Large screen battery powered mapping GPS?

[Fenlander]

I've been using a small Garmin Etrex with colour mapping for years. Great unit but I'd appreciate a larger screen... current screen is 45mmx35mm.

I'd like to keep to something totally independent of a boat battery if possible but might consider one of the smaller/cheaper 12v units.

Needs to use Bluechart or similar.

Any thoughts?

[Fenlander]

Been looking about and without going to a semi-permanent larger device this seems one of the few options...

Garmin Montana 600 Marine Bundle with g2 Blue Chart UK/Ireland

A Garmin Montana 600 pre-loaded with the large UK G2 marine mapping. Bought alone at new retail the mapping seems to be worth the best part of £200 so that's a fair bit of the cost.

Anyone using one? They're touchscreen and I'm not sure how that would work in a SIB rushing across a chop.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Fenlander
Don't know what you budget is but I have just put a lowrance 7chirp combo run off a 8amp hour motor bike battery charged off the engine paid £650 but I did have the navionics card already the unit has the down scan which is really good.
I had the garmin 551& hummingbird combo 768 both 5inch displays on my old boat both good systems check hummingbird out as they do stand alone combo's.
Regarding touch screen personally I wouldn't I have enough trouble with this tablet and I am sat in my front room and would say heavy rain would affect the screen.
Cheers Jeff

[Fenlander]

Jeff,

Thanks for that. I try to only spend on the SIB from the boating pot and it should stand around £350 in a week or two but not quite up to your level!

I'm thinking I may have to go for a 12v system with small battery in a box... something like this (as advised in an adj thread) might do...

Garmin echoMAP 45dv Chartlotter / Sonar / DownVu 4.3 Display - Preloaded UK + Ireland exc Txd

David

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Jeff,

Thanks for that. I try to only spend on the SIB from the boating pot and it should stand around £350 in a week or two but not quite up to your level!

I'm thinking I may have to go for a 12v system with small battery in a box... something like this (as advised in an adj thread) might do...

Garmin echoMAP 45dv Chartlotter / Sonar / DownVu 4.3 Display - Preloaded UK + Ireland exc Txd

David

That is a good choice David and at the right money force four chandlers are selling that at £279.95 + £60 for the transducer you might want to look at the lowrance elite 4 hdi as a comparison too,short of that you might pick up a bargain off of here.
a pelicase system might be worth thinking about just leaving the transducer fixed and using a gel battery that way you can move it around the boat for fishing.

cheers

[Fenlander]

Thanks for the idea of a Lowrance. I don't fish and GPS is the priority but an integral depth sounder would be of interest from the navigation aspect. I may or may not fit the transducer this season but to have the ability to do so if I wanted might be useful.

Going to have to work out the total package prices and unit comparisons as the Garmins are usually without transducer so £50-£60 to add.... but they usually have the whole UK chart loaded... so cheapest echomap 45DV total package of unit/transducer/UK charts is £305 at Seamark Nunn.

The Lowrance seem always to have a transducer included at keen prices... but their charts are £200 extra so the cheapest Elite 4 hdi unit/transducer/UK charts package I've seen is £400.

I'll have look at the reviews and specs for both.

I don't have a charge coil on my outboard so it will be a small motorcycle battery and a re-charge overnight.

We always have the SIB seat fitted and with an air floor there arte no other fixed points other than the transom so probably mounting right to one side of the seat perhaps with some sort of battery bag/box/tray fixed under the seat would be the way to go. At the moment I have the handheld Etrex around my neck or tied from a tube grab loop so have to lift it up to view which isn't always convenient.

[Callum Stewart]

Fenlander,

Have a look at "Raymarine Dragonfly 6 5.7Inch Sonar/GPS With Down Vision - Inc CPT-60 Transducer - EU Charts £ 299.95" Cactus Nav & Comm

All the best Callum.

[Fenlander]

That's staggering value Callum and a good link but sadly it's only loaded with the very basic Silver charts. You might argue what more do you want for a SIB but I'm keen to keep to the full detail I've been using for a lifetime (paper and now GPS device)... this only comes with the Gold charts... another £200.

[jeffstevens763@g]

David

i would go for the Garmin 45dv it will be a big difference on what you have now the Garmin maps are good and in my experience very accurate. the chart cost really pumps up the cost of the unit, i am in the process of up dating my navionics gold sd to a micro sd to fit the new lowrance that's still going to cost me £100 but it will be up dated from the current 2009 card.
i have an ali floored boat and made a console to house the plotter and battery but i did think of making up a tube mounted console if the space was limited bit like how the RNLI mount stuff on there small craft.
there was a thread earlier in the year i think where someone made a set up on the seat with clamps for ease of removal looked a good job battery in a box under seat. out door electrical boxes from B&Q cheap enough.

cheers

[Fenlander]

You certainly have greater options than me with your expedition style set-up similar to The Gurnard!

I think the answer will be to commit to the unit choice and when it arrives I'll get a better feel of where it might sit nicely on the boat... and how to sort the transducer location for a daily unpack/pack SIB.

For me it's looking like the full detail chart inclusion will sway towards the 45V.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

You certainly have greater options than me with your expedition style set-up similar to The Gurnard!

I think the answer will be to commit to the unit choice and when it arrives I'll get a better feel of where it might sit nicely on the boat... and how to sort the transducer location for a daily unpack/pack SIB.

For me it's looking like the full detail chart inclusion will sway towards the 45V.

your right the gurnard had an input by having a look at his set up and a brief PM to him this was the result.
after i sold the rib i wanted a small boat as i near retirement but still wanted the scope to have everything at hand, hence the set up as it is, yet to try it out.
as you say get your kit and have a play its all part of it for me i enjoy the build as much as using it and as always use it and amend as required,i don't think you will go wrong with the Garmin its small and will suit your aerotec essence on a light weight set up.
hummingbird do a transom mount set up have a look on their site might give food for thought.
also sea-screw have a seat in pvc with storage in white but not sure how it would go in the aerotec with the deep v floor it extends under the tubes to fix it in.

cheers