Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Tue Mar 19, 2024 1:58 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 134 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:00 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:32 am
Posts: 1807
Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
Thanks NOHUHU.

In answer to Passwind's queries:
I already have a Garmin the same as yours. I'm not sure if I'd buy a new one in view of what's available now on the smartphones, but I will definitely continue using the one I have.
-It can be mounted on the hull without sticking it in a waterproof bag (Keith may disagree here). This means you can get a constant, accurate indication of your speed and a pointer to your destination - both really useful in trimming the boat. It also has a battery life of about 16 hours constant use. You can set the display so that the displayed figures are about 1/2" high, so it's easy to read at a distance, even for us old fellas.
- It probably has few, if any advantages over a smartphone as far as navigation is concerned. While the base map is probably adequate for sailing in the ocean, as the Hawaiians do, if you do a lot of sailing in bays and lakes, it is handy to have a detailed topographic map (yes, it costs extra). The display is a bit small for looking at maps too. You don't need the display on constantly for navigation, so the limited battery life on a phone is less of an issue here.

@oceanmoves: The best way to mount the Garmin seems to be a RAM ball fitting. You can get a RAM fitting that will clamp to the crossbar, if that's where you want it. Like Bob, I have a RAM ball screwed into the gunwale, so I can easily reach the Garmin from the seat, to access different screens.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:48 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
Posts: 3323
Location: South Florida
PassWind--If you are interested in selling your Garmin 76, I'm interested in buying it. Drop me a note at kwellma at bellsouth dot net.

Keith

_________________
2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 7:51 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:32 am
Posts: 1807
Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
I just downloaded Navionics for my region and I must say the Topo Australia map on my Garmin has far more information about the local coastline.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:04 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:43 am
Posts: 483
Location: Long Island NY
Thanks for the replies Gents ...

Chekika wrote:
PassWind--If you are interested in selling your Garmin 76, I'm interested in buying it. Drop me a note at kwellma at bellsouth dot net.

Keith


Now Keith, I know we've never met but I'd think we're friends enough by now for you to tell me first why you like it so much before you try to chissel it away from me :wink:

... you're first on the list if/when

I'm having visions of mounting something like this Image

... and grafting a plastic magnifying glass into the cover. That would slay 2 birds at once ... I'd be able to read it, and it would minimize the salt baths. it'd prolly cut down on the glare quite a bit too if the case were a bit deeper and the sides darkened. Velcro it into a foam cradle with a small reractable leash anchored inside

Hmmm

_________________
Alan W.

Papaya AI2 to replace my well worn V1
TheTwins - His/Hers 2007 Papaya Hobie Adventure Island's (v1.00.01)
.. and a Hobie Outback SUV


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:17 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:32 am
Posts: 1807
Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
PassWind wrote:
would this gps still get reception if mounted inside a waterproof plastic case ? I'm having visions of grafting a plastic magnifying glass into the cover of something like this Image

You can buy a plastic magnifying lens specifically for the Garmin, but I found it just tends to fog up and doesn't really improve things much. The main problem with both the Garmin and with a smartphone is the map display is hard to read in bright sunlight. I've actually printed out and laminated A4 marine maps of my local waters. They are better than any electronic display for getting an overview. The main thing the GPS does is tell you exactly where you are on the chart. Yes, the GPS would still get reception inside a plastic case.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:43 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
Posts: 2498
Location: Central Florida
I seal the unused ports with silicon adhesive, and fill the used ports with Di-electric grease after each use. I also added a thin plastic sheet on the inside back of the RAM holder to cover all the back ports when on the water.

3 year - going strong.

_________________
Image
Hobie Island Sailing since 2006


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:35 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 2863
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
PassWind wrote:
... and grafting a plastic magnifying glass into the cover. That would slay 2 birds at once ... I'd be able to read it...


I bought some bifocal polarised sunnies on Ebay. Makes reading a smartphone/GPS screen easy. They've become a must have accessory for me and I'd be lost without them.
I can even read the date on my watch again! :)
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:07 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
Posts: 3323
Location: South Florida
PassWind--Not trying to chisel you out of it, just trying to get a good deal. :P

My wife has a Garmin 60, so it is really my backup. I have a Garmin 78, and, frankly, it is a piece of crap. I've never swore at any electronic device as much as I have that 78. For example, this year in prep for our 75-mi, week-long trip along coastal Everglades, I loaded my routes on to the 60 and my 78. I'm sure I checked the route page, and the routes were listed. Fine. Problem was, as we started out of Chokoloskee, I brought up a route, but nothing came up on the map page. We were underway with several newbies just doing the first leg of the trip to Pavilion, so I turned my attention to them. Besides, I've done this trip so many times, I don't need either maps or GPS. Still I like to have a route, because your GPS gives so much useful info when it is using a route.

When we got to Pavilion (that was the time I flooded my hull by leaving the middle hatch open), and I had time, I looked at my 78 to see why I could not pull up the route on the map page--remember, the routes for the whole trip were listed on the route page. Well, when I examined the route, it had no waypoints, no waypoints! In fact, none of the 10-12 listed routes for the 7-day trip had any waypoints. The waypoints were in the GPS, they just had not been incorporated into the listed routes that I uploaded from my computer! The same routes/wpts had loaded fine on my wife's 60. Geesus, how can any GPS/software screw up like that! There was at least one other time on my 78 that a single route did not have waypoints, but not a whole list of routes.

My most recent major glitch with my 78 was the installation of a BlueChart chip http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=435889&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50157&subdeptNum=50177&classNum=50182
I installed it. Then, the next time I tried to upload/download data to my 78, the Garmin computer software did not recognize the 78. Unbelievable. When I removed the Bluechart chip, the software recognized the 78. So, now, to upload routes & wpts or to download new wpts to the computer, I have to first remove this tiny chip. Yes, hard to believe.

I've gotten used to its poor software and major glitches of the Garmin 78. (It is also harder to read than the 76. Handling wpts is inconvenient.) It is unfortunate, because there are some nice features to the 78, but what an immature product.

End of my rant about the Garmin 78.

The Garmin 76 is a very mature, very reliable GPS. If I could pick up one at a good price, I would do it in the blink of an eye.

Keith

_________________
2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon


Last edited by Chekika on Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:45 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:32 am
Posts: 1807
Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
Keith, it was three years ago and my memory is a bit foggy, but as I recall, I was advised by the Garmin dealer not to buy Bluecharts on a chip for my 76CSX because I would be unable to add track data. I got it on CD instead and had no problems.
I gather the chip is read only, but if you install from CD, the map resides in the unit's internal memory, which is read/write.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:21 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
Posts: 3323
Location: South Florida
You are probably right, Chris. I bought the chip (my first ever--probably last) and will have to live with it. I do like the maps, not the greatest, but good.

Software-wise, Garmin is pathetic. The only reason I've stuck with them is that the 76 was/is great. But, it may be time to change to something like the DeLorme.

Keith

_________________
2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:06 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
Mature/immature, too small, too dark, gold/no gold, chips/no chips.. it's all too confusing.

Frankly, my tack has always been to find a friend with an expensive GPS and fishfinder, and follow him closely.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:23 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:18 pm
Posts: 287
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
This post is getting quite long so I guess it is my time to chime in.

I agree with Keith: I DO NOT like the GARMIN 78.

During this year's Watertribe EC I drowned my old trusty Garmin Colorado. Having no choice I hiked to West Marine and bought a new 78. For a person that buys 90% of my gear from e-bay the price was hard to swallow. 2 days into the race I drowned the new 78 GPS. I do not like the battery compartment door. I do not like the look of the screen. I do not like the buttons on top or the size of the unit. I bought the extra warranty and got the unit replaced.

I missed the old Colorado. On return home I was able to buy a Garmin Oregon 400C for ~$150. The thinking was that this unit was newer version of the Colorado with a touch screen that I can use in a dry bag and still keep in the cup holder. I was disappointed. The screen is not as clear and bright and the operating system as friendly as my old Colorado.

Back to e-bay. A perfect condition Garmin Colorado 400C for $138 !!! The failure point on a Colorado is the roller thumb wheel. Water gets under the seal and shorts out the Hall Effect Magnetic sensors. Thumb Wheel can't be used in a dry bag.

Hall Effect Magnetic Sensors??? Light Bulb came on...Using a piece of magnet from a old hard drive I can make the thumb wheel respond inside a dry bag!!!

My new plan. Going out this weekend across the bay with several boats. Report to follow...

_________________
Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:06 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:30 am
Posts: 2
I was with Paul on the trip across the Chesapeake Bay this weekend. Little wind and lots of pedaling! I used my old Garmin Etrex Venture HC. (I think it's on sale at Bass Pro this week for about $120.) I'm very glad I had it on the trip.

It's very basic without a card slot but it's perfect for tracking if you already have the waypoints and your track downloaded. I used a .gpx file that I converted from google maps and could see exactly where I was at all times. It made it very easy to pedal in a straight line when I was miles from land.

It's not the greatest interface and it takes a while to get used to it, but it's waterproof and there's no wheel to let in moisture. I installed a mount last week (RAM Mounting Systems RAM-B-138-GA16U Flat Surface Mount in Amazon) on the port side above the netted cubbyhole.

Bottom line - cheap, basic and reliable.
Leonard


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:33 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:14 pm
Posts: 97
Location: Jupiter, Florida
I have a lowrance HDS-5. I do alot of deep ocean fishing and need an accurate groundspeed and ground plot due to the current that can run over 5 knots. Also, I need a good bottom/fish finder. The HdS 5 excells in both areas. But even more important than that is it is rated to IPX-7. That protected against water immersion for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter. I have had mine for almost 2 years and have been very pleased.

Image

_________________
Image

Steve


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 134 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group