New Garmin lineup

T

thataway

Active member
Panbo http://www.panbo.com Today came out with an article about Garmin's new Fish Finders and xHD radar. Fishfinders was one place where Garmin lagged behind Furuno and Navionics (Lowrance, Simrad) products recently. Garmin now had downscan and side scan (still no good forward scan), also expanding the CHIRP technology to downscan. There are new I pad/phone apps (probably android shortly), and communication with WiFi.

So if you are outfitting a new boat--this is one of the those products to be on the outlook for. Hummingbird sort of started this ball rolling several years back. Lowrance has these technologies for a couple of years. More recently RayMarine came up with the Dragonfly technology--and now Garmin. Certainly these are gong to benefit divers and fisherman the most. But I can see that many of these technologies will soon become common in many boats....
http://sites.garmin.com/marine2014/coastal/?lang=en&country=us

Garmin-SideVu-DownVu.jpg
 
Glad to see Garmin working on their fish finder technology it really is their weak area. Maybe someday I will be able to afford the Chirp technology.
 
jkidd":26gwg1kz said:
Glad to see Garmin working on their fish finder technology it really is their weak area. Maybe someday I will be able to afford the Chirp technology.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. I think it was a case of poop or get off the pot with Garmin. When you look at all the neat stuff other vendors have put together Garmin was way behind. I too will be looking at upgrade in the next year or so.
 
Anyone try these? I've been planning new electronics as part of a master plan to make my boat perfect. These have sent me back to the drawing board. In fact, the new tech that is available to rec boaters is pretty incredible these days.

My existing sonar is an Apelco 240. It is terrible. It's never marked a fish, and only reads depth to 240'.

I fish for halibut and troll for salmon (or whatever else is there). I also set longlines (halibut), gillnet (salmon), set shrimp and crab pots, etc.

I usually fish 50'-400', generally in the 100-200' range for halibut. For salmon, we fish structure, or chase schools of herring around (sometimes not around structure), which means you have to be able to detect the herring.

I have a Garmin GPS I like, I have used mostly garmin gear to date, but was planning on switching to a different brand for a fishfinder/sonar until these new units came up.

I'm likely to add autopilot (current GPS can't drive it though) in the near future, the only sort of x-factor. That would mean that I could get a combo unit now, or a standalone sonar now, and replace the gps later.

Any real world experience with the newest of the new Garmin would be appreciated!!!

PS-This is my first post! I've owned my boat a year and a half, and have so far have all of my curiosities satisfied with a search of this site! Thanks for all the help so far!
 
Welcome aboard!

I would look at the Garmin 741XS if you want up to date CHIRP Sonar. Garmin also has a good Auto pilot and Radar.

The Gold Standard fishfnder is Furuno--but they have been a bit behind the times with the multip function unit. This has changed with a similar unit to the Garmin at about the same price: 7" GP 1870 and 5" GP 1670 A stand along Fish finder is FCV 627.

Then there is RayMarine 'Dragon Fly"--a fish finder add on.

Finally Navico--Simrad or Lowrance. Cheaper line with the Elite--still good, Lowrance Elite 7x HDI--down scan and broad band.

I would be cautious with the side scan in salt water--going to be mostly limited to 150 maybe 200 feet.

Support is excellent with Garmin. Furuno also good technical support. RayMarine has a past history of issues, but now that FLIR has purchased them, the service is much better.

Navico has great products (Simrad, Lowrance)--and also maybe the best auto pilot. But service has been lagging--and some soft wear problems. I had Lowrance a few years ago. Currently I have only Garmin--the 740S is all that I need, with the AirMar transducer P66. But if your really want the best pictures go with the Garmin740 xs.

Best to go to a boat show or dealer and play with them, to see what you like the best.
 
Recently, I jumped into Garmin's new line with both feet. I've used several of their handheld GPS units over the years and have never regretted the purchase; hence, no testing the water for their new xHD radar (available soon I'm told) as well as other all Garmin 'essentials'. More later. Maybe much later as we're just beginning our deep winter here in NW MI.

Despite being told I could expect an early Spring delivery, the new 26 Venture is going to be completed this month* at C-Dory in WA, freighted to MI next month and then rigged by the downstate dealer. Only a couple factory photos I have not posted since they show only cabinet cutouts, lots of blue tape and the transom; i.e., boring, but better than red tape. So, stay tuned.

*My understanding for the pushed up construction schedule at C-Dory is that they were 'swamped' with late 2013 orders and so are cranking them out before converting to some new fuel system requirements for the new 2014 models which will require an increase in pricing.

Aye.
 
Any thoughts on those new Garmin units, or are they going on the new boat?

My job has me running several boats, and I was lucky to get my hands on a brand new boat spec'd with Garmin top to bottom, and the other coming out of the factory with a refurb/refit including a very nice Furuno setup, top to bottom with autopilot.

So I can a/b the two set ups easily enough. BUT, the brand new Garmin sonar is not part of our new Garmin rig, so the sonar is what it was.
 
Foggy,

The xHD radar is available on the open scanners such as the 6 foot 6 and 12 KW. Jeff Siegel has the 6' 12 KW and compares it with the non x, HD. He says it is considerably better than the plane HD. As I understand it, the x HD is going to be offered in the 24" and 18" this next year. These are just software differences I am told. It should be good. You will enjoy the Garmin.
 
This thread is very timely for us. We anticipate the acquisition of a C-Dory Cruiser this season, and are considering what would be to best setup if we start with a plank canvas. My primary use will be fishing in the S. CA Channel Islands. At a recent West Marine Grand Opening, I spent considerable time with the Simrad Rep. For the plotter portion of the equation the chip that he put in - Gold or Fishing was amazing. As I recall, it could be adjusted to 1' vertical contour distance. I found structure that I have not seen on any of my current Garmin Plotters.

All of this said, what would be the recommendation of the group for the best integrated unit that has the best chart plotter (highest priority), fish finder with Chirp or equivalent Side and Down Scan, Radar, and auto pilot. Lastly with the relatively flat bottom on the C-Dory what transducer would you use, and where would you place it on a boat that will be trailerable?

Thank you for your time.
Gratitude (Jim)
 
Very similar to my 176, which I had to dig out of the "junk" electronics section of my clutter...The 176 only has a 4" screen--and the 276 has a lot of updated features--maybe for the small boat--and off roader? There are bigger and better Garmin chart plotters etc.

I was able to get a new Garmin DV94, 9" display, all coastal charts, Chirp, Down and side view for slightly less than this 276 costs...I suspect a wrong price on the unit--but it was sold to me at West Marine--and works great...
 
Looks like the Moto world is quite interested and the weather connection would be nice. But I am not ready for something that large mounted on the bars.

Greg
 
Thanks for sharing Greg. After the other recent thread on handheld GPS recommendations I've sort of been looking at the 78 unit you recommended but felt the screen seems tiny by today's standards, and so I've been trying to hold off thinking there might be something entirely new on the horizon. But this new model seems WAY too big (and expensive!) for a handheld, for what I want to use it for...

Lately I've been doing more hiking on my boating trips (and some off-trail wild mushroom hunting when not boating) so really want something that's good for hiking/topo maps as well as the BlueChart maps...can the 78 have both loaded up at the same time, or do you need to swap cards going from marine to hiking?

-Mike
 
IF you get a 78SC it will have charts loaded natively plus you can add a card for land maps as the same time. If you use the cheaper 78 no maps included model that I do, you would need to swap the card to go from one map type to the other. It is a simple swap in the battery compartment and doesn't take any special tools. The screen size is fine for land and sea.

Greg
 
Thanks Greg. You've almost got me sold on the 78SC. But now I'm also looking at the 64ST, the main reason being that I already have an unlocked BlueCharts micro SD card which could presumably be used in the 64ST and which comes programmed with the Topo maps that I'd want for hiking. With the 78SC I'd still have to buy some add-on topo maps....

BUT, the main downside I see with the 64 for marine use is that it does not float. But it's interesting that they both have the same water resistance rating, the lowest rating (on the Garmin scale), so I'm wondering even if you do dunk the 78 is it going to survive? I guess since it floats at least you have a chance of finding out, and if nothing else you could still retrieve the SD card, which would otherwise be at the bottom of the sea with the unit itself in the 64.

Hmmm. I think I'm still leaning towards the 78SC. In that case I could buy the more detailed 24K topo maps and justify the extra cost since the 64 comes with the 100k topo maps!
 
The other thing to watch is that Garmin bought DeLorme. Not sure exactly why, and if there are gong to be some hybrids. But I suspect that what is coming down the pike will involve the "inReach" type of feature, interfaced with Garmin....

A unit with a larger screen, but not as large as the 276 is the "Montana" series, which have 4" screen size, but a small case & touch screen. If you have a microchip with Blue charts, should be able to use it on these--the last year's model is often considerably cheaper than the latest...

A comparison of the 78 and Montana is here.
 
Hi Mike, I hear you on the 64t comparison. That unit is similar to the 78 in many ways but different largely in exterior design.

The 78 series floats, includes both tide and current data, has a waterproof 12v power connection on the back (which I use to keep the screen backlit and save batteries), and the keys are also backlit which I like for both motorcycle and boat use.

I am pretty sure that no other handheld series includes these features and that is why I use these units exclusively for hiking, kayaking, boating, and motorcycling.

Buttons, The outdoors mean glove use for me and that means buttons. The touch screen need to be larger to make them practical but they are not like the screens on smartphones and gloves are still a problem.

As far as waterproofness goes. I have used 76 and 78 models on the deck of my kayak in salt water for over 12 years and they do float and that feature has saved my GPS twice and was worth having. I normally travel with it running all day on my spray skirt and it gets wet and stays wet including taking regular waves over the unit in rougher water. So long as you keep sand out of the seals, They do not leak and I have even accidentally dragged it in the water on the end of the tether for a few minutes at a time with no issues. These units do not need protection from water and short duration submersion is no problem.

Also, if you want topo maps for hiking, the 100k scale maps included with the 64 will not be very useful and are really intended for backroad driving or offroading/hunting use. You will want the 24k maps and I would recommend the Topo 24k west map card which also includes road routing and point of interest data,

Greg
 
Almost forgot,

The 78 and 64 also have a really nice Anchor Drag Alarm that is easy to set, easy to hear during the night (wakes us up mounted at the helm), and uses little power at anchor. We have used it every anchoring night for the last 7 years. It caught one real drag and saved Aurelia from a grounding back in 2010. We have also had some false alerts when I have set the distance a little too low.

Greg
 
Back
Top