View Full Version : WAAS enabled chart plotters
Ranger Dave
02-11-2002, 07:59 PM
Hi all,
I have a strange feeling there may be a new GPS/Plotter in my future. Right now (maybe forever) the WAAS enabled, high-res, navionics/c-map units with all the gadgets and a big screen are spendy, but so it goes. Anyone have one of these bad boys? The Northstar? The Garmin? The Raymarine? How soon for the latest/greatest from Lowrance getting WAAS? Prices? The low-end Northstar is over 2 big ones....gulp. The Garmin has map issues, so I think. Any thoughts would help.
Thanks,
Dave
Curious on what the issues are with the Garmin mapping? I am looking to upgrade myself and would like to hear your opinion on the Garmin units.
Ranger Dave
02-12-2002, 10:05 AM
Bob,
I am not an expert but have examined the offerings. The Garmins are coming on strong but do not offer the universal maps. They are moving towards Blue Charts vs others using the c-maps, navionics or both. The old G-maps are no longer being used and the Blue Charts are only available on a limited basis - or so I am hearing. Again, I am very interested in this issue as I am looking too. I checked out www.waypoints.com and reviewed a lengthy list of charts they offer and the vast majority go with the big boys. Garmin is an exception with their offering. Is this a problem? I don't know, yet.
Good Luck,
Dave
bob oh
02-12-2002, 10:29 AM
I haven't seen the charts but Garmin is offering a FHS map through Navionics I believe. BlueCharts for Erie are very good.
Have you seen the blue charts for Erie? How do you rate them compared to C-Maps? I have been using C-Maps for a couple of years and would like to find another map that allows me to have a unit that I can connect to the PC and the garmin 2010 2006 seem a perfect match if the blue charts are what thye are advertised to be. Is there anywhere on the web a guy could look at an example of a blue chart? Thanks.
Ranger Dave
02-12-2002, 05:31 PM
Hey,
Anyone out there have any experience with Northstar?
Dave
SeaCat
02-12-2002, 06:10 PM
Take a serious look at the Standard-Horizon CP-150, 160, and 170 series. C-Map cartridges, WAAS, and nice size.
I picked up a great deal on the 170C color unit late last summer on eBay. Replaced my Magellan 6000 handheld unit and am very happy with the SH unit.
The 150 ($399) and 160 ($499) are black & white units -- 150 has one C-Map slot, while the 160 has 2 cartridge slots. The 170C ($1499) is a color version of the 160.
Pricing blows any other unit on the market away and the feature set is very complete. So far (3 months of use last year) it has done everything I would want a GPS to do.
The Magellan Nav6000 was a good unit too, but I just never seemed to need the handheld features. Since I was always using it on the boat -- ususally on big water of Erie and Michigan, I decided the fixed mount unit would be better (and I could get the WAAS feature too).
Ryan