Andy Saunders wrote:

I have some experience with GPS units in auto's. Does the marine units work
the same?

No.

Can you put a destination in the unit and it will show you the
way like the one in an auto or do you have to manually put in the waypoints
and then select each as you proceed toward a destination?

Two part question, the answers are no and yes respectively. Except that
you can create a route (a number of waypoints in a specific sequence)
and the chart plotter will help you proceed to them in that order.

I just purchased
a boat with a Garman 2006C GPS. (I haven't taken possession of the boat at
this point).

That unit "wakes up" with a basemap that will show you about where you
are but it does not have sufficient detail for navigation. That basemap
is described here, note that the description makes no mention of the
basemap having any buoys, lights, or other navaids on it.
http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap2006/#

The detailed charts you need for navigation have to be put on Garmin
Data Cards, those are then read by the 2006 and you get detailed
charting. The Data Cards are a proprietary storage medium, sort of like
a CF or SD memory card.

You can buy preprogrammed Data Cards with charting for a given region
(the expensive way to do it). The more economical (but complex and
technical for some) way to get charting data is to buy a Garmin
BlueChart CD with chart data, blank data cards, a data card programmer,
and load the data cards using a PC.

When you buy the BlueChart CD, data for one region of your choice can be
unlocked and used. If you want to add more regions you pay more to
unlock those.

If your boat was well equipped and being used, it may come with a data
card or two for the region where it was used. Or it may even come with
a BlueChart CD, a data card, and a Garmin Data Card programmer.

This page and the links from it will help you figure it all out, don't
feel bad if it all seems a little complicated.

http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap2006/#

Don't forget, you now own a hole in the water. Your key responsibility
as a boat owner is to keep throwing money into the hole to keep Garmin
and a number of other businesses and industries solvent. :)

Have fun!

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jackerbes at adelphia dot net
(also receiving email at jacker at midmaine.com)