We bought the handheld Garmin 72 for our little 22 footer. We won't be
doing much if any long distance navigation, but just knowing our position
and just "playing" with the thing should be fun. Goofing around with it
inside (while it's cold and snowy outside) a few questions come to mind.

-- Lets say you are out in open ocean and heading for a waypoint that
it programmed into the unit. If everything was calm, no wind and no
current, all you have to do it point the arrow at the waypoint. But what
if there is a current and/or wind? Just pointing the boat toward the
waypoint might not take you on a straight course to the destination. You
would need to steer a different course to get the desired outcome. So:
Can this GPS (or others) help figure what course you need to steer?

-- I see there is a "Highway" screen that shows a "road" that one
might follow. Seems that may be the correct screen to do what I'm
thinking, but I can't quite figure out it's use.

Well, probably all this will become clearer when we can actually use
it ON the boat.

Oh, any good books out there telling how to use a GPS (not a manual
for a particual unit, but a general 'how-to' book of ideas and uses?

Thanks,
Gary

Gary Warner wrote:

We bought the handheld Garmin 72 for our little 22 footer. We won't be
doing much if any long distance navigation, but just knowing our position
and just "playing" with the thing should be fun. Goofing around with it
inside (while it's cold and snowy outside) a few questions come to mind.

-- Lets say you are out in open ocean and heading for a waypoint that
it programmed into the unit. If everything was calm, no wind and no
current, all you have to do it point the arrow at the waypoint. But what
if there is a current and/or wind? Just pointing the boat toward the
waypoint might not take you on a straight course to the destination. You
would need to steer a different course to get the desired outcome. So:
Can this GPS (or others) help figure what course you need to steer?

Certainly. The GPS unit receives frequent updates from the satellites
and knows about where you are, within a small degree of error. The
highway screen tells you whether to steer to starboard or port to reach
your destination.

However, you shouldn't overcorrect. If you are following the "highway"
function, and wind, waves and current are a factor, you will almost
always be a little off course. If you try to keep yourself centered on
the highway, you'll be doing nothing else while on your boat. Just
generally follow the highway, and make a correction every few minutes,
if need be.

-- I see there is a "Highway" screen that shows a "road" that one
might follow. Seems that may be the correct screen to do what I'm
thinking, but I can't quite figure out it's use.


Read page 19 of your manual. Garmin writes and publishes pretty decent
manuals. Those Jebbies are nothing if not well-educated.


Well, probably all this will become clearer when we can actually use
it ON the boat.

Oh, any good books out there telling how to use a GPS (not a manual
for a particual unit, but a general 'how-to' book of ideas and uses?

Thanks,
Gary


Garmin's GPS manuals contain a wealth of information about using GPS in
your life.

--
Email sent to is never read.

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

We bought the handheld Garmin 72 for our little 22 footer. We won't be
doing much if any long distance navigation, but just knowing our position
and just "playing" with the thing should be fun. Goofing around with it
inside (while it's cold and snowy outside) a few questions come to mind.

-- Lets say you are out in open ocean and heading for a waypoint that
it programmed into the unit. If everything was calm, no wind and no
current, all you have to do it point the arrow at the waypoint. But what
if there is a current and/or wind? Just pointing the boat toward the
waypoint might not take you on a straight course to the destination. You
would need to steer a different course to get the desired outcome. So:
Can this GPS (or others) help figure what course you need to steer?

-- I see there is a "Highway" screen that shows a "road" that one
might follow. Seems that may be the correct screen to do what I'm
thinking, but I can't quite figure out it's use.

Well, probably all this will become clearer when we can actually use
it ON the boat.

Oh, any good books out there telling how to use a GPS (not a manual
for a particual unit, but a general 'how-to' book of ideas and uses?

Thanks,
Gary


As long as you're not going long distance, this really isn't a big deal.
If you do stray off course, the little arrow will always point towards
your target. I use one all the time, and find that once I reach a
destination,
my "bread crumb" trail will be a bit curved from point A to B.

When underway,
I usually just hit the gas and check the little arrow every few minutes
to make sure Im ok.
I also have a Loran that I almost never monitor anymore and am thinking
of selling it, but a quick check on Ebay reveals these things won't fetch
much any more.

Once you use it on the water, you'll wonder how you ever got along
without it.


db

p.s. Always keep a couple packs of AA batt's on board.

Or, better yet, a 12V adapter.

D0N ßailey wrote:


p.s. Always keep a couple packs of AA batt's on board.

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 18:01:18 -0500, "D0N ßailey"
wrote:
Once you use it on the water, you'll wonder how you ever got along
without it.

=====================================

It always astounds me to think that as recently as 10 or 15 years ago
we used to go all day and sometimes more without knowing exactly where
we were.

"D0N ßailey" wrote:


As long as you're not going long distance, this really isn't a big deal.
If you do stray off course, the little arrow will always point towards
your target. I use one all the time, and find that once I reach a
destination, my "bread crumb" trail will be a bit curved from point A to
B.


Which I assume is fine, unless that curved course is too big. In which case
you are traveling a longer distance than you need to or, much worse, getting
into an area of the water that you don't want to be in (say shallow or
such).
Yes?

But generally we'll just be going short distances so you're right,
it probably isn't a big deal. Just like to think it all through anyway.

Just keep the triangle pointing up.
Bill

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

"D0N ßailey" wrote:


As long as you're not going long distance, this really isn't a big deal.
If you do stray off course, the little arrow will always point towards
your target. I use one all the time, and find that once I reach a
destination, my "bread crumb" trail will be a bit curved from point A to
B.


Which I assume is fine, unless that curved course is too big. In which
case
you are traveling a longer distance than you need to or, much worse,
getting
into an area of the water that you don't want to be in (say shallow or
such).
Yes?

But generally we'll just be going short distances so you're right,
it probably isn't a big deal. Just like to think it all through anyway.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
nk.net...
Just keep the triangle pointing up.
Bill


Yep.

db

"Gary Warner" wrote in message ...
"D0N ßailey" wrote:


As long as you're not going long distance, this really isn't a big deal.
If you do stray off course, the little arrow will always point towards
your target. I use one all the time, and find that once I reach a
destination, my "bread crumb" trail will be a bit curved from point A to
B.


Which I assume is fine, unless that curved course is too big. In which case
you are traveling a longer distance than you need to or, much worse, getting
into an area of the water that you don't want to be in (say shallow or
such).
Yes?

But generally we'll just be going short distances so you're right,
it probably isn't a big deal. Just like to think it all through anyway.

With a Garmin, you can either follow your original route upon return,
or you can go back to your origin in a straight line. Also, you can
wander around going back, and not to worry, follow the arrow, and
you'll go back to your origin anyway. One thing I found out, is that
while reading the manual, and messing with it on my deck, wasn't the
same as taking the manual, going out on the lake, and practicing with
it. Pretty easy, once you do that. BUT, take the manual with you, so
you'll learn to use all of the features.

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

"D0N ßailey" wrote:


As long as you're not going long distance, this really isn't a big deal.
If you do stray off course, the little arrow will always point towards
your target. I use one all the time, and find that once I reach a
destination, my "bread crumb" trail will be a bit curved from point A to
B.


Which I assume is fine, unless that curved course is too big. In which
case
you are traveling a longer distance than you need to or, much worse,
getting
into an area of the water that you don't want to be in (say shallow or
such).
Yes?


Yea, I don't usually use the GPS in shallow areas, I've been though
them enough that I just use landmarks (because Im usually close
to land). I only use it once I get out into the open ocean to find
fishing reefs. Also, I notice that sometimes the bouy is not
exactly where my GPS waypoint is, but that is of no consequence
because you can usually see the bouy once you get within a
mile or two. I don't know that I would want to use the GPS
to nav through shallow areas because the thing (at least mine)
just isn't *that* accurate. Mine doesn't have WAAS. Its a few
years old.

I have the Garmin e-map. I think we paid about $150.00 a few years
back. Nothing to write home about but it gets the job done.
Its fun to take up in the plane on business travel too. It gives
you altitude and such. A couple years ago I was flying back
from Dallas to NC on an older 757 and noticed we had
passed 700mph. I thought it was way off but just
then, the captain came on the intercom and announced
our speed as 700mph+. We must have had a helluva
tail wind that night.

But generally we'll just be going short distances so you're right,
it probably isn't a big deal. Just like to think it all through anyway.

Have fun.

db