Grrr! GPS battery problem for small yacht...

[Alfie168]

On the spare battery front I have one of those car jump start packs which has a cigarette lighter socket in the side. I paid £19 for this one at Netto, and it should do the job and be easier/safer to cart around as it is a sealed unit and has a carry handle. You may need to secure it in the boat.

Tim

 

[Guest]

Personally - I\'d go for ...

The USB power / data cable from GPR Warehouse that takes power from the computer or the dual RS232 Serial data and power cable that goes to 12v ...
Bothy from GPS W are only about same total as single cable from Garmin themselves ... and gives you more flexibility ...

Second - a holder ... cheapest Mobile phone uninversal holder .. about 2 - 3 quid.

<u> Big tip ..... >>>>> </u> Do NOT cut of the little spigot on edge of eTrex data / power connector .... it looks like a moulding flash - this is actually a locking spigot that stops the connector falling of the eTrex !! Bl**y shop I bought mine in did just that and I didn't realise till I got home in another country !!

 

[DaveS]

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the entry level Navman Tracker 5380 / 5380i (£380!!!)



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Not taking any issue with the other posts re. the merits of rechargeables etc., but it is worth noting that you quote the cheapest Navman colour plotter. If you are prepared to use B&W then there are Navman units available at £150 or so from Gael Force and others. These take C-Map charts. I note you say that you do not want chart plotting, but I wonder if you have actually tried it? I am convinced that for single or short handed sailing a plotter (with good charts) is the third most useful gadget (following a sound jackstay / tether system and the Autohelm) I've ever bought.

 

[franky]

If you are planning to get the 12v socket cable for the garmin note that there are two types one is just fior power the other is power and computer serial port plug.

 

[William_H]

Just be very carefull. The Garmin Etrex runs on 3 volts. If you get a power cable make sure it has a regulator that reduces 12volts down to 3 volts. If you put 12 volts on when it is designed for 3 volts .....smoke
I got a connector for my Etrex from some guy providing them on the internet (long ago) I then built up little reegulator to run it on 12 volts ...fine.
I found that the connector was not so reliable and anyway it required the Etrex mounted on the outside of the cabin bulkhead. I find now I can't see it well enough from helming position.
So now I use rechargeables and have Etrex around my neck.
good luck olewill

 

[FrankieJ]

I have an ETREX and use rechargeable batteries from 7dayshop.com. Make sure that you get the largest capacity available. I have 2800ma. they may make them bigger now.I can make 1set of batteries last for a week of daytime cruising by switching off when not needed. I also use them in my digital camera and took over 200 pictures without changing batteries on my last trip. when I first bought the camera I thought it was faulty because ordinary batteries were only lasting a couple of hours. From 7dayshop.com you can buy a charger that works from a 12volt supply. Connected to a small car battery, you could recharge hundreds of times.