[tracker73]

i dont have the money for an onboard gps/depthfinder right now, and was wondering if anyone uses a handheld gps? any thoughts or comments on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Capn Ken]

I use an old Magellan hand-held GPS as a back-up on the boat and for Geocaching. ..Not as accurate as most of the newer hand-held units and does NOT do charts, but if you know how to use one and can read charts, you'll have no trouble. If you're thinking of buying a newer hand-held that does chartplotting... they're every bit as expensive as the larger-screen mounted ones... if that's the case, I'd buy the big one and forget the handheld.

I used a much older Garmin 120 for years, in conjunction with charts, but now that I've got a chartplotter, I'd never go back... soooooooooooooooo much easier to use!

 

[Bored]

What's your budget?
I use a garmin gpsmap 60CSx, works pretty well. Not ideal, but gets me where I want to go. Using PC, you can plan routes and mark waypoints + routes, download them to the unit. Can be had on eBay for ~300. I loaded bluechart data instead of road data. PM for details

If you don't mind greyscale, I do have a Standard Horizon CP150 with a C-MAP chart. Chart is from the 90's, but can be updated. Good enough. See MANUAL (9mb slow download) for details or google CP150. Just collecting dust, will let go with wide area C-map chip (erie, st. clair and Huron) for $200 & help mount.

PM me for more details, can set up demo. Have small boat now, and it will be a chore to make it fit anywhere else I would be using it myself.

 

[Big Dog]

If you have an Iphone there are some pretty cool GPS & lake chart apps you can download.

 

[Fish Talker]

QUOTE(tracker73 @ Jul 24 2009, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i dont have the money for an onboard gps/depthfinder right now, and was wondering if anyone uses a handheld gps? any thoughts or comments on this would be greatly appreciated.

Sure they work and I still use one as a back up. They will get you on your spot and even save your life if fog rolls in.

 

[BuckHunter]

Look at the Garmin Vista HCX, they are accuarate to 3 feet of your accutual location and you can buy map cards (one of them being inland lakes in Michigan). I have the card in mine and as far as I can remember it covers lsc, I fish inland lakes more than I do lsc, but when I float around lakeville or other inland lakes it shows me all of the drop offs and contours. These units are now going for about 200-250 depending on the deal you find, I bought mine 3 years ago for 300.

 

[scottgordon]

i have a garmin nuvi 660 for the car. i didnt want to break down and buy a different one for the boat so i searched on the internet and found the garmin program for "free" and a set of charts for just about every single lake you could ever want. all you have to do is bypass the security feature in the setup and then you can open up the charting program and upload the map to the unit. Then you can just switch between the maps. it has depths and a couple contour lines. its a 2004 chart, but the depths are accurate within a foot of what it says on the chart in comparison to the depth finder. i get all kinds of 'free' stuff on the net, this is the most useful thing i have ever found.

 

[tracker73]

thanks for the input, and the offer. I'm gonna give the lowrence h2o a try. its navionics compatable, so hopefully it will do the trick!

 

[motocross269]

QUOTE(tracker73 @ Jul 26 2009, 04:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>thanks for the input, and the offer. I'm gonna give the lowrence h2o a try. its navionics compatable, so hopefully it will do the trick!

Good Choice!!!! Make sure you get the C..Color model

 

[bassfan586]

I'll second that. Get the color model. its good.