Handheld GPS

I'm looking at buying a "waterproof" handheld GPS for the Hobie.Garmin and Magellan seem to be the players for handhelds.
Any suggestions on what works for use on a H16?

Thanks.Rob.

What's your budget and what do you want to use it for?

I haven't heard much good about Magellan. Garmin has very good customer service.

I have a Garmin 76csx that's easy to use, if a little large:

It's what I give to my mark boat people when I'm running a regatta and they don't have a GPS of their own.

I also have a Garmin eTrex Legend cx that's much smaller, but it's got more of a learning curve as far as the buttons go:


Each of those cost about $250 - $300 new.

You can get the Garmin Foretrex 201 to go on your wrist:

But don't trust the band that comes with it.

All of these have different features - just depends on what you want to use it for.

Look at the Garmin Foretrex 201

I have the Garmin Etrex Legend HCx. I love and it has many more uses. It will auto route with the proper maps and you can also download free topo maps. I paid 100 bucks for Topo 08 maps and a year later found better topos online for free at http://www.gpsfiledepot.com. Bummer! You can also purchase detailed maps of all lakes and water features. At any rate, it is a good unit although I don't know how "waterproof" it is. I would still be very careful about getting it wet and remember none of them float. I use a small clear drybag and can somewhat work the buttons through the bag.

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'88 Nationals Blue
Hobie Alter Signature Model
Sail #11

Hobie Mirage Classic

I have a Garmin 60csx, which I stick in a Pelican waterproof box and clip to the tramp. There's nothing like uploading your tracks to Google Earth.

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-Roland
Sailing vintage Hobie Cats in West Africa.

Thanks guys.Garmin seems to be the best choice....now I just have to pick a model,then see if the warden will approve it.
Thanks.

I got the Garmin GPS 72H marine handheld for a Christmas present. I am still figuring out all the capabilities. It is waterproof and simple to use. I just learned to transfer the tracks into google earth. It will give complete trip data. Less than $150.

Spesce, Is sail sand point on the left?

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I wish winter was not so long in Sask. Canada. It's hard to sail on ice! 1984 16' hobie cat Sail# 84848

Sail Sand Point is the farthest west end of the cove to the very north in the picture. If you zoom in on Bing maps, you can see all the catamarans. I sailed from the boat ramp at Madnussen Park.

I've got the older garmin 72 which is waterproof and it floats. To bad it's black which makes it tough to see when it does fall off the boat. You can find them on fleabay fairly cheap.

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Pete
1982 18' Hobie

I have an old garmin etrex (b/w display), is it possible to export the data to google earth or does this only work with the newer ones?

chris

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1994 HC16

Look at the back of the unit, near the top - there's a rubber flap that covers the connection port. The oldest ones needed a cable with a proprietary connection on one end and a 9-pin RS-232 (serial) connector on the other. You might find one on eBay if it didn't come with the unit.

The newer ones use a standard USB / micro-USB cable (like on a digital camera).

I have an old Garmin etrax as well. I keep it in a bag sewn on the tramp of my Tiger. I mostly use the Max Speed in the Trip Computer because enven with Big Numbers I can not see the Speed display while sailing in strong wind (being hand held). I think a large display, mounted unit would be an asset.

Unfortunatly My Garmin is now not reliable. Often I will finish a session and find it turned itself off. The bateries are still strong. It even happens in the car, sitting on the dash (nothing touching it to turn it off). I suspect failing solder connections agrivated by heat.
Does anyone else have this kind of trouble with theirs?

An Iphone, the free MotionX GPS lite app and a waterproof bag works for me. GPS lite gives you all the basics and will give you a satellite view of your tracks. There are other apps available that you have to pay for, but this one does everything I need. The only draw back, like any LCD display, it's hard to read in the sun.

I grabbed a bag off the reduced rack at West Marine for $5 that's similar to this. http://www.waterproofcases.net/aqp-104.html

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TC

If you haven't already, try going to the Garmin website for firmware updates. Sometimes loading the new software fixes these types of problems.