GPS Handheld plotter...confused.com!

T

tanimola

Member
Joined
31 Aug 2010
Messages
32
Visit site
Running the risk of a telling off from the more experienced amongst you, but...

I have decided to invest a few bob at the boat show in a hand held GPS - no electrics on my 'new to me' Prelude.

Looking for an all singing model that will work for me in Cardigan Bay - sailing from Abersoch.

Have researched in PBO and on line and am still to get the 'right' advice - has anyone got some good pointers for me? Or, should I just chat with the experts (!) at the Boat Show and see what deals are around?
 
Last edited:
It's Proctor Prelude, simple 19'3" Ian Proctor bilge keeler. Should be fine for my 1st boat after a GP14! I hope.....
 
psrt of the issue lies in understanding what you want from the unit - in the abscence of more detail you can only really get responses from people outlining what works well for them.

do you intend to link your unit to your computer for planning and reference when not on the boat - or just as a handheld unit on the boat?

routing and track work or just positioning?

are you sure that the are you outlined is the only one you want mapping for? If not what is your 'nice to have' position?

is performance key, or are you looking at a cost effective solution?

how waterproof?

what's you eyesight like - reading glasses sometimes?
 
Like the aforementioned say it really comes down to what you want - the 76 gives a map display, I have the cheaper (half the price) 72 model on my little 19 foot'er that doesn't... but it runs on 2 x AA batteries, gives me lat/long and speed, I can connect it to my PC via a serial cable to allow easy management of way points etc via EasyGPS (other free GPS mapping tools are available.. :)) perfect for me, may be not for you..
 
There have been a few Raymarine RC 400s advertised second hand. They go for around £250 with a chart. They are exellent bits of kit. You can run them off the boats battery, or from its own battery pack. The only critisism I have is, it has no audible alarm and, if you are going to rely on the battery pack take 4 spares with you.
 
Just been on a trip Limehouse-Ramsgate-Brighton, and my friends Raymarine RC 400 failed to work at all on the Ramsgate to Brighton trip. It was on of the last that were being offered at about £250 incl charts last year, has already been back once because it wasn't getting fixes, this time just an error screen we couldn't get beyond. Luckily I had my Garmin 60Csx which does have a small screen, but has never failed. (I use the Garmin on my Anderson 22, seems just right for sticking in my jacket pocket and using when necessary, but it is a small screen, the screen on the Raymarine RC 400 is huge in comparison)

IanC
 
If electricity is an issue then a simple unit without mapping and using a B/W screen would be the way to go. It can be easy to use up your batteries with colour and pretty pictures...

I would personally recommend a Garmin 76 as I have one, it works well, it's waterproof and floats, it connects to my DSC VHF and the boat electrics with a simple plug, and has all the functionality you need. the 72 is almost identical, but doesn't have the facility to plug in an external aerial, and is a bit cheaper

When off the boat and being used for hill walking it will use up a set of AA batteries in 16-20 hours if left on constantly; quicker if you use the DGPS.
 
Fantasie 19 said:
Like the aforementioned say it really comes down to what you want - the 76 gives a map display, I have the cheaper (half the price) 72 model on my little 19 foot'er that doesn't... but it runs on 2 x AA batteries, gives me lat/long and speed, I can connect it to my PC via a serial cable to allow easy management of way points etc via EasyGPS (other free GPS mapping tools are available.. :)) perfect for me, may be not for you..
Click to expand...

the basic 76 dosen't. I have one as a backup . The letters c x after the 76 mean map source can be loaded what which letter means ? amount of memory etc i would guess
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top