new, or newer GPS/chartplotter

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lloyds

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C Dory Year
1996
C Dory Model
22 Cruiser
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undecided
I am using a Garmin 192C currently but am going to change boats so I was going to upgrade. I have always used Garmin and don't intend to change. I am thinking of something in the $500-$1000 range. So I go to the WM catalog just to see what is out there and there is this dazzling assortment of units available. Anyone want to offer real world advice on a practical unit in that lower price range. I have a BlueChip chart for canada into alaska so will keep that and use it on whichever Garmin I buy. Thanks in advance.
 
West Marine probably has the highest prices. Garmin is good, and now has you with the BlueChip chart, but do try some other brands, just for looking. Look at Defender Marine for both Garmin and alternatives. After you find what you want, do an internet search for the best price.

Boris
 
Our own Matt-Unique is also a distributer for marine electronics, so check out his web site.

I have a Garmin 541 (lower resolution than the 546), and West Marine matched the internet price from B O E. It has all of the US coastal cartography in the memory--there are lower priced versions with no built in cartography such as the 521. The difference is about $100--and the 541 is less than $675. It has the newer operating controls--and takes a bit of time to get used to. It does use the Blue Chart Vision G2 charts.
 
Garmin has Homeport software on a SD card for $30
another useful item
 
Okay, thanks all for giving me a plan for starters. I did go to Matts' site yesterday, again a dazzling array. Whatever happened to looking at Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and you were done?
 
easy
then came Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Nisan, Acura, Lexus, Jag, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes Benc, Saab, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, Isuzu, tne ones from India,
 
Brent":2xoi0shk said:
easy
then came Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Nisan, Acura, Lexus, Jag, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes Benc, Saab, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, Isuzu, the ones from India,
Click to expand...

Here's a little ancedote about the Tata cars from India. I got out of the Navy in late August 1959. A few days later I started at Cornell. I got the last room left, up in a small tower called Lyons Hall. There was only one other room on the top floor, occupied by a a tall, shy 18 year old architecture student from India. . During the week I worked for my meals but often on the weekend he and I would eat together and I would try to allay some of his homesickness. He told me his family owned a factory . Well, it turns out that kid is Ratan Tata, now the head of Tata Industries, which makes the Tata Nano automobile. I think they recently bought Jaguar and Land Rover. He also owns that hotel in Mumbai that was recently attacked. Nice guy, but I still buy American.
 
Is it true that they advertise those Indian cars as... bodacious Tatas?

I know... back to my corner... time out for bad behavior. :oops:
 
Makin me forget all about gps.
 
Anybody know anything about Standard Horizon gps chartplotters? They seem to offer the cheapest one out there. I wonder if it works. :?:
 
Standard Horizon is a subsidiary of Vertex Standard. They also Make Yaseau Ham gear. The Vertex is government grade commercial radio material and their reputation is excellent.

I have owned a Standard Horizon Chart plotter continously for the last 8 years, and currently have one on the Tom Cat. It is an excellent chart plotter. Perhaps not quite as easy to use as the Garmin, but slightly easier than the Lowrance. At one time Navman and Standard were affiliated, and I believe the chart plotters were made by Navman in New Zealand. I suspect that there is some afilliation with Sitex currently, since they use the Sitex Radar (again a good commercial product).

I have the 7" plotter (CP300) and the C map Max chart for the Gulf coast and the Inland waters to the Great lakes. The only disadvantage of the Standard is that they do not have built in cartography (to my knowledge). However C map is excellent, and both C map and Standard have excellent customer response.

There are also radio/chart plotter combos, which make it very easy to connect the DSC (already connected)--and with AIS on the latest Standard Radio, it would do the AIS plotting easily. (Quite sure that the others will also do AIS well).

Any specific question, please ask.
 
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