Garmin 2006 (Colour)

[Charles]

I was looking at purchasing a Garmin 2006 GPS at a very competetive price as the shop is closing down here in Jsy. Does anyone have one or come across this unit before? I have had many models of Garmins before so I know all about their reliability, performance etc. I would like specific comments please.
Thanks in advance.

[Keith Hart]

Charles

Do they have a Piranah Portable fish finder?

Keith (after a bargain) Hart

[Brian]

Charles
I think you might need to be careful about the readability of the screen. As far as I know, the Ratheon is the best for readability in the open (although not the best for affordability!!)
Whatever technology type screen the Raytheon uses, that is what you would want your Garmin to have too.
I know it's a pain, but you should ask the shop to fire it up and then stand outside and view the screen in the sunlight. You may be disappointed.
In which case is your "bargain" then, money well spent?

[Charles]

Mr Hart (Bargain Hunter extrodinaire), yes I will find out for you. Do you specifically want a Pirahna, or shall I price up other makes as well?

Brian, thanks for the advice. I do remember our chat on Cyanide about the exact same subject! I have checked the screen in sunlight and its very good, apparently this is the new 2006 and actually says ' Good for direct sunlight' on a sticker on the screen?! Your Raytheon plotter is clearly what I would like to get but space and cost are important considerations. I have just had a good look at the colour RaytheonRL70CRC and am now perplexed as to which one to get. The Garmin has 'blue tooth cartography' which is exceptional, looks just like a chart, and the Raytheon as you know utilises C-map, also very good. I can get a cartridge for the Raytheon to cover an area equivalent of 6 maps(cartridges) all in one, at a fraction of the price. I am now seriously confused

[Alan]

Charles,

I think you'll find it is Blue CHART rather than Blue Tooth technology. The Blue Charts are Garmins own version of Navionics charts (www.navionics.it for details). I like Navionics charts as they offer a large amount of coverage for a low price and have a Raymarine 425 plotter on Blue Ice. What I don't like is the fact that with the Garmin you have to buy their own bespoke format. What happens when they launch the new range of plotters and change the chip format as they have just done. If you have an old Garmin 230 for example I reckon you might struggle to get charts for it now - which is a bugger if the plotter still works!

You can get a Navionics XL chart that would cover your entire cruising area for £199+VAT. Check the website for details.

Garmin plotters have many friends here and I think are good bits of kit. (I went for the Raymarine on price, clarity and ease of use, being familiar with the plotter on Cyanide from RB4 etc.) I have a pal who has the mono (2004?) plotter on his 7m RIB and the only problem he has is that the numbers are too small to be easily readable whilst in motion.

But if you can get it for a good price then its probably worth going for!

HTH,
Alan

[TIM]

Hi Charles,

I wouldnt buy the Garmin just because it is going cheap, when I was buying a plotter for my rib, I did a lot of looking around and picked a Navman 5600 plotter, which is V good and it cost 1000$,on the net and it has a 6.5" colour day light screen, and uses c-map charts,

The other advantage is that its a fuel computer, which is very handy, it can even handle twin motors.(you need to buy fuel senser, 150$)

The c-map charts cost 189$ for super wide. Its also a 100% waterproof,

I looked into a Garmin plotter but decided against it for a few resons, 1. value for money 2. very pricey charts 3. nobody else uses the Garmin charts 4. no fuel computer etc etc,
You may think I am anti Garmin, but I have used Garmin for the past 10 years and found it V good, but not any better than Navman.

[Charles]

Gee, thanks for confusing me even more Alan. Yes, you are correct, Blue Tooth is a form of communication. The Plotter you have is not 'radar ready' if you want this option later on, is it? You can get the radar display which can become a plotter, but not the other way round!? Is yours colour?

Tim, I have narrowed it down to these two ;Garmin 2006 (as I can get it for VERY cheap) or the Raymarine RL70CRC. I have had Navman instruments before and am partial to the two aforementioned. That said, the fuel consumption and sensors sounds very interesting. A visit to their web-site would be in order, I reckon.

[TIM]

OK,

If It was me I would go for the Garmin than,

Navman also do a combined fishfinder/fuel-computer, it model number 4200, its about the twice the size of a box of cigarettes, It costs 188$ for the unit and the extra for the fuel sensor/s, Knowing how much is in your tank/s is a God send, You do have to calibrate them, buts its not much hastle to do.

[Charles]

Which online vendor do you use then? BTW, how are you getting along sorting out the speed problem with the Hysucat? Why do you not join our cruise at the end of September?

[TIM]

I used vit electronics in florida, and found then great, if you go to google and type in navman 5600, it will list them,

The hysucat is still the same, but we are going to do some weight distrabution first, we plan to move the seat at the consoule, up to the bow of the rib, as far as possible, it contains c 2 X 50L tanks. And build 2 fiberglass jockey seats, to sit on at the stearing consoule, we also plan to move the steering wheel to the RHS.

The 2 motors weigh 320kg and as we are 120kg over weight in the stern, I think the only real slution there is to change the motors, to 2 x 50yams(200kg) or a 175 ficht(180kg), but that is too much hastle, if by shifting the the weight around, and we get the handling sorted out, I will be more than happy, and then look at the props for more speed.

What do you think?