Handheld GPS

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pgtips

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Hi everyone.

I have finally taken the plunge, bought myself a yacht and am now busy throwing pound notes into a large hole! Or at least that's what it feels like!?

The boat isn't in the water yet, but is due to be afloat at the end of next week, so I'm making a list of things I need/want.

One of these items is a handheld GPS and so I'm after recommendations, please. Until my experience/bravery increases I'm only looking to do local excursions, so am not after an all singing all dancing model.

Thanks

Paul
 
Congratulations on the new boat, I hope you get a few more good weekends to sail in, before the winter weather arrives.

You can buy any one of several sub-£100 handhelds, such as the Etrex that I use. I find it a very useful accessory, but you'll learn a lot more about navigating around your local patch if you use a pilot book, a chart and a breton plotter. Contrary to popular belief, a gps is not necessary to be able to navigate a boat. When I started sailing (not that long ago) I felt much the same as you seem to, only gps hadn't actually been invented, let alone released to the general public. I still think that being able to use billions of dollars worth of US military satellite hardware at the touch of a button is one of the wonders of the modern world, but in those days I still managed to sail from England and successfully locate France in my first year, several times, using only DR and visual navigation aids. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Have fun.
 
We use a Garmin 72. Fantastic bit of kit. Waterproof so good for the cockpit; and it has a much bigger screen than some of the cheaper models. Althougth it does the basics very simply, it also has some neat features that are worth learning how to use. It also comes in a great value kit for about £140 (try compass24.com).
I do agree that pilot books etc are essential, but I assume you have all that already; as someone who returned to cruisers after GPS had become common place I can heartily recommend it. It strikes me as being just about best use of £150 on a boat.
 
Hi

I have been using a Garmin 12 handheld for the last few years and would recommended Garmin as they are very easy to use. If buying a handheld its is well worth getting the 12v power cable so you can run it from the boats battery as you will find if you don't that you will use allot of AA batteries.

Regards

Andrew
 
Good sound advise, certainly stick with Garmin.

I still have my original Garmin 45, just can't get rid of it.

Several years ago a pal of mine cruised the Med, sailed the Atlantic and back all on a Garmin 12 handheld!

PS he used charts as well of course!
 
"Several years ago a pal of mine cruised the Med, sailed the Atlantic and back all on a Garmin 12 handheld!"


Bleedin' 'ell what was the waterline length and stix ratio of the Garmin?
 
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!

Theres always one, why am I not suprised its you jimi? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Thank you all for the replies and advice.

I had started looking at various Garmin products, more by luck than judgement, so seems I need to continue down that route.

I am also kean to learn how to use charts, etc. so am not planning to use the GPS as a sole means of finding my way!?

Thanks again and no doubt there'll be future requests for advice from you!

Cheers
 
I have been using a magellan sporttrack that has worked well.Also heard good stories about the Garmin 72.

Both these are available for less than £150 if you shop around the mail order chandlers in PBO etc.

Make sure you get the power lead and mounting bracket or you will spend a fortune on batteries .The mounting bracket turns it into a small fixed GPS with the option of clipping it off for use out in the cockpit.
 
I have a Garmin 12 and am very pleased with it. I rarely use it for finding out where I am - I tend to use eyeball mark one and paper charts for that. I do use it to show my speed over the ground (the boat doesn't have a log.) I also use it to record my track which I later download to a PC and print out superimposed on a chart or map, usually using software from Fugawi (Fugawi 3 or Fugawi UK): this has given me a thick folder showing everywhere we've been on the boat. (I also use it ashore in a similar fashion and so have a record of walking the Southern Upland Way - right across Scotland - in both directions.)

I'd endorse the comments about using a 12 volt lead. If you do use batteries, try the Kirkland ones - Costco's own brand. I find they last appreciably longer than more expensive brands such as Duracell.

On the boat we've added a cockpit repeater which can show some of the information from the GPS. Aside from being bigger and easier to read it allows us to keep the GPS itself down below out of harm's way. It doesn't seem to matter where we put it, we still manage to get a perfectly adequate signal. We use the Silva repeater and have had no problems with it.
 
Get yourself off to night school, day skipper to start with, call your local night school now, but be quick they will have started.
 
Re: Handheld GPS - simple and cheap ...

Go for simple and cheap ..... any of the Etrex range will do what you want .... get the data / power lead but not from garmin ... get it from a third party outlet as they are just as good but cheaper .... ie : http://www.gpsw.co.uk/index.html etc.

Type into google gps cables ..... and see what comes up ....

You can get from above such items as USB data / power combined cables etc. that allow you to use a notebook computer with plotting software - then there is no limitation to what you can do ....

The cost of the etrex is minimal - gives you excellent in pocket capability and also useful for hiking / biking / even in the car for Autoroute etc. Its tiny and self-contained when required.

Yes there are other makes and models and they all perform the same function ... where you are, speed and course - rest is luxury.

Later when you feel ready as you haven't spent a great deal on the etrex - you buy a plotter or fixed system - keeping the etrex as emergency back-up.

Simple and cheap .....
 
The guidance from others is as right as you will get. A straightforward GPS ( e.g. Garmin 12 ) gives you all you will *need*, without complication. Sailing-ship masters would have given their other arm for this info....

The link to battery power ( 12V ) is VIP, amd easy. Get it.

Get used to plotting the good GPS info onto your paper chart, then consider where the hazards lie.

Make decisions around that, and you will not go far wrong.

As someone who has done this stuff, and taught this stuff professionally, for some decades..... That's it.
 
Congratulations on the boat.

I have just done the same - I invested in a Garmin 72 and it seems to be the best of the entry level handhelds for boating. It has a bigger screen and anchor drag not found on the smaller units.

I got it to get confidence in my navigation and chartwork and use it now mostly to check out my speed.

It is better than a chart at finding the magic place called "Low Battery".
 
Re: Handheld GPS - simple and cheap ...

We have 2 etrex's on the boat, I bought mine initally for speed recording in my RS800 ... (just twin wiring upwind = 8 knots, turn round and shuv up the kite = 18knots, flat out in a bit of wind easily outstrips our patrol boat with a top speed of 22 knots)

The problem I found with the etrex is that you have to scroll between the information - speed, bearing, heading, distance to go - all appearing in the bottom of the screen. As mentioned above, a GPS repeater will fix that, but why not get a unit that CAN display all that information at once? The Garmin 72 is better designed (as are the other basic GPS in the range) to display the information required by navigators without the need to scroll between the info. The HUGE advantage of the Etrex though, is that you can go swimming with it - which is why I purcahsed one to start with... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I have bough two Etrex (basic model) on ebay. (One for me and the other for my old man, he was hopping when he saw I bought one!). One cost me £40, the other £50 (+ p&p). Both are as new condition and have worked very well on coastal trips. The Etrex has a battery life of 22 hours, damn thing is always running!

Agree 100% that if "god" (the all knowing and all seeing) jumps overboard, you must have adequate paper backup and the knowledge to use it. Plus it makes coastal voyages more interesting for skipper and crew.

Congrats on the new boat too /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Once again thanks to you all for the advice.

I have ordered a Garmin 72, which came as a package with 12v power lead, holder & case(!?) and this is on it's way to me by overnight express!!

Next plan, which I'll be sorting today, is to get registered for a Day Skippers course. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
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