Show Me Your Boat GPS Unit!

[MacGyver]

A winter project that never got done was to install a nice GPS unit. Show me what you have and your likes and dislikes.

[MattBMiller]

I have a Garmin GPSMAP 430SX that I'm waiting to install. I have to have a bezel cut from aluminum and anodized to match my gauge bezels so I can flush mount it.

[MattBMiller]

This is the GPS I installed in my Aggressor...before and after. Garmin 172C

[fund razor]

A winter project that never got done was to install a nice GPS unit. Show me what you have and your likes and dislikes.

Great thread. I am trying to figure out how to make one work with my boat. Let's see some installs, guys. :)

[drpete3]

Here is mine

[fund razor]

Here is mine

Is it hard to hold it and paddle?

[Offshoredrillin]

Ted here turned me onto Lowrance, I have a 5206 C in my tiger and love it, you can even hook up cameras to it in the bilge. I am buying one for my 20 as well, boaterland has them on sale now for 450 dollars. from the 800 when it first came out. it has a 7 inch screen and works perfectly.

[cigdaze]

I love my Garmin 376C. It's a nice, compact, color chartplotter that runs on 110VAC or 12VDC, and has an internal battery and a built-in antenna for completely wireless operation. The batt lasts for an entire day no problems.
It's also XM weather ready.
http://www.gpsonsale.com/garmin/Images/376c.jpg

[jmeng]

No pictures but I've got a Garmin 440 and love it. The preloaded maps have a ton of detail, haven't seen the need to purchase a chip yet.

[MarylandMark]

Garmin 3210 w/sonar & Blue Chart chip (ton of pre-loaded data but the chip rocks!!). The new ones have touch screens which are pretty cool!

I'm going to add satellite weather this year. Garmin works with XM; not Sirius but the do make antennas that pick up both signals. You can also get a fish report- tells where the fish are based on the weather, water temps, depths, etc.

[fund razor]

I love my Garmin 376C. It's a nice, compact, color chartplotter that runs on 110VAC or 12VDC, and has an internal battery and a built-in antenna for completely wireless operation. The batt lasts for an entire day no problems.
It's also XM weather ready.
http://www.gpsonsale.com/garmin/Images/376c.jpg

So it is surface mounted with the supplied bracket, vs. flushed in?

[fund razor]

I have a 182c leftover from a prior boat, but would love XM weather, plus... I was concerned about the supplied bracket standing up to pounding.

[Jassman]

here you go..

[MarylandMark]

here you go..

:D:cheers2::iagree:

[Wobble]

I have a 182c leftover from a prior boat, but would love XM weather, plus... I was concerned about the supplied bracket standing up to pounding.

I still use my 176C (bluechart) with the dash mount bracket and it has been on there for 6 years and seen some very rough weather, granted my boat has always been stored inside so UV damage is minimal.

same bracket as the later units as far as I can see.

There have been numerous updates from garmin, some of which will erase stored tracks or routes. I am happy with the length of time they support their product

[cigdaze]

So it is surface mounted with the supplied bracket, vs. flushed in?

That's the standard bracket, they make a flush mount one as well as an option. The antenna is built in, but is removable if you'd prefer to remote mount it as well.

[Blue Oval]

Works great if you boat in the daytime only,try to avoid the fog!

[fund razor]

That's the standard bracket, they make a flush mount one as well as an option. The antenna is built in, but is removable if you'd prefer to remote mount it as well.

So you use the standard bracket on the cig?

[C_Spray]

This is my old Garmin 2010C in an acrylic housing that I made. It has since been replaced by a Garmin 4212 (12" screen) with XM satellite weather. The XM antenna and reciever are located inside the housing.

[Slandrew]

:seeya:

[old377guy]

I love my Garmin 376C. It's a nice, compact, color chartplotter that runs on 110VAC or 12VDC, and has an internal battery and a built-in antenna for completely wireless operation. The batt lasts for an entire day no problems.
It's also XM weather ready.
http://www.gpsonsale.com/garmin/Images/376c.jpg

that's the ticket, Nick.

[Boatfreak]

Northstar m84 I love it

[26sxl]

The 376c is for sure the cats a-- even in daylight sun with old eyes...

[fund razor]

Let's talk about the bracket mounted ones, like my 182c, in offshore apps.

Here is my unit (leftover from last boat) and my boat. I thought about placing it where the pitot speedo is. (center)

[cigdaze]

So you use the standard bracket on the cig?

Yes. I still have my old school dash panel, so there's no room to flush mount it (yet). In any event, I use the surface mount, which I adhered to the top of my dash platform, using Garmin's adhesive disc, which is incidentally bulletproof - it stays put at 70mph without even a hint of movement. It's a perfect grab-and-go, as I use it in the truck, too.

[Tommy Gun]

Garmin 5208 GPS touch screen with XM weather; it's awesome. The green tape is optional.

[stecz20]

mine was great, could use it on water and takeit with me to use in the truck as well..

[cigdaze]

mine was great, could use it on water and takeit with me to use in the truck as well..

That nearly identical to mine. That's the 276, I believe, the predecessor to the one I have. It really is a great all-around unit.

[cigdaze]

Garmin 5208 GPS touch screen with XM weather; it's awesome. The green tape is optional.

Show-off!! :p

Seriously, that's a nice dash. :cool:

[fund razor]

Here is my problem, where the compass used to be, is a blank pad. Same on the other side. But... the only place that I can really put the gps is on that pad.

Does it look too funny? I need a gps in the places that I boat. Another option is to cover over where the pitot speedo is, but it works and I don't really want to uninstall it. Plus... up high is very visible and doesn't block my view at all.

[nifoxke]

Here's where ours is, although there is talk of a replacement unit for a smaller one. We removed the speedo and compass for this mount and will most likely be putting a Cigarette logo in the old speedo location. A smaller GPS unit will be better as this one blocks your view of the tach's.

[fund razor]

Maybe I should block my speedo. I would have to take it out and make a blank.

[Uncle Dave]

A winter project that never got done was to install a nice GPS unit. Show me what you have and your likes and dislikes.

Furuno nav-net 3d system complete with radar.

The dashboard was custom molded piece specifically designed to fit this unit.

Furuno NavNet3d is the system I chose this is a very high end unit

Likes - zero redraw time on plotter at any resolution- radar overlay on plotter, radar performance, AIS target acquisition system unreal.

Dislikes- the price


Uncle Dave

[Uncle Dave]

Garmin 5208 GPS touch screen with XM weather; it's awesome. The green tape is optional.

That setup is F-ing sweet.

I really like dash layout, and design

Curious about the display angle, do you notice much glare during the day?

Uncle Dave

[VtSteve]

Here is my problem, where the compass used to be, is a blank pad. Same on the other side. But... the only place that I can really put the gps is on that pad.

Does it look too funny? I need a gps in the places that I boat. Another option is to cover over where the pitot speedo is, but it works and I don't really want to uninstall it. Plus... up high is very visible and doesn't block my view at all.

It does look a little lonely up there :( I have the same problem with my 440S.

There are a variety of mounts at Rammount.com. Another option is to hook it up to the engines if that's possible. Then you could get rid of lots of gauges.

Still another option is to consolidate gauges by getting newer ones that have multi functions. That is a very tough dash.

[fund razor]

It does look a little lonely up there :( I have the same problem with my 440S.

There are a variety of mounts at Rammount.com. Another option is to hook it up to the engines if that's possible. Then you could get rid of lots of gauges.

Still another option is to consolidate gauges by getting newer ones that have multi functions. That is a very tough dash.

I played around with it and I think that I found a solution. I removed the pitot speedo from the center hole. I found a couple of old tach and speedo brackets from a few boats back and they happen to line up with the screw holes in the Garmin mount. I temped it in place centering the Garmin mount in the cutout and it worked pretty well. It got it down and inside the boat better, it doesn't really block my tachs. And it keeps that pad clean. I should have taken a pic. It is the least of all evils, and I don't have to cut anything. I do need to buy a 4" white blank guage filler for the hole underneath. When I am standing up it will tip back, and when I am sitting down it will tip up.

[Tom A.]

I have an older (2003) Lowrance black and white in front of the driver. Next winter I want to upgrade it to a color Garmin.

[VtSteve]

I played around with it and I think that I found a solution. I removed the pitot speedo from the center hole. I found a couple of old tach and speedo brackets from a few boats back and they happen to line up with the screw holes in the Garmin mount. I temped it in place centering the Garmin mount in the cutout and it worked pretty well. It got it down and inside the boat better, it doesn't really block my tachs. And it keeps that pad clean. I should have taken a pic. It is the least of all evils, and I don't have to cut anything. I do need to buy a 4" white blank guage filler for the hole underneath. When I am standing up it will tip back, and when I am sitting down it will tip up.

Pretty much what I'm doing with mine, except I don't have to use an existing hole, but I could. Not having to cut anything is always a good thing.

[fund razor]

Pretty much what I'm doing with mine, except I don't have to use an existing hole, but I could. Not having to cut anything is always a good thing.
Especially good not to have to cut when you are using a "legacy" product like mine. After the worst of the new engine expense onslaught is over I will look into a unit with xm weather.
I found a white (black is available) filler blank for about 10 bucks from Iboats. The gps will cover everything, but the filler blank will make it nice. I'll drill the filler blank to pass the gps cable through. Plus, this way I can always restore it to the speedo. My gps has a speed function, so I can at least know. I don't trust pitot tube speedos anyway.

[VtSteve]

That's a great idea for the cable, hadn't thought of that one.

Unfortunately, I've already seen those nice in-dash units, and this just won't be the same