Our Garmin 128 was on the boat when we bought her in 2001. Although we'd been taught to use paper charts and a compass, for the first couple of years, I was recording GPS waypoints like there was no tomorrow, but TBH, apart from navigating in the occasional fog, we now mainly use it as a log to record distance/speed over ground. The other function that we have made use of is the anchor drag alarm.
However, the alarm function seems to passed away. I'm sure Garmin will repair it (they appear to have a very good record for doing this), but I wonder if the time has come to upgrade to a chartplotter. Despite reading the mags, I find it all a bit bewildering as to what make, what type of chart etc. [cheapskate]Any suggestions as to well functioning but reasonably priced models and systems?[/cheapskate]
.
The 128's internal battery may just be on the way out. This can be replaced by your good self without too much hassle, but you will lose your waypoints. Steve Birch of VAGB (http://www.albinvega.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) can supply a kit (battery plus instructions) if you need it.
Plotter-wise we have a Garmin GPSMAP 500 which we are delighted with. It comes with all UK charts built in - they are excellent, look just like Admirallty, much better than C-Map. I think it is hard to get this model now as it has been replaced by the GPSMAP 550 with a slightly bigger (5") screen. You should be able to find this for around £350 - £400 - I would try giving AllGadgets a ring as a first port of call.
(The Lowrance plotters with built-in UK chart are generally slightly cheaper for the same screen size, but many people have told me that the charting supplied with the Garmin is better and more comprehensive. From what I have seen I believe this to be true).
We went down the plotter route when we bought Aja - previously it had been Decca then later a Yeoman Plotter linked to GPS (a Garmin 100). I bought a Garmin 180C colour plotter as like Nick I like the charts - very similar to Admiralty.
I do still have charts and compass aboard, but in all honesty don't make as much use of them as before. Fundamentally, there is no need.
With the Garmin 180C it is waterproof and when we are aboard it lives under the sprayhood where everyone can have a play at it - and it is a very popular toy. All in all I give chartplotters the
Edit: OK - I have to own up. I bought Sheena the Garmin 180C in place of an engagement ring.
I have really enjoyed having a Lowrance plotter for the last 3 years or so. It's true that the cheap Nauticpath chart has some blanks (most notably east of Eilean Dubh in Lynn of Lorn so that cuts out Dunstaffnage, Loch Creran, Loch Etive and the north end of Lismore and beyond to Dallens Bay) but where the coverage exists, it is very good indeed.
It also has a few bells and whistles that don't all work exactly as they should but these are peripheral features, not part of the fundamental instrument.
It can also use Navionics charts but I haven't tried that so I don't know how well it works with them.
I found it was good to get one with an integral aerial. It uses a fag lighter plug so I can mount it in the cockpit or take it below for passage planning at the chart table - just one plug to (dis)connect.
Derek
We got a Cobra (end of line, I think) with CMap extra and mostly it works - apart from the tidal function being stuck on GMT when the rest is at BST - obviously it doesn't use the almanac data downloaded from the sky ( It can lose the date as well!)
The maps are good and appear to be very accurate. They come on a chip that was being sold for about £60 and cover all UK and the north French coast.
It's OK for a cheapie, now that I know the limitations. (Cobra didn't enthuse over my problems, so I live with them).
http://trooncruisingclub.org/ 20' - 30' Berths available, Clyde.
Cruising, racing, maintenance facilities. Go take a look, you know you want to.
We bought a Standard Horizon 180i which works well below (no aerial) principally because we have a Standard Horizon DSC radio, so in theory when connected, the position of DSC MayDays show up on the chart, as do (I think) the positions of DSC callers (although we are unlikely to have any!)
We are delighted with it, one very useful feature being the local tidal information (so you can work very quickly how much more the boat will go over when aground), but I suspect all CPs have this. The 180 is good value, but if I had a choice again, I might have saved up more and gone for the 300i, with a bigger screen and higher resolution.
I am sure you will not be disappointed whatever CP you plumb for. They are PDB!
I paid £499 for it, online, with mushroom and transducer. I paid another £60 for a nauticpath chart set, Iceland to the azores.
I'm not one to recommend stuff that I've only had a few weeks, so I'll just say that my initial opinion is that it is stunning. The 8" screen is very bright - it's in the saloon, but I can easily read it from the cockpit.
It replaces a Garmin sounder/plotter combo, I think it's the 178 mono. Again, an excellent piece of kit, although I find Garmin charts expensive.
Whilst I am delighted that the brace of Donalds we have nestling here have been so successful in choosing presents for their respective partners, I must sadly report that the Mushroom Growbag and Sellotape dispenser which I considered ideal gifts for Dear Heart - she loves mushrooms and wraps her fair share of parcels - neither were particularly well received.
On the subject of chartplotters - go ahead but fer fecks sake remember yer failing eyesight...do they do a 27" model?
