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Old 31-07-2007, 22:19   #1
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GPS unit for bareboating

I would like recommendations for a portable GPS that I can use while bareboat chartering. Preferbly one I could quickly mount to a binnacle and then remove.

Any thoughts?
Thanks
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Old 01-08-2007, 04:10   #2
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A few years back I purchased a Garmin GPS 276C on the basis that I could move it to the boat when I wanted and when not on the boat, I can use it as a navigator in the car. On the boat I attached the mount to the binacle and wired it to the boats 12V power supply. As it provides an indicator of voltage I now have a battery level indicator that I did not anticipate.

I have been very happy with the unit.

I have since placed a multiplexer between my Raymarine depth/speed meter and the Garmin so I can now see and record depth information on the Garmin. Not sure it was worth the cost but it's fun all the same.
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Old 01-08-2007, 04:12   #3
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Although not waterproof, I use a Garmin IQue3600 aboard in the cockpit, under the dodger connected to a 12v cig plug.

It does not have wapoints and all the nav tools that the fixed mount plotters have, you can get marine charts, shows SOG, COG, has a course line, head up or north up, shows tracks, has a brilliant dimmable display, uses Garmin Blue charts, has stepped as well as marquee zooming. And... it has all my contact data and I have a chip for street navigation so I can look up local restaruants etc. and take it ashore for street navigation and hiking.

I love the little IQue and having a handy plotter view is really all I need in the cockpit. You can pick them up very inexpensively (refurbed) and considering how portable and useful it is for other purposes it is a real good value. I am sure you can get some sort of suitable removable mounting.

It's one of my fav high tech tools on board.

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Old 01-08-2007, 08:17   #4
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The Uniden Mystic is a real nice unit, combo 5W VHF w/distress & WAAS chartplotter & submersible, warranteed for 3 years against water intrusion, also has a lifetime $40 repair policy - hard to beat. Comes with a street maps CD, and uses BlueNav charts (Magellan). You cut a section of chart you want on your PC and upload it. Has a lithium battery & comes with charging stand, 12 & 120V adapters & data cable. I've had one for 3 years and love it. It's about $300.
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Old 09-08-2007, 07:49   #5
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Thanks for the ideas. Right now I am leaning towards a Garmin GPSMAP® 76CSx, since it is battery operated and supposedly waterproof. I need to figure out some sort of flexible/portable binnacle mount.
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Old 09-08-2007, 09:54   #6
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The right bag is the key

JM: I have used a Garmin Map76 for 5 + yrs without one problem.
I have a padded water resistent bag (with a soft clear plastic window on the unpadded side) that I clip onto the binnacle or nearby when I move away from helm. Keeps the unit dry & protected yet I can operate all the keys & see the screen clearly without taking it out of the bag.
I cannot find the model I have but here's a link that shows other examples:
Waterproof Case
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Old 09-08-2007, 10:11   #7
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I quit bringing mine altogether, as all of the bareboats I charter have great Raymarine or similar mounted at the helm units that work great.

I have learned to put my own waypoints in as you never know how savy the person was that put the existing waypoints in!!

I just love SOG and especially the ETA features.

"When are we gonna get there Dad?"

Uh, let's see, at our current speed and course, 49 minutes and 28 seconds.

Now make yourself usefull and get me another cold beer!
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Old 09-08-2007, 11:39   #8
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I also just bought a Garmin GPSMAP® 76CSx this spring for use on bareboats and have been quite happy with it.

Many bareboats do have chartplotters, but to input your routes, you will need to learn that particular brand/model of chartplotter. It is much easier to do that at home on your computer. The Garmin interfaces with my Coastal Navigator (same as Maptech) program, so I can plan all my routes and download to the Garmin.


I have it in a Gilsson neoprene case that I can attach to the binnacle, but I usually just set it in whatever tray or cup holder is available. The Gilsson case is about $10, available on Amazon.
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Old 09-08-2007, 19:13   #9
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Anyone have comments on the G376? I am lusting after this one for a Christmas present to replace my G295.
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Old 09-08-2007, 21:23   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Saildoggie

"When are we gonna get there Dad?"

Uh, let's see, at our current speed and course, 49 minutes and 28 seconds.

Now make yourself usefull and get me another cold beer!
Not to be a downer, but a joke like this really isn't funny.

Another serious cause of boating accidents is due to the consumption of alcohol while operating a boat. This accounts for nearly one-third of all recreational boating fatalities, and is, in fact, the number one cause of boating accident deaths. link

Even on this forum, alcohol related deaths are discussed at length (link). Making a joke about a captain breaking the law and putting his child (and many other's) life at risk is not ammusing, and if I saw this happening I would instantly notify the authorities.
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Old 09-08-2007, 21:34   #11
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Originally Posted by Ex-Calif
Anyone have comments on the G376? I am lusting after this one for a Christmas present to replace my G295.
You must mean a Garmin GPSMAP 376C. (Couldn't figure that out for a while.) Rechargeable, 3"x2.2" screen. That looks really nice...

$900 though.
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Old 06-05-2008, 07:12   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James Miyake View Post
I would like recommendations for a portable GPS that I can use while bareboat chartering.
There was a pretty good review of handheld GPS units recently done by the Mad Mariner. Lowrance, Garmin & Uniden submitted test units. All survived some pretty tough testing.
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Old 06-05-2008, 07:25   #13
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I bought myself a Garmin GPSMap 478 after finding out that the Raytheon nav plotter that came with my boat was to old to upgrade... It works great. It also will double as a car nav plotter (you can switch it between marine and auto modes.) I figured it'll also make an awesome backup gps if I end up upgrading to a high end fixed mount nav plotter some day.

I bought a mount for my edson binnacle -

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|320737|320738&id=28817

It's too expensive but it fit in the way I wanted for my binnacle, and looks great.

If you're planning on bringing it around and don't care about the fancy shmancy stainless steel arm, Ram-mount makes mounts that run around 20-40 bucks for most of the garmin handhelds.

RAM Mount Products Garmin GPS Mounts

Hope that helps....
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