best GPS solution?

[jjrunning]

We recently bought an older Catalina 25 and are cleaning it up and getting ready for the summer! I am trying to decide what our best option will be as far as chartplotters go. I would like a basic color unit that I can use in the cockpit and below and has a good anchor alarm... Other features would be nice but are not required. Does anyone have any advice on a basic chartplotter?

What about using a netbook with a GPS antenna and nav software? MapTech Chart Navigator Pro? Coastal Explorer? Seaclear II? That way I would have a laptop onboard for other uses?

I'd love to hear what units other people use and what they like and don't like about them.

Thanks for your time!

[tommays]

I have a Lowrance 5" 3500C with a chart chip you looking at 600

I still find
This to be a good solution

[sailortjk1]

Originally Posted by jjrunning

What about using a netbook with a GPS antenna and nav software? MapTech Chart Navigator Pro? Coastal Explorer? Seaclear II? That way I would have a laptop onboard for other uses?

This is fine for down below at the navdesk and very helpful for planning, but not very particle as a principal plotter. You’re most likely to be using the plotter in the cockpit where all the info is as at your fingertips while you are at the helm and approaching a strange marina. You’re not likely and probably will never want to bring a notebook into the elements. They are just too clumsy (my lap top is anyway), hard to use at the helm and will never stand up to the elements they will be subjected to.
For planning and redundancy, we have a laptop running Maptech Carts with a USB GPS at the nav desk. It works great, but I would never consider it as the principal plotter. Also works great to keep an eye on the helmsman when off watch.

[SVPrairieRose]

I got my hands on a new Standard Horizon CP180i. I love it. Paid under 500 for the unit and just around 200 for the chip which covers north america west coast and the Caribbean. Best 700 investment I have ever made.

[GeorgeB]

You need to be mindful of your potential chartplotter/ GPS power consumption. Your boat most likely has a group 24 battery with a rating of 40 – 80 amp hours, giving a “usable” 20 - 40 Ah. Your laptop most likely consumes a couple of amps per hour and your anchor light at least one. So using the laptop as an anchor alarm will completely discharge your battery overnight. I think that a GPS with an alarm capability would suit your needs better than a notebook. I used a Garmin Map 12 for years and was quite happy with it. I had charting software on my home computer where I could download routes and upload tracks. One more thing, color screens are big energy hogs. Try to find one that “sleeps”. Black and white screens are much more efficient.

[DwayneSpeer]

Lowrance has several offerings and if you go to their web page you can download a "product emulator" that lets you try it out as if you had one. See all that it can do before you buy. I bought a GlobalMap 5300C a couple of years ago and am very satisfied with it. Try Product Emulators.
And for the "cops" I'm not connected to Lowrance in any way other than a user of their products.

[nickmerc]

I am currently using as Garmin GPSMAP 441. It has US coastal charts installed on it and I found it for under $500. I have been very happy with it so far. It uses 15W (about 1.25 A @ 12VDC).
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Prilosec Class Action

[eryka]

We've been extremely happy with a Garmin Oregon hand-held. Totally touchscreen so splash-resistant. Because its handheld, we've been able to move it to the dink, the car, another boat ...

Also, Garmin had the best charts for the Bahamas. Our Oregon came with both US & Bahamas charts installed. New, they were about $500, but I understand the cost has come down now that they're a couple of years old, Dan said he saw one in Miami for about $300. Minimal power use, and bright enough to use in the cockpit.

[kwaltersmi]

We use a Garmin 76CS+ handheld (color plotter) as our primary GPS, though detailed map chips (BlueChart) are expensive (most over $100). We have a Magellan handheld as a backup and use OpenCPN with our Acer AspireOne laptop for planning and charting while in the cabin.

[bakerha51]

Options are a plenty but my vote would be for the handheld. I have the Garmin 60cx and like it fine, and as mentioned before I can use it in the boats (fishing and sailing), car and cycling. Also took it on my charters to the BVI since the boats at Footloose have plotters - just no map cards for some reason. We also have a Catalina 25 and cockpit space is a premium. We use the cabin bulkheads for back rests while anchored so didn't want to mount anything there. I have a RAM mount on the aft rail - out of the way so it is secure enough. You can plug it into the cigarete lighter but the larger (2700MAH) batteries last plenty long for me.