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Garmin marine
I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a
Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! |
Garmin marine
On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item256f935924 It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. |
Garmin marine
On Apr 22, 4:56*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...PS-Chartplotte... Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. * The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. *That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. * With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B00... http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. *Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540... It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. * You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Very good idea. I'm copying this Wayne. |
Garmin marine
"Tim" wrote in message ... I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! Tim, I can speak to you with experience regarding this unit. You're on the right track with this unit, but not quite there. I've had two units of this series. I had the GPSMAP 430 on my previous boat and have the GPSMAP 431 on my current boat. Both of these units have similar features and the same screen as the unit on eBay. Both units have performed flawlessly for me. In fact, I was so pleased with the 430 unit which I let go with the previous boat, that I bought the current replacement (431) for the boat I purchased last year. There are a few problems with the specific unit you're considering on eBay. First, the "s" at the end of the model indicates that it is capable of being used with a Garmin transducer to use the display as a fishfinder/sounder as well as a chartplotter. The problem is that this is the version of the 421s that doesn't include the transducer. If you want to use the unit with as a fishfinder/sounder you'll have to shell out additional bucks for a Garmin transducer. The next problem is with the maps installed in the 421 units. The basemap on the 421 units is a very crude set of satellite images. What you really want is the inland waters basemap, which is included on the 430/431 units. Both the 421 and the 430/431 units also allow you to purchase upgraded maps on SD cards, but the 430/431 units have the inland waters basemap already included. Finally, this guy's pricing is no great deal. He's offering the 421s unit with no transducer and no inland maps for $416. As a comparison, Amazon has the same unit for $353. Here are some current prices at Amazon for comparable units: 421s WITHOUT transducer: $353 421s WITH transducer: $443 431s WITH transducer: $443 431 chartplotter only, no fishfinder/sounder function: $401 The real question is whether you want the unit to have fishfinder/sounder capability. If you currently don't have a depthfinder or fishfinder on your boat, the 421s/431s would be one way to incorporate this function. If you already have a depthfinder or fishfinder on your boat, then there's probably no reason to buy one of the "s" models. The downside of the "s" models is that it splits the screen between the two functions, and the screen isn't that large to begin with. Also, you get the fun job of installing a transducer. In my case, since both of my last boats had a digital depthfinder already installed, I didn't have a need for the sounder function in the Garmin unit. So I went with the 430 in 2009 and the 431 in 2011. The 430 is a discontinued product, replaced by the 431, which has a few minor enhancements to it. I can tell you that the color display on those units is very readable in direct sunlight. Also, I can tell you that the NMEA output works well. I have my 431 reporting position to my RayMarine DSC VHF radio, and it also reports position, speed and other telemetry to my Mercury SmartCraft gauges. The 431 series is a very nice compact unit that allows the updating of maps and unit firmware via its SD card slot. My personal recommendation is for 431s if you need or want the sounder function, and the 431 if you don't. I used Amazon as an easy source for pricing data, but a search of the web might yield better pricing. I find Amazon is usually very competitive with about everything they offer, and they are super easy to work with. Garmin's website is a good resource for comparing their units. Russ |
Garmin marine
On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:30:51 -0400, BAR wrote:
In article , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item256f935924 It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Looks like a nice little unit. But, you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99 === And here's a unit from Sitex for about $380. http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|302026|141439|320789|328476&id=887116 I'm not familiar with it but I see that it uses CMAP chart chips. We use CMAP chips in our Furuno system and they are very, very good - albeit a bit pricey. You could cover the entire area that you are interested in with a single W74 chip. http://www.jeppesen.com/marine/lightmarine/gb/max/coverage.jsp?region=CEU |
Garmin marine
In article ,
says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:30:51 -0400, BAR wrote: In article , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item256f935924 It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Looks like a nice little unit. But, you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99 === And here's a unit from Sitex for about $380. http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|302026|141439|320789|328476&id=887116 I'm not familiar with it but I see that it uses CMAP chart chips. We use CMAP chips in our Furuno system and they are very, very good - albeit a bit pricey. You could cover the entire area that you are interested in with a single W74 chip. http://www.jeppesen.com/marine/lightmarine/gb/max/coverage.jsp?region=CEU I am not a fan of the "deals" that can be had on eBay. |
Garmin marine
On 4/23/12 6:21 AM, BAR wrote:
In , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:30:51 -0400, wrote: In , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item256f935924 It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Looks like a nice little unit. But, you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99 === And here's a unit from Sitex for about $380. http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|302026|141439|320789|328476&id=887116 I'm not familiar with it but I see that it uses CMAP chart chips. We use CMAP chips in our Furuno system and they are very, very good - albeit a bit pricey. You could cover the entire area that you are interested in with a single W74 chip. http://www.jeppesen.com/marine/lightmarine/gb/max/coverage.jsp?region=CEU I am not a fan of the "deals" that can be had on eBay. What difference does that make to you? You've never even owned a boat. |
Garmin marine
On 4/23/2012 8:22 AM, X ` Man wrote:
On 4/23/12 6:21 AM, BAR wrote: In , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:30:51 -0400, wrote: In , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item256f935924 It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Looks like a nice little unit. But, you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99 === And here's a unit from Sitex for about $380. http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|302026|141439|320789|328476&id=887116 I'm not familiar with it but I see that it uses CMAP chart chips. We use CMAP chips in our Furuno system and they are very, very good - albeit a bit pricey. You could cover the entire area that you are interested in with a single W74 chip. http://www.jeppesen.com/marine/lightmarine/gb/max/coverage.jsp?region=CEU I am not a fan of the "deals" that can be had on eBay. What difference does that make to you? You've never even owned a boat. What does fanship of ebay have to do with boat ownership? |
Garmin marine
On Apr 23, 8:21*am, wrote:
On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:30:51 -0400, BAR wrote: In article , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...PS-Chartplotte.... Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. * The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. *That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. * With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B00.... http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. *Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540.... It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. * You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Looks like a nice little unit. But, you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99 No. It RETAILS for only $439.99, but that assumes you caught the "no transponder" note, which I am guessing is the hook. I don't think I would go the "computer" route, since it requires an inverter and a Rube Goldberg setup and still doesn't give you anything but GPS. You can do GPS (only) for a LOT less and carry it with you off the boat with street map capability. Thank you for sharing. |
Garmin marine
On Apr 22, 6:59*pm, "RG" wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message ... I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...PS-Chartplotte... Thanks! Tim, I can speak to you with experience regarding this unit. *You're on the right track with this unit, but not quite there. *I've had two units of this series. *I had the GPSMAP 430 on my previous boat and have the GPSMAP 431 on my current boat. *Both of these units have similar features and the same screen as the unit on eBay. *Both units have performed flawlessly for me. In fact, I was so pleased with the 430 unit which I let go with the previous boat, that I bought the current replacement (431) for the boat I purchased last year. *There are a few problems with the specific unit you're considering on eBay. *First, the "s" at the end of the model indicates that it is capable of being used with a Garmin transducer to use the display as a fishfinder/sounder as well as a chartplotter. *The problem is that this is the version of the 421s that doesn't include the transducer. *If you want to use the unit with as a fishfinder/sounder you'll have to shell out additional bucks for a Garmin transducer. *The next problem is with the maps installed in the 421 units. *The basemap on the 421 units is a very crude set of satellite images. *What you really want is the inland waters basemap, which is included on the 430/431 units. *Both the 421 and the 430/431 units also allow you to purchase upgraded maps on SD cards, but the 430/431 units have the inland waters basemap already included. *Finally, this guy's pricing is no great deal. *He's offering the 421s unit with no transducer and no inland maps for $416. *As a comparison, Amazon has the same unit for $353. *Here are some current prices at Amazon for comparable units: 421s WITHOUT transducer: *$353 421s WITH transducer: *$443 431s WITH transducer: *$443 431 chartplotter only, no fishfinder/sounder function: *$401 The real question is whether you want the unit to have fishfinder/sounder capability. *If you currently don't have a depthfinder or fishfinder on your boat, the 421s/431s would be one way to incorporate this function. *If you already have a depthfinder or fishfinder on your boat, then there's probably no reason to buy one of the "s" models. *The downside of the "s" models is that it splits the screen between the two functions, and the screen isn't that large to begin with. *Also, you get the fun job of installing a transducer. *In my case, since both of my last boats had a digital depthfinder already installed, I didn't have a need for the sounder function in the Garmin unit. *So I went with the 430 in 2009 and the 431 in 2011.. The 430 is a discontinued product, replaced by the 431, which has a few minor enhancements to it. *I can tell you that the color display on those units is very readable in direct sunlight. *Also, I can tell you that the NMEA output works well. *I have my 431 reporting position to my RayMarine DSC VHF radio, and it also reports position, speed and other telemetry to my Mercury SmartCraft gauges. *The 431 series is a very nice compact unit that allows the updating of maps and unit firmware via its SD card slot. *My personal recommendation is for 431s if you need or want the sounder function, and the 431 if you don't. *I used Amazon as an easy source for pricing data, but a search of the web might yield better pricing. *I find Amazon is usually very competitive with about everything they offer, and they are super easy to work with. *Garmin's website is a good resource for comparing their units. Russ Thanks a lot Russ. That was fairly comprehensive.... I'm really only interested in the chat plotter. I really don't need the fish or depth finder. And that link I thew up there was only for reference. I know there's other places to look s well. I'd thought of a small hand held, but then again, I really don't know if that would really suit the need. This has been enlightening. I wish they sold a program that you could down load charts to an automotive Garmin. That would be cool! |
Garmin marine
On Apr 22, 4:56*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...PS-Chartplotte... Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. * The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. *That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. * With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B00... http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. *Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540... It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. * You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Wayne I see what you're talking about using the cheap laptop etc. That might work... |
Garmin marine
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Garmin marine
Thanks a lot Russ. That was fairly comprehensive.... I'm really only
interested in the chat plotter. I really don't need the fish or depth finder. And that link I thew up there was only for reference. I know there's other places to look s well. I'd thought of a small hand held, but then again, I really don't know if that would really suit the need. This has been enlightening. I wish they sold a program that you could down load charts to an automotive Garmin. That would be cool! __________________________________________________ __ Here's my thoughts, Tim. Since you don't need the fishfinder/sounder function (I didn't either), I'd recommend the GPSMAP 431. It's the unit I have on my boat, and I couldn't be more happy with it. If you could find a GPSMAP 430 (discontinued), that would work just as well. I don't think the laptop scenario would be appropriate for a boat your size. There's probably not enough room to mount a laptop at your helm without obstructing your view. A laptop wouldn't take kindly to the pounding that a small powerboat can deliver. Also, I've never owned a laptop that was easy to read in direct sunlight. On a larger boat like Wayne's with a pilot house, it could be a good solution, but not for a smaller power boat like what we have (mine's a 28 footer). I wouldn't recommend a hand-held unit for just the opposite reason. You'd need to purchase a mount to keep the thing from bouncing all over the place, and even mounted, the screen would be too small to be of value while running down the lake at 30+ mph and trying to keep your eyes on traffic. The 400 series units from Garmin split the difference between a too-large and cumbersome laptop and a too-small handheld unit. The 430/431 comes already loaded with inland waters charts and charts can be upgraded and updated via SD cards. The 400 series comes with an internal antenna so installation is super simple. Let me know if you have any specific questions regarding the 430/431. Russ |
Garmin marine
On 4/23/2012 8:12 PM, Tim wrote:
On Apr 22, 4:56 pm, wrote: On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...PS-Chartplotte... Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B00... http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540... It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Wayne I see what you're talking about using the cheap laptop etc. That might work... Well Tim... I can't see any reason not to do exactly as Wayne suggests. Who here has tested the process more after all? |
Garmin marine
On 4/23/2012 5:32 PM, RG wrote:
__________________________________________________ __ Here's my thoughts, Tim. Since you don't need the fishfinder/sounder function (I didn't either), I'd recommend the GPSMAP 431. It's the unit I have on my boat, and I couldn't be more happy with it. If you could find a GPSMAP 430 (discontinued), that would work just as well. I don't think the laptop scenario would be appropriate for a boat your size. There's probably not enough room to mount a laptop at your helm without obstructing your view. A laptop wouldn't take kindly to the pounding that a small powerboat can deliver. Also, I've never owned a laptop that was easy to read in direct sunlight. On a larger boat like Wayne's with a pilot house, it could be a good solution, but not for a smaller power boat like what we have (mine's a 28 footer). I wouldn't recommend a hand-held unit for just the opposite reason. You'd need to purchase a mount to keep the thing from bouncing all over the place, and even mounted, the screen would be too small to be of value while running down the lake at 30+ mph and trying to keep your eyes on traffic. The 400 series units from Garmin split the difference between a too-large and cumbersome laptop and a too-small handheld unit. The 430/431 comes already loaded with inland waters charts and charts can be upgraded and updated via SD cards. The 400 series comes with an internal antenna so installation is super simple. Let me know if you have any specific questions regarding the 430/431. Russ I concur with Russ on having a rugged hard mounted screen at the helm that is big enough but not too big. I've had a Garmin GPSMAP 168 sounder for the last 12 years and it's been good. The only problem is that the tide tables quit working a few years ago, probably due to the age of the internal data base. Having a second depth sounder that is viewed from the helm is handy as my other one is mounted near the stern. Don't worry about using half the screen for depth, it can be set to use the whole screen for either function. |
Garmin marine
On Apr 23, 8:57*pm, JustWait wrote:
On 4/23/2012 8:12 PM, Tim wrote: On Apr 22, 4:56 pm, *wrote: On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...PS-Chartplotte.... Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. * The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. *That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. * With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B00.... http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. *Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540.... It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. * You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Wayne I see what you're talking about using the cheap laptop etc. That might work... Well Tim... I can't see any reason not to do exactly as Wayne suggests. Who here has tested the process more after all? Scott. Russ and Wayne bring some really valid points, though... still watching. |
Garmin marine
On 4/23/2012 11:12 PM, Tim wrote:
On Apr 23, 8:57 pm, wrote: On 4/23/2012 8:12 PM, Tim wrote: On Apr 22, 4:56 pm, wrote: On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...PS-Chartplotte... Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B00... http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540... It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Wayne I see what you're talking about using the cheap laptop etc. That might work... Well Tim... I can't see any reason not to do exactly as Wayne suggests. Who here has tested the process more after all? Scott. Russ and Wayne bring some really valid points, though... still watching. Yeah, I missed Russ's post... Sorry to Russ:) |
Garmin marine
In article ,
says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:30:51 -0400, BAR wrote: In article , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item256f935924 It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Looks like a nice little unit. But, you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99 No. It RETAILS for only $439.99, but that assumes you caught the "no transponder" note, which I am guessing is the hook. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=150&pID=28746 Part Number: 010-00764-01 Suggested Retail Price: $ 499.99 USD You must have missed the part where I said "...you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99" I don't think I would go the "computer" route, since it requires an inverter and a Rube Goldberg setup and still doesn't give you anything but GPS. You can do GPS (only) for a LOT less and carry it with you off the boat with street map capability. The computer route would be ok if you kept it inside the cabin and you had an SSD instead of spinning media. |
Garmin marine
On 4/24/12 6:15 PM, BAR wrote:
In , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:30:51 -0400, wrote: In , says... On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:18:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote: I'm thinking on the idea of ditching the harts and going with a Garmin. I'm think of going with something like this... I don't really feel like spending huge dollars and this would be about my limit, I Don't know anything about them, does this seem like a good model? and are the charts automatically renewable, or do you have to buy an update? BTW, This 2owuld be used for running on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers, including lake Barclay and Ky. Lakes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Rebate-G...item231b9453ab Thanks! === I'm not familiar with that particular model of Garmin chart plotter but most Garmin products rank fairly well for ease of use. The downside is that you need to buy one or more Garmin chart chips, and before you do that, you should check to make sure they have chips for your area. That particular model uses something called BlueChart® g2 Vision cards that I am not familiar with. If you already have a laptop computer you may not need anything but a small handheld GPS for backup and use in a dinghy. With the addition of a $30 USB GPS, an inexpensive inverter, a free software download, and free chart downloads, you are on the air with a full featured navigation package with route planning, waypoint setting, track plotting, etc. http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-Waterproof-USB-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA http://opencpn.org/ocpn/ http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm There are other Garmins that you might consider. Here's an EBAY listing for a used 192C which is an older unit but has good features: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmin-GPSMAP-192C-GPS-Receiver-/160785717540?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item256f935924 It uses chart chips that cost about $100 or so. You should check on chart availability for your area before buying any plotter. Looks like a nice little unit. But, you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99 No. It RETAILS for only $439.99, but that assumes you caught the "no transponder" note, which I am guessing is the hook. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=150&pID=28746 Part Number: 010-00764-01 Suggested Retail Price: $ 499.99 USD You must have missed the part where I said "...you can purchase it from Garmin for $499.99" I don't think I would go the "computer" route, since it requires an inverter and a Rube Goldberg setup and still doesn't give you anything but GPS. You can do GPS (only) for a LOT less and carry it with you off the boat with street map capability. The computer route would be ok if you kept it inside the cabin and you had an SSD instead of spinning media. There literally are dozens of GPS/Marine Chart apps available for smart phones and tablets. Assuming you keep the instruments dry, they are ok for boat use, but...none of these devices I have seen have a screen you can see in even moderate sunlight. |
Garmin marine
On Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:15:03 -0400, BAR wrote:
The computer route would be ok if you kept it inside the cabin and you had an SSD instead of spinning media. ======== A lot depends on the boat and the laptop. None of my laptops have had SSDs, none have been kept inside the cabin (except on sail boats), and none have ever experienced a hard drive failure, even when dropped (and that has happened). My current laptop has survived a number of salt spray incidents but not all of them will. |
Garmin marine
wrote in message ... On Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:06:24 -0400, Wayne.B wrote: On Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:15:03 -0400, BAR wrote: The computer route would be ok if you kept it inside the cabin and you had an SSD instead of spinning media. ======== A lot depends on the boat and the laptop. None of my laptops have had SSDs, none have been kept inside the cabin (except on sail boats), and none have ever experienced a hard drive failure, even when dropped (and that has happened). My current laptop has survived a number of salt spray incidents but not all of them will. The average computer just isn't made to be kept aboard the size of boat Tim has. Not only that, but trying to make the computer stay PUT is probably going to be a real experience. Even if an owner installed a mount that secured the laptop to the helm and the computer survived the pounding and spray that is often encountered in the use of a small open powerboat, there are several other issues that present problems. 1. Assuming you bought a mount such as a RAM mount to secure the laptop to the helm, it is likely that you will be forced to mount the laptop to the top of the dash. In a small powerboat such as Tim's, there is no other place to mount such a large device. Unfortunately, mounting the laptop to the top of the dash will not allow enough clearance for the screen to be fully opened due to the raked windshield. There will not be enough vertical clearance between the top of the dash and the rake of the windshield to fully extend the screen. I hope you checked this before drill holes for the mount. 2. Assuming you found a way to work around problem #1, due to the pounding that can be experienced when operating a small boat in rough water, and even though the base of the laptop is now secured, the hinge for the screen is not, therefore the screen is likely to be slamming either closed or fully extended when operating in rough water. 3. Supposing you installed a mount at the helm of a small power boat, and supposing the mount also secured the screen of the laptop in the open position for viewing, the size of even a 13" laptop would appear comically large on a smallish helm, and more important would severely restrict the skipper's view through the windshield by creating a significant blind spot. Now you have a device intended to aid navigation that actually turns out to be an impediment to navigation and the safe operation of the vessel. 4. Supposing the screen managed to stay in the upright position for viewing, and supposing you didn't mind the blind spot created by said screen, you couldn't read the screen in direct sunlight, a condition often found more often than not when boating, once again negating the entire point of the exercise. A small, dedicated fixed-mount chartplotter easily solves all these problems. Somewhere else in this thread, Wayne mentioned the ease and convenience of trip planning and the creation of waypoints and routes on a computer as opposed to the difficulties of doing the same exercise on the device itself. I concur with this 100%. However, at least in the case of Garmin products, the same charts that exist in the device can easily be installed on a PC. Using MapSource, Gamin's PC software, the trip planning exercise can be easily accomplished on the PC, and the waypoints and routes then saved to an SD card. The card is then inserted into the chartplotter and the data is transferred to the chartplotter. If the data for the trip is altered using the device during the trip, such as creating a new waypoint on the fly, or if you wish to review the actual tracks of the trip, the process can be reversed and using the same SD card, the trip data can be downloaded back to the PC. Best of both worlds. At least that's how I do it. Russ |
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