Cheap GPS with on screen chart suggestions!

[Zagato]

Money is tight and I don't want to spend hundreds on equipment for my early stages of sailing. I will do the RYA navigation course (Pan Pan School in Croyden) but I would like a cheap GPS system with a screen that shows info the same as an Imray chart or similar. A handheld one would be good, diving into the cockpit single handed to check position up a narrow estuary wouldn't be a great idea although I do have the connections form a past Garmin that was fitted.

I only need a basic system for around the Solent maybe an Extrex but do they show a chart on the screen? In the future I can buy a better system and use this one as a backup.

I've looked at past threads but they lose me completely as they are all about the more sophisticated stuff

Budget - cheaper the better but relunctantly up to £300 if I have to and it makes better sense but £100 would be ideal.

 

[Vara]

Maybe a second hand IPad with the Imray charts loaded would be in budget?

Waterproof bags aren't a lot of money.

 

[Spyro]

I bought an old Panasonic toughbook on ebay for £50 I already had a 12v car charger type adapter. I use Cmapecs it's linked to the GPS on the boat but you can by a GPS mouse fairly cheaply that will do the job.
Or as suggested if you can get a fairly cheap Ipad you could use an app like navionics. Only problem might be charging the ipad.

 

[doug748]

These are superb:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Garmin-GP...7?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item27cbe4df13

Comes with a basechart, which is a really crude "World" map of the shoreline. Used in conjunction with paper charts, and your own waypoints, it is all you need. The menu structure is outstanding, it is waterpoof and floats, take it home to play with.

I would add a power cable to hook it up to ships 12v when aboard.

 

[maxi77]

I must admit that as a beginner I would suggest a basic GPS you can put waypoints and routes into with just a numeric display would be best for you. You need to get happy with the paper systems and the basics first so that when the electronic world goes tits up you can still get home.

 

[Zagato]

Thanks for the replies. A GPS with a detailed chart would be better rather than relaying GPS co-ordinates onto a chart. (I will be doing a Nav course so will get to grip with chart nav also).

If fog suddenly comes down in the Solent it would be handy to just see a marker where the boat is on a chart. I will be sailing single handed and do have 12v adapter and previous connections for a Garmin GPS that the last owner had and took away.

I'm not up to speed on I pads, downloading charts etc. A single hand held GPS with a good Solent chart showing where the boat is would be ideal.

Maybe

Garmin Etrex Vista or GPS Map £200 - £280

Lowrance Elite 4 Chartplotters £200 - £300

What do you think or any other suggestions - thanks

 

[lynall]

Probably no help at all, but i bought the navionics chart plotter app the other day for my iphone, was 23 pounds, comparing it to the imray paper chart as we motored along the medway was impressed with the water depths agreeing with each other, also made me aware some routes i was taking were pretty dodgy
Cant comment any further as i have not been past sheerness yet!


Lynall

 

[maby]

Thanks for the replies. A GPS with a detailed chart would be better rather than relaying GPS co-ordinates onto a chart. (I will be doing a Nav course so will get to grip with chart nav also).

If fog suddenly comes down in the Solent it would be handy to just see a marker where the boat is on a chart. I will be sailing single handed and do have 12v adapter and previous connections for a Garmin GPS that the last owner had and took away.

I'm not up to speed on I pads, downloading charts etc. A single hand held GPS with a good Solent chart showing where the boat is would be ideal.

Maybe

Garmin Etrex Vista or GPS Map £200 - £280

Lowrance Elite 4 Chartplotters £200 - £300

What do you think or any other suggestions - thanks

Neither the Etrex, nor the Lowrance Elite will include mapping to the level of detail you are looking for at those prices unless you get a very special offer. Budget another hundred for the charting.

 

[V1701]

I have a netbook with Open CPN & CM93 charts, used with a GPS dongle. GPS dongle is about £20, CPN & charts downloaded from Internet. That's your cheapest option assuming you already have a laptop, people use the same to go round the world. Have a 12 charger for the laptop, netbook is better though, better battery life...

 

[onesea]

My thoughts if you are trying to keep power usage down, is laptops certainly take some charging.

Tablets less but still... Mobile phones less again but also I do not want to flatten my battery navigating.. Although it does fit in pocket and can get water proof case..

That leaves hand helds:

My choice was a Garmin Oregon 2xAA battery's last all day and some £200..

Although that was before the Dakota(£100 = not certain if it does charts) or Montana £300 Bigger screen bigger budget will not fit in your pocket? Can also be sat nav...

Agree all you NEED is waypoints but single handed if things start not going to plan...

There are others that are not touch screen but I cannot remember there names.

Then it just comes to how much to spend on charts and maps etc... OPen Street map supplies free routable maps, of some use. Garmin Bing can supply OS map over lays. Charts can be bought...

 

[alahol2]

MemoryMap Adventurer 3500? Looks like it would be £275 including all 800 UKHO charts.
I use MM on a Dell Axim, mainly in the Solent, for a similar use to what you describe.

 

[sam_uk]

276c

I recently got a garmin 276c from ebay for about 250: fairly ancient but a solid piece of kit. If money is really tight you could then google for bluemap atlantic & jetmouse
Obviously if you have money the thing to do is pay for charts
I also have a waterproof motorola defy (80 ebay) with 14 quid navionics app as a backup.

 

[Tranona]

People have navigated harbours for centuries without having their positions showing instantly on a screen. Learn the basics, practice your pilotage and then figure out what setup is best for you. The chances of getting lost in fog are pretty close to zero if you do all the work beforehand, know your weather and plan where you are going before you go. It only complicates things worrying about where you are as a little dot on your tiny screen when most of the time you just have to use Mk1 eyeball.

Electronics are an AID to navigation, not your primary source of information. Get used to the channel markers, using land based reference points, compass bearings and possibly soundings - more than enough information to process.

 

[Alan ashore]

If you already have a smartphone, all you might really need is a good waterproof case and some low cost apps.
Flytomap with charts for the whole UK costs around £13 as I recall (I use this and it is good) and there are lots of other things worth a try.

Disclaimer - in extremis you might feel that the confidence afforded by a dedicated and robust hand held gps is worth the expenditure, and I would not rely on my iPhone in its lifeproof case as a primary navigation tool in all circumstances. But for your described use and circumstances it's well worth exploring in the first instance.
A.

 

[alahol2]

It only complicates things worrying about where you are as a little dot on your tiny screen when most of the time you just have to use Mk1 eyeball.

While I don't disagree with your other statements, the one above is patently not true. Sales of plotters would be close to zero if this were the case. A plotter (even handheld) can and does make pilotage very easy especially on a singlehanded boat.

 

[Tranona]

While I don't disagree with your other statements, the one above is patently not true. Sales of plotters would be close to zero if this were the case. A plotter (even handheld) can and does make pilotage very easy especially on a singlehanded boat.

Look at what the OP is saying. He does not need a chart plotter in the situations he describes. Of course they have their uses, but they are not essential for safe pilotage in sheltered estuary waters - even single handed. If you are going to fit one then get a dedicated plotter with a decent sized screen, but even then it is a "nice to have" rather than an essential.

 

[Alan ashore]

@OP - I've read your recent comments suggesting you would rather go down the dedicated GPS set route, but would suggest that you seriously review the phone/apps route, to maximise value for money.

I've only just seen
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/marine-imray-charts/id370885968?mt=8&ls=1

A free plotter, with Imray charts available at £30 a folio (e.g. Whole of the channel including Solent at large scale)

A.

 

[maxi77]

Thanks for the replies. A GPS with a detailed chart would be better rather than relaying GPS co-ordinates onto a chart. (I will be doing a Nav course so will get to grip with chart nav also).

If fog suddenly comes down in the Solent it would be handy to just see a marker where the boat is on a chart. I will be sailing single handed and do have 12v adapter and previous connections for a Garmin GPS that the last owner had and took away.

I'm not up to speed on I pads, downloading charts etc. A single hand held GPS with a good Solent chart showing where the boat is would be ideal.

Maybe

Garmin Etrex Vista or GPS Map £200 - £280

Lowrance Elite 4 Chartplotters £200 - £300

What do you think or any other suggestions - thanks

To be very blunt the course will show you how to plot and check you have grasped the basics, it will not make you a proficient paper chart navigator, whilst I accept the standards I was trained to are excessive for the weekend navigator but the reality is that when things get tough you need to do the basics automatically and fast, so you have time to deal with the real problems.

 

[Three kings]

Learn the basics of navigation first, then go sailing and get really comfortable with a paper chart etc whilst saving your money and spending it on the rig or engine.

When you know the basics inside out you will get better value for your money.

 

[prv]

I'm with Tranona on this one, especially if money is tight. There is no need for a chart plotter for day-sailing in the Solent. Most of the time you can see your destination, and there are tons of landmarks (well, mostly sea-marks) around.

Make sure you know where the Brambles, Ryde Sands, and the Submarine Barrier are; there's not much else you're likely to hit unexpectedly. Chichester and Langstone have their respective Winners, but that's why they have hoofing great beacons outside them to start your run in from.

A set of charts and a hand bearing compass is perfectly sufficient. If it's foggy, stay at home. No good you knowing where you are if the 150,000-ton box-boat inbound from the Nab doesn't.

In daylight you don't necessarily need to be able to point to your exact position at all times - "we're somewhere along this stretch of shoreline and there's nothing sticking out to catch us" is an entirely reasonable navigational understanding. There'll be a buoy coming past soon to see how far you've got.

Pete