GPS Chartplotter....Which one?

Hightower · 04 July 2009, 15:35

I have a friend who has just purchased a boat. He wants to buy a dedicated chartplotter with a BIG screen for small money.

I have a Garmin 182C which I've used for many years and been very happy with it and when I described this to him he said that something like this would appeal.

So the upshot is.

A BIG screen.

It can be an older model which is being sold as new.

Has to be cheap say £200ish

Garmin would be first choice but any option considered.

Poly · 05 July 2009, 08:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

...a dedicated chartplotter with a BIG screen for small money...

what counts as BIG (yours is probably 5"? but big in today's market is probably 10"+)? You'll be struggling to get something for that budget (even at 5") and probably won't get any charts included - so need to beware of the total cost (the cheaper plotters often seem to take the most expensive cartography).

Channel Ribs · 05 July 2009, 08:52

Hi Andy,

The 182C has a 5.5" screen, which as mentioned is not considered big any more.

The current equivalent Garmin product would be the 550, but they are more like £350 than £200.

Hightower · 05 July 2009, 09:19

Yeh sorry, a 5.5" screen was considered to be on the larger side when I first bought this unit some 6/7 years ago, so I've always considered it a biggish screen. But a 5.5" screen is quite suitable for this application, so I guess we're looking at that size.

When I had a problem last year with the 182C I took it back to Garmin end exchaged it for a brand new one for £100. So I guessed with Aerial and leads that £200-£300 would be a fair price for an out of date model.

Is there anyone selling out of date stock these days?

willk · 05 July 2009, 09:52

I bought a reconditioned A65 direct from Raymarine recently, after they were unable to repair my fishfinder. There was a considerable saving on what would be considered an obsolete unit. I guess the various manufacturers could be called to check for similar recon kit, the warranty period will be minimum statutory etc., 12 months. Fleabay proved to be a good source of electronic charts.