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Author What to Get??
Billy Fender
Lexington, SC

Boat Name:

Model/Year: Cat 22, 1981

Hull No. 10081

Hailing Port: Lake Murray, Columbia, SC
11/07/2007 7:56 AM Pacific Time

OK, after looking around, I am really confused over what to get. My boat already has a Depth Finder, so I am looking for a good, but not expensive, Handheld GPS. I will be mostly on lakes, and maybe a little intercoastal, but not much. I have looked at the Garmin Legend HCx, but am not sure. Any suggestions??

thx
billy
Vic
Indianapolis, Indiana

Boat Name: Summer Zamboni

Model/Year: 1985?

Hull No. 13100

Hailing Port: Geist Marina, Indianapolis
11/07/2007 8:04 AM Pacific Time

Although I do not have any suggestions on what to get, I do suggest that you look on Ebay for it once you identifgy the type of GPS. I have purchased automobile GPS systems on EBay and have saved a bundle of money compared to the prices charged in the stores.

Just my 2 cents
David Torrisi
Santa Clara, CA

Boat Name: Dumbo

Model/Year: 1975 C-22

Hull No. 4330

Hailing Port: Santa Clara
11/07/2007 10:00 AM Pacific Time

I had the original yellow eTrex and was pretty happy with it for basic functions. I wouldn't have replace it, except the screen was crushed. I now have the blue eTrex with the little pogo stick (hate that, by the way). It does basic mapping and is otherwise pretty good. BTW, the little yellow guy helped get us to Hawaii in 2000. Decent unit, really.

David
#4330 Dumbo
Paul McLaughlin
Walnut Creek, CA

Boat Name: Tiare

Model/Year: C22 Swing keel, 1982

Hull No. 10890

Hailing Port: SF Bay
11/07/2007 1:10 PM Pacific Time

I bought a Lowrance i-Finder Go last year and I'm pretty happy with it. It's just a basic handheld. It was about $70 plus shipping. I just use some of the basic features like position, speed, ETA, etc. I don't have any real navigation issues sailing on the SF Bay, but it's nice to log some waypoints along the way so I can steer straight to a location of the fog rolls in or if a land feature is indistinguishable from a few miles out.

I can connect the GPS to my VHF radio (DSC) and use the distress signal if I have to. With the GPS connected to the radio and with a MMSI registration number, the Coast Guard gets a digital message with my identification and location once I press the distress button. All the handhelds I looked at have the ability to connect to other electronics through an optional cable. Haven't had to use it yet.....



R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE

Boat Name: Ricochet

Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986

Hull No. 13560

Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD
11/08/2007 4:50 AM Pacific Time

I use a Garmin GPS III hooked into a PC that has a nav program. By the way nav programs are now about $85 and the Raster/bbs charts are free. Mine got us from Man o" War Cay in the Abacos to Oxford MD non-stop. I have also used it on several trips to New England.

Last week there was a GPS V on e-bay that went for $45. It had the computer cable.
Dave Cole
Middleboro, MA

Boat Name: Zephyr

Model/Year: 22' swing, 1973

Hull No. 2241

Hailing Port: Fairhaven, MA
11/08/2007 5:58 AM Pacific Time

I am also shopping for a GPS system, I have a gift certificate for west marine.

Paul,

I am looking at the ifinder G02, but I read a review where it didn't pick up the signals on cloudy days. Have you ever had an issues like that? It looks like this model has of allot features for the price. I would think the map feature would make navigation very easy.

David,

You sailed to Hawaii in yout Cat-22? Awesome!
I see the eTrek is about the same price as the ifinder. It does not have a map function, so this means you need to use an external chart map to determine your location or does it have the bouy information there to see?

Thanks,

Dave Cole
David Torrisi
Santa Clara, CA

Boat Name: Dumbo

Model/Year: 1975 C-22

Hull No. 4330

Hailing Port: Santa Clara
11/08/2007 9:24 AM Pacific Time

[You sailed to Hawaii in yout Cat-22? Awesome!]

Dave,
Now that would be just nutty! I love my boat, but offshore is way beyond the design spec... :-D

We did the Pac Cup in an Express 27. Still pretty small, but definitely up to the task.

The eTrex Venture does show nav buoys and such. The mapping is pretty crude since its a small display. I've sailed on what appears to be 'land' according to the map. With charting s/w on a pc, you can do pretty well.
David
Paul McLaughlin
Walnut Creek, CA

Boat Name: Tiare

Model/Year: C22 Swing keel, 1982

Hull No. 10890

Hailing Port: SF Bay
11/08/2007 11:07 AM Pacific Time

I've never had trouble with signals on cloudy days.
Geoff Endris
Carmel, IN

Boat Name: Repose

Model/Year: 1989

Hull No. 14949

Hailing Port: Indianapolis, IN
11/08/2007 5:35 PM Pacific Time

I use a Garmin GPSMAP 76. I has a graphic display that doubles as an auto nav (doesn't talk - just shows where you are). For the recent C22 Great Lakes cruise, I bought the West Marine Maptech chartbook with software, plotted my daily courses on the computer and downloaded the waypoints directly to my GPS. Planned the entire week-long cruise in less than an hour!

You can get a new GPSMAP 76 for about $125 on ebay. Haven't seen many used ones, but I expect them to go for less than $100.
 
 
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