WTB: Garmin GPS, marine version.

[pierre smith]

I need a marine Garmin GPS to go with our recent Boston Whaler acquisition.

Figured I'd give my RV friends first ops. email is pierrejs65 at yahoo.com.

or call 478 494 three 7 fife 7.

Thanks

[Jamie]

Do you have a Garmin 496? It has a Marine mode. My friend uses his on his boat and it works great.

[pierre smith]

I do, Jamie, in my Air Tractor and RV-10. I suppose that I could remove one or the other and buy the marine card or whatever it is they're called.

Must that come from Garmin or are there aftermarket vendors?

Thanks,

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by pierre smith

I do, Jamie, in my Air Tractor and RV-10. I suppose that I could remove one or the other and buy the marine card or whatever it is they're called.

Must that come from Garmin or are there aftermarket vendors?

Thanks,

It's built-in! No need to buy anything. Working from memory here, but I think you hold the "Mode" button and you can select the mode (Aviation, Marine or Street).

[Jamie]

See the manual here:

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/GPSMA...nersManual.pdf

Page 91 explains it all. :-)

[pierre smith]

Jamie, I spoke with a sales lady at West Marine in Augusta and the marine G-2 card is around $140 which provides the chart overlays (for the region you request), that give you depth information from surveys, before you run aground, plus a few other features.

What's neat, is that my WX subscription will also automatically overlay if I have the WX receiver plugged in.

Thanks,

[turbo]

what whaler did you get? we have had 4 different models over the years.

496 is a good idea, in as much time you get to use a boat. only kidding.

send pics of the crew.

[pierre smith]

Hi Ed...a 17' Montauk, for shallow waters. I put a wanted to buy ad in the Hilton Head Craig's list and had half a dozen phone calls in two days! One of them only 24 miles away.

Do you have any experience with a 496's small screen showing depths in the channels? Do I need a bigger screen?

Best,

[sailvi767]

Pierre, I would pick up a used Marine unit. A GPS in a small boat leads a hard life. Its constantly getting exposed to water spray, rain, sun and slammed around. I don't think it would be cost effective to use a 496 only to have it fail at some point. The Marine units can be found a very low prices used. If you can find a unit used that already has the card for your area its really a money saver. If your going to be fishing some of the combined units that give you mapping and fish finder abilities are great.

George

[pierre smith]

Good advice George...even tho' the book says that the unit's waterproof.

It'd only be in the boat on occasion but I do need the 150 user waypoints of my spray customers for the Air Tractor, so a used unit it'll be.

Thanks everybody,