GPS - Handheld, Fixed or Plotter

[PGD]

Thinking of getting one of these, not sure what to buy or how much to spend. It wouldn't get that much use so was thinking of cheaper end of the market. Just wanted somthing for when I give the Thames Estuary a go next year, if all goes well.

PS had some great advice on that front, thanks again.

Peter

 

[tripleace]

I would purchase a hand held. something like a Garmin 76.

then add a yeoman plotter to it as cash allows.

You then have GPS linked to real charts! Work can be done at home on paper.

 

[byron]

Hear! Hear! on the Yeoman but I would go for a Garmin 126 or 128, mind you Yeoman now do one with a built in GPS.
Don't forget the GPS is an excellent speedo too so it is of use on the non-tidal Thames.
As a matter of interest the 'Old Bill' told me that on their new boats (Met Police) the only thing that has never gone wrong so far is their Garmin stuff.

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[JohnK]

I'd buy the cheapest GPS with NMEA output I could find, a second hand laptop, Tsunamis Vector plotting software and hey presto the functionality of a £3k chart plotter (plus a lot more) for about £400.

Probably best avoid water with the laptop though ;-)

 

[david_bagshaw]

Buy a garmin fixed set & Yeoman, at the SHOW, allways good deals available .

Have both and would not like to be without either.

Have fun

David
www.yachtman.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Re: open/closed/powerboat/sail?

On an open powerboat at speed at sea, forget plotting on or off paper charts imho - you can mark points (a bit) of fill in a log noting lat long. On sailyboat its fine to wander up and down below for chartwork.

If you buy a fixed gps, and sell the boat, the gps add nothing at all to the value. Sp if selling soon, get a handheld.

If you go on more than one boat (friends, charter etc) then handhel allows you to have gps on all boats.

My (well -known ) fave is to have a handheld plotter. Then you can set up all the points in advance properly (ahem) and not fiddle beforehand. Also more relaible without electroniucs in wet winter boat, and no thievery.

Handheld gps is 100 quid. handheld chartplotter 500 quid. Choose from only two Magellan 6000 or Garmin 175. Magellan has cleverer internal hardware(quicker zoom-in zoom-out and uses industry-standa chips) but software and useability a bit crap - buttons not easy to use one-handed or without looking, nothing to tie a lanyard/strap on to it. Garmin 175 much better in these respects, imho, but uses Garmin-specific chips...altho does that matter? ... since if you had a handheld AND fixed you'd need two chips of the same area anyway... I have the 175.

 

[Guest]

It really depends on what type of boat yoy have. If it's a displacement boat with an enclosed helm shelter and a good chart table then a hand held GPS linked to a Yeoman is great. But you can't see the LED's if you are out in the sunshine. I think that if you have a fast boat then go for the combined gps/plotter. I use the Garmin 175 which is easy to use. The screen is a bit small so make sure it is sited correctly on the boat and plumb it in to the 12 volt supply - they eat batteries. The fact that you can use it at home is a big plus - waypoints and routes can be programmed in at liesure. Much better than watching TV. As I said before they lover power so get some higher power rechargeables. Model shops are an especially good source for these and the price is reasonable.

 

[Guest]

Re:garminvmagellan 2-1

I have 175 too, a totally wonderful bit of kit. Seriously, in the final analysis, the Garmin 175 has to be the ultimate all-purpose choice, and anyone choosing anything else is probably the sort of dithering ninny that would prefer a pizza in a cellar rather than a nice steak at the Wig and Pen.

 

[byron]

Re:garminvmagellan 2-1

Pizza in a Cellar sounds good to me and cheaper than W&P

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[BarryD]

Re:garminvmagellan 2-1

Pizza in a cellar rather than the W&P (well really). Involves much silliness wandering around EC2 looking for somewhere to eat as opposed to where was booked.

PS. Possible to get out of W&P for less than £20 a head if you only eat the bread rolls - but no butter.

Plotters decided: GPS12 Map for losing overboard, chart for planning and going "Ohh look there's Harwich, bugger", Plastismo 900 for looking semi-flash as we round the IoW again.

 

[jfm]

I can\'t believe you said that!!

The WnP would have been fine, I told you that, I just wanted to try something else, ...... Anyway all memories of pizza now wiped, due to much more ahem serious incident on way home involving the front corner of my car (now deceased, front corner that is, not the whole car) and some friggin Nissan estate that was...well.... just THERE when I wanted to change lanes on aldwych. Cannot provide any furhter details, I didn't actually see anything because I was programming the dashboard-plotter at the time, Barry also saw nothing because covering his face to avoid massive bruise in case airbags went off. Still at least I was able to fill in "no witnesses" on the insurance form this morning

 

[Guest]

Re: beemer baiting

oh 'eck. I was trying to remember the phrase that I had to use. Very sorry to hear of car prang, praps all the kit with magnets attracted the car to you. Note that almost all cars (esp nissan estates) on the aldwych on a friday nite are illegal minicabs, but that probly doesn't help insurance - his dithering was to hover around bank/theatres. Lemme know if you need to borrow a proper car for continental ski trip (v8 merc estate) without "nick me!" M-badges, slow diesel engine or much cosmetic gimcrackery, but including special pre-keyed nearside paintwork and er biscuit trim.

 

[BarryD]

Re: I can\'t believe you said that!!

Look further into the nav kit JFM. Amidst all those, sensors, repeaters, scanners, GPS interfaces and computers is proabbly a Nissan sensor BTW that squeal you heard just before the front end exploded was the parking sensor tripping.

And I was covering my face to avoid laughing - (all that kit and it still missed the Nissan) and I didn't want to be thrown out and made to walk home!

 

[jfm]

Re: fender bender

Yes good point he probly was a dodgy minicab cruiser-by unlicensed job, didn't think of that (despite being customer of this industry often late at night, outside Bank). In which case he'll probly sue me for loss of earnings and add extra becuase they're speshul tax-free earnings. Thanks for offer to rescue transport distress, it's actually quite driveable fortunately, now duck tape applied, anyway skiing will be easyjet/rental car (erm if I get round to booking it which is a sore point at the mo).

Anyway when you orf? Can we expect an article in MBY on Carrib charter with phone numbers/locations of all amenities and MacDos etc, in about April??