Lost and found

[zoidberg]

I've discovered an unused Garmin 276C small 4" chartplotter c/w a BlueChart cartridge MEU0001R Jan 06, English Channel. The L-I battery seems sound.

Might this be worth bothering with - or should I look for a 10" GPS Android tablet with MemoryMap charts?

 

[Topcat47]

I regard small displays as the work of the devil, but I need glasses and reading small displays is something of my Bete Noir ( my Magellan GPS has a 2inch display and just reading the script is difficult even with my specs). I currently have an 8" iPad, which I'm planning to use to replace my aged Toughbook which has a 12" screen and am concerned about with the rang and detail capability of the display. Otherwise I'd say if you have it, power it up and try it. I have a friend who sails on the Highlands and Islands quite happily with a Lawrence plotter with a 5" display.

 

[sarabande]

The value is in the use as a independent back up system, perhaps in your Grab Bag, or as a system for recording where you have been, with breadcrumb tracking on.

OK, they are going for decent prices on ebay, and if you were to flog it you could buy a waterproof9ish) tablet with the proceeds, but the 276 is a solid unit.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I would go for the tablet option, no question. A 10" Lenovo can be bought on Ebay, from Argos for about £80. You can then have up to date charts, pretty sure the cards for the 276 are obsolete.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

4" isn't that small a screen. I've got the 276cx (updated version) and it's a pretty good tool and just what's needed in a dayboat with no protection.

It should fetch a good price if you don't want it though.

 

[Seajet]

I realise Zoidberg mentioned an android tablet, but just a tip I'll mention, don't buy a secondhand bargain MS Surface tablet for use on the boat, unless you have an inverter power supply - these tablets use a special power lead and cannot use 12V sockets - nice big 10" screen though.

Guess how I know...

 

[zoidberg]

Those who know me and my 32' x 18' x 9' polytunnel/boatbits store will not be in the least surprised at me tripping over/unearthing some forgotten item like the above. My recently-passed F-in-L was a boaty bits hoarder, too, and I've inherited all his 'junk'. Such as the TWO Yeoman Sport Plotters, the TWO Bosun Grid compasses, the TWO unused sextants, the THREE trailing logs..... Milady has stopped tearing her hair out, and is now into tearing mine.....

Peeps on here are thus quite entitled to have a wry chuckle, should I mutter about preferring to be a 'simple sailor'....