Garmin v Navionics - chart detail comparison

[60N]

Can anyone with a Garmin 750 please send me a picture of the most zoomed in detail of the scalloway (Shetland) approaches please? I'd like to see the detail before I purchase.

PM for email address, many thanks.

60N

[jambo]

Originally Posted by 60N

Can anyone with a Garmin 750 please send me a picture of the most zoomed in detail of the scalloway (Shetland) approaches please? I'd like to see the detail before I purchase.

PM for email address, many thanks.

60N

As a potential buyer myself I would like to see detail too.

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[j.i.wilson]

Surely you can see this stuff online?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by j.i.wilson

Surely you can see this stuff online?

can you? for a specific location? Its not uncommon (in my non-Garmin experience) for the 'detail' to vary depending on how popular the area is so in the solent I might be able to tell you where every buoy, sandbank, etc is. Then if I head up Loch Linnhe then half way up the plotter suddenly has very little information (despite the fact that it is well charted and commercial shipping does use it).

[jambo]

Originally Posted by j.i.wilson

Surely you can see this stuff online?

Yes you can get some things online. But as Poly says I was looking to see an actual screen shot of a specific area do
I can compare

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[60N]

Thank you Poly. The approaches around these islands are very complex, in particular Scalloway and I want to be able to 'see' what I'm getting before I purchase to ensure the detail I need fits the bill. Unfortunately, to my knowledge no chandlery up here stocks any decent GPS's hence the request.

Anyone?

Jambo; will let you know if I get anything back.

Many thanks

[Jeff]

I should be able to send you a screen shot of the Bluechart 2008.5 version. I presume the later ones will have similar (maybe better?) detail
I will try and do this tonight when home.
Jeff

[Jeff]

Hi
Does this help - one zoomed in to 0.2 mile and one at 0.5m
I can e mail the jpeg's if you want - just PM me your e mail
Jeff

This uses mapsource on the PC which only works with these older charts. I like it better than Homeport and find it really easy to create waypoints, routes etc and transfer to/from the plotter via the datacard

[Copinsay]

Hi there island neighbour (almost)

While I don't have a Garmin 750, attached are screen grabs from the latest Blue Chart g2 chart data I have on my Garmin plotter (using the Home Port PC software), which AFAIK is the same data set as you'd get and so you'll not get more underlying chart detail than this.

I've attached a few grabs at the most detailed resolution so hope that helps.

As you'll see, in complex areas of rocks etc (eg around the islands on file 3) the data you'd find on an Admiralty chart is approximated, which to me is a drawback, as often I'm wanting to find routes onto small islands etc, which can still be done. I just additionally carry an up to date online paper chart from Visit My Harbour plus Google aerial photo data.

Feel free to get back to me with any other queries, as I wanted clarity on this issue when I was about to buy.

From what I found, while this Garmin data is not quite the detail of a paper chart, it seems not that much better or worse than other GPS options. Though others on there will have different views - would be useful to see the detail on other makes.

See: http://www.rib.net/forum/f37/advice-...ney-45748.html

Hope this helps

Best wishes

Cheers

Steve

PS my horse came from Whiteness so know your area a bit.

[Jeff]

and Navionics Gold from my Lowrance.
These are screen shots from Lowrance PC App which is the equivalent of Homeport/Mapsource but in opinion really poor in comparison. The charting is however a bit better than Garmin in terms of look v paper charts and has some better info/detail including light sectors etc
You get PC App 'free' with a Navionics card - as well as free chart updates for 12months

[Copinsay]

Really helpful to compare with the Navionics Jeff - can you zoom into Skervie Skerry to compare with my file 3 where the obst/rock data is approximated. Thanks - I do like the Navionics look, though very happy with the Garmin unit itself.

[Copinsay]

PS - please do contribute examples from any other chartplotter data sets. This is really useful and hard to do before you buy.

[Jeff]

Shots attached, The second one shows the tidal diamond info once you click to open - its interactive in that you can scroll through the days and get graphical speed, direction and high/Low and then a tabular format of HW/LW

I have had a Garmin for 13 years - originally just a 128 GPS and then GPSMAp292 which is still going strong. I do find the Garmin menus more intuitive to use. Bought the Lowrance HDS last year for its down and sidescan functionality - which is superb. I have a Garmin 340C sounder and have never managed to get it to read the bottom at anything over about 15 knots - played around with height, angle etc etc for ages yet the Lowrance skimmer tracks even at 40 !
Jeff

[Copinsay]

And for comparsion, here's the Admiralty chart from Free charts, tide tables and pilotage : from Visit My Harbour

Steve

[Copinsay]

Brilliant Jeff.

The Sector Light at Commercial Quay is a good reference point to look at. Very clear on the Navionics and paper chart, but not instantly obvious on the Garmin.

Wish we had the Navionics charts on the Garmin units!

[Copinsay]

PS - is it possible to update the name of this thread, as I think the current title belies the very useful info it now has on different chart types? I wish I'd seen this 18 months ago!

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by Copinsay

Brilliant Jeff.



Wish we had the Navionics charts on the Garmin units!

now that would be good

[Copinsay]

The map data around Skervie Skerry is very useful too. The Garmin data just says "avoid" whereas the other two show how to navigate to avoid the rocks.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Copinsay

PS - is it possible to update the name of this thread, as I think the current title belies the very useful info it now has on different chart types?

Would you care to suggest a title that retains the spirit of the original and yet meets your own requirements?

Funny names you lot give your littoral features. Given that yiz don't get a lot of sun, I guess that rock must be kinda blue white with veins?

[Copinsay]

Thanks Willk. How about title + "chartplotter map detail"