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Old 05 September 2002, 08:35   #1
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Garmin 2006 (Colour)

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.
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Old 05 September 2002, 09:15   #2
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Charles

Do they have a Piranah Portable fish finder?

Keith (after a bargain) Hart
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Old 05 September 2002, 11:14   #3
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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?
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Old 05 September 2002, 11:39   #4
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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
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Old 05 September 2002, 12:38   #5
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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
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Old 05 September 2002, 15:31   #6
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Colour Plotter

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.
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Old 05 September 2002, 15:34   #7
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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.

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Old 05 September 2002, 16:01   #8
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Plotter

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.
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Old 05 September 2002, 16:06   #9
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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?
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Old 05 September 2002, 16:39   #10
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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?
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Old 05 September 2002, 18:04   #11
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Mmmmm, weight distribution is critical on this craft. I always found the largest, most over-weight person I could find and stuck them in the front console seat. The difference in performance was remarkable. Try to keep most of the weight as close to amidship as you can get. Utlimately your problem is (as you have identified) too much weight on the transom. You require more stern lift hence my suggestions via e-mail.
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Old 05 September 2002, 19:47   #12
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Food for Thought

I am currently looking at chart plotters and was rather put off for what you got for your money.

When the new boat arrives I plan to fit a decent plotter. The Garmin 176 I have is OK but the mono screen is far to small. It uses Blue chat which I run from CD which i find great. it comes with its own PC based plotter which you use to plan routes etc and download to the Garmin on a PC. If you connect the Garmin to this plotter it gives you a full blown plotter on your PC.

This got me thinking pound for pound what would you pay for a 10" colouer VGA plotter, say 2K is about right.
Having the GPS and the plotter software I got thinking about PC's on RIB's, why not.
I have looked at micro PC's 105x120x40mm, 12 volt powered and laptops fitted with a external sealed LCD screen.
This gives you full PC plotter on a 14" SVGA bright screen for about 800-900 quid !!. If you go for a smaller screen the cost drops a bit but not much. Plus there is lots of other PC based software which you can then make use of.


I am putting the final bits and bobs toghther but should have all items in the next few weeks. Once the new RIB arrives its just a matter of fitting the PC into the console (in a water proof box) and the screen to the console. I also plan to fit a waterprrof touch pad (like on laptops) so you have full control.

Go on call me mad, but I think its the way to go, I will try to get some pics once I have thing toghther but am now thinking that 2K for a plotter, who will pay that.

Regards Gary
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Old 05 September 2002, 21:41   #13
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The PC sounds a great idea but the hard disk will not last past the first good wave. The idea might work if you can find some way of using something that has no disk. you could try an Ipaq and use an external screen the same as for the PC.

Hope it all works

John
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Old 06 September 2002, 05:25   #14
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Charles

I went throught all of this last year when looking for Electronics for Topaz. I went to the London Boat Show and tried out the various models. In the end I chse the Garmin 182 Chartplotter in mono - I decided against the colour version on the advice of Garmin themselves, who said that on a RIB there would be an issue wth visibility in sunlight, and fitting a cover made the unit very flimsy.

Other makes I looked at were also good, but many were just too big and cumbersome, or too delicate for a RIB.

As for using Garmin's own technology, the Blue Charts are excellent, and if you choose the CD and Blank Cartridge option this becomes even more cost effective. As for longevity, they are still updating their old map system, and claim that they will do so for a minimum of 10 years. Should BlueChart be superceded (and it is an almost brand new system) I am sure they will offer the same service.

The one thing I have found with Garmin is that their chartsare made for their systems, and work perfectly, wheras other makes buy in chart technology, and I have seen some incompatibility problems. Also Garmin's customer service is excellent - they have always answered my queries, and sent out information on request.

If the Garmin is as good a price as you seem to indicate, I would go for it.
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Old 06 September 2002, 07:24   #15
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Thanks Graham, I have no qualms about Garmin products as I have virtually gone through their entire range including your current model. Its just that having used Raymarine on my Targa as well as navigating with Hot Lemon's 10inch plotter, I sort of fell in love with these units. I spent a number of hours with a friend of mine yesterday who is the local agent for Raymarine and he gave me impartial advice and a good demo on a number of the plotters. Raymarine vs Garmin is probably a little unfair as they are both exceptional units, in this case the price of the Garmin 2006 (colour) is at a rock-bottom price and the Raymarine dealer will offer his plotter at a very competitive price. What to do, what to do??

I think everyone on this forum will have different opinions, ultimataly its a balance between reliability, cost, user-friendliness (is there such a word?) and size. I will let you all know what I decide.
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Old 06 September 2002, 08:25   #16
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With the choice narrowed down to Garmin vs Raymarine, then you're not going to go badly wrong either way!

Garygee, don't even consider fitting a PC to a RIB unless it is a fully ruggedised version, something like this. You need to be looking at military spec kit if you want to have any chance of it lasting, and they don't come cheap.

Really, really, don't spend hundreds of pounds on a regular mini PC for your RIB. Put it in your car instead, where it's more likely to survive. It would be good to have a combined chart plotter and MP3 player though

John
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Old 06 September 2002, 12:03   #17
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PC In a RIB

Garygee

I have to agree with John. I work in the iT industry and the hard drive and the cd rom drive would not take the pounding that a rib gets. I cant imagine it lasting very long. Military spec lap tops are mega expensive too. Stick to a normal chart plotter.
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Old 06 September 2002, 15:29   #18
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Charles, My Raymarine 425 being the budget end of the Raymarine range cannot be interfaced with radar etc - doesn't have the seatalk bus. Its a good bit of kit for its price though and I like the Navionics charts.

I've used the Raymarine kit on Cyanide extensively as you know and have been very impressed with it right up until it all going on the fritz in Scotland this year!

Alan
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Old 07 September 2002, 17:27   #19
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I have just spent a day driving a Ribtec 6.45 with twin 50 Hp Merc 4 strokes. The boat was safe but not very exciting, topping 27 knots with a light fuel load and one person. Fuel consumption for both engines was 35 lph at full speed. I appreciate your hull is different and potentially has some real advantages but I am glad I didn't buy the rib with twin 4 stokes. Go for the big single with the big thrills
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Old 08 September 2002, 19:39   #20
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Hi everyone

Its interesting that yet again its down to Raymarine and Garmin and I would say while they are both very nice i think they are over priced.

I think I am still going to try the PC route, i understand your comments about the hard drive etc and was not planning to use one !. I work within the embeded PC industry as a designer.
The route I was planning to use a industrial embedded PC as you dont really need all the power desktops give you, they are small and are low power. The hard drive would not be present being replaced with a flash disk, while this will be slow to boot with enough RAM it should not slow the system down when running.
The entire pc will be in a IP67 enclosure and inside the console.
The LCD I am looking at it a standard vga panel, no case. This will be mounted into a case again to IP68.

I hope this should do things, I can get much of the stuff very cheap through work so if things dont work I can play a bit to get thing right.

Anyway I will let you know how things go as I wont be starting this until my new RIB arrives early next year.

Regards Gary
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