GPS recommendations

[Aguayak]

Be sure you get one with reverse track crumb following. (I'll write up more later.) The main reason for this is because you could get lost in a fog, set your "goto" to the harbor or wherever you launched from and run yourself straight into a cliff, rock pile, or whatever. If you go back the way you came out you'd be safe. A Magellan 210 could be a good deal for you.

[PaHaSaPa]

I've had a Garmin GPS 12 for years. It has all the basic waypoint, route and backtrack features and can still be found, at reasonable prices. It is old school, but it works well with my laptop and TOPO USA as a moving map. I have many waypoints in Dana that were obtained from charts and maps and have been right on.
It's not color or the latest and greatest but is a powerful device. My $.02

[ronbo613]

Originally Posted by PaHaSaPa

It is old school, but it works well with my laptop and TOPO USA as a moving map.

I use my eTrex with TOPO as well. There are some other free navigational charts that used to be available on the internet, I don't know if they are still available or not.
TOPO is not super detailed as far as marine topography goes, but it does the job for charting waypoints and routes.

[frugalfisher]

I bought the Garmin 76csx that floats. I got a killer deal at West Marine. Wait did I say that!? Yep $100 off then an additional 10% off -down to 315.00

The cheapest online was 357.00 plus S&H

James

[aguachico]

Originally Posted by PaHaSaPa

I've had a Garmin GPS 12 for years. It has all the basic waypoint, route and backtrack features and can still be found, at reasonable prices. It is old school, but it works well with my laptop and TOPO USA as a moving map. I have many waypoints in Dana that were obtained from charts and maps and have been right on.
It's not color or the latest and greatest but is a powerful device. My $.02

Ditto that. My garmin twelve has survived so many dunkings it has gills. It's 8 years old, major condensation in the screen and keeps on ticking. It's been EOL for some time, so if I were to replace it - I'd get the 72.

You want to be sure it can directly tie into the 12v source without a voltage regualtor. My 12 does not, but the 12xl did. Batteries are expensive. Waterproof.