nesting areas. The last time I was there the only way to get ashore legally was to climb up the metal ladder onto the very small dock and then pull your boat up after you. Is it any better now? Novelman
Gary, Thanks, that's what I ordered and will use along the entire coast. I'll be in your area and using a month-by-month space at Ventura Isle Marina, probably in May,June and July. Can I still sail out to Santa Barbara Island, anchor and go ashore for the day? It's been more than 30 years since I've done so and I'm not sure of how to arrange actually going ashore and seeing the elephant seals, sea lions, seals rookeries as well as the bird nesting areas. The last time I was there the only way to get ashore legally was to climb up the metal ladder onto the very small dock and then pull your boat up after you. Is it any better now? Novelman
Easiest and cheapest
Don't think such a solution exists. If it is easy it is expensive and if it is cheap it if hard to do. I feel for you novelman, the GPS is a fine piece of equipment and for what it does it is great but the chartplotter addition is a pretty expensive upgrade for what you get; bad charts and the constant upgrading for lots of $$$$. I for one just got on the N2M distro list and make the changes to my paper maps as needed. It is free, nothing gets by unnoticed as I have to evaluate all the additions/deletions and it works when the fancy equipment has scummed to the wiles of our terrible mistress.
Don't think such a solution exists. If it is easy it is expensive and if it is cheap it if hard to do. I feel for you novelman, the GPS is a fine piece of equipment and for what it does it is great but the chartplotter addition is a pretty expensive upgrade for what you get; bad charts and the constant upgrading for lots of $$$$. I for one just got on the N2M distro list and make the changes to my paper maps as needed. It is free, nothing gets by unnoticed as I have to evaluate all the additions/deletions and it works when the fancy equipment has scummed to the wiles of our terrible mistress.
Bluecharts on disc imho
Got our 276c(we love it) with the boat and only had the the BC on a G-chip mem card. Biggest gripe, I can't plot my route points on my notebook and transfer them to the 276 because the card won't let you load the BC maps to your comp like I could if I had the disc. I may be able to do my routes on other software but havn't tried yet. If the chip fails or is damaged there's no way to back up the maps to another chip/comp so only get the BC maps on disc and a seperate mem card in my opinion. My streetmaps have the disc and it works like a charm, loads to a mem chip and can do it all on the comp too. Love the portability of this thing. It sets on my dash during the week and on-board on weekends. Have fun. Michael
Got our 276c(we love it) with the boat and only had the the BC on a G-chip mem card. Biggest gripe, I can't plot my route points on my notebook and transfer them to the 276 because the card won't let you load the BC maps to your comp like I could if I had the disc. I may be able to do my routes on other software but havn't tried yet. If the chip fails or is damaged there's no way to back up the maps to another chip/comp so only get the BC maps on disc and a seperate mem card in my opinion. My streetmaps have the disc and it works like a charm, loads to a mem chip and can do it all on the comp too. Love the portability of this thing. It sets on my dash during the week and on-board on weekends. Have fun. Michael
- Status