Best nautical handheld gps?

[Walleye Ric]

Any experience with handheld and what to look for would be appreciated.

Which ones to avoid.

[Andy_L]

+ Lowrance H2O with a Navionics card

haven't seen any others so can't comment on them, but the H2O is great

[cprince]

Funny... I always like Lowerence, but recently I have been trying to find a radar attachment for a friend, and trying to get anything from local dealers is a nightmare. It will take at least two months if I try to buy locally because (according to the authorized Lowerence dealers) they have to buy X amount of stuff from Lowerence to be able to place an order.

You can't just go into a dealer and buy the attachment BR24 Broad Band Radar.

For me, this has turned me off of that brand. Other than that they have solid units IMHO.

Craig

[Andy_L]

Funny... I always like Lowerence, but recently I have been trying to find a radar attachment for a friend, and trying to get anything from local dealers is a nightmare. It will take at least two months if I try to buy locally because (according to the authorized Lowerence dealers) they have to buy X amount of stuff from Lowerence to be able to place an order.

You can't just go into a dealer and buy the attachment BR24 Broad Band Radar.

For me, this has turned me off of that brand. Other than that they have solid units IMHO.

Craig

Craig....did you try Linden Audio in Kingston? if not give Randy a call at 613-389-3868. They are usually really good at getting Lowrance stuff

[Walleye Ric]

Thanks for the reply. I've borrowed an H2Oc and it has a freedommap f112ex-ec card in it which is eastern canada. I've tried 12 ways to sunday to get depths on many different rivers to show up with no luck. Any idea what I'm missing. I figure I've got something in the menu setup incorrectly but the User Guide isn't much help. Thanks if you can.

[solar]

For what its worth, I got a Garmin Nuvi that's a crossover GPS; it can be used for driving in cities, then switched over to boating. I bought the Garmin Inland Lakes Ontario fishing chip, and while it certainly should not be relied upon for navigation, it does give a lake map with general depth info and your position on the water, as well as providing bearing and speed (in knots). It has a lithium battery and can go cordless on a console mount, and once you're done, it can go back in the car for automobile navigation. Its fairly shockproof and can take submersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. I use this as a guide only, and have paper lake maps which are perhaps more accurate that I use in conjunction with the GPS, aided by the fishfinder depth info and followed up by common sense and slow speeds around shores and islands.

I would imagine that the GPS packages on fishfinders would be more specific to water navigation, and if the most accurate navgation is your goal, then fishfinder or purely marine GPS would be the best.

Take care,

Chris

[Joey Rat]

I have a Lowrance H2Oc with a navionics Canada Lakes chip mounted beside my finder. It works pretty good with the exception that I have difficulty maintaining external power. I just make sure I have batteries on board.

With Navionics, not all lakes are created equal in terms of detail but then how accurate is anything this year with the low water levels. Certainly the breaks are indicated and that's probably more important than the depths which I get from my finder. I have a finder on my bow as well.

The newer chips have more high def detail on large heavily utilized lakes but on smaller less travelled lakes detail tends to be lacking.

The chip I have has navigatioh buoys right down to the number on the buoy. My buddy has a Garmin hand held which I like in all other respects but I don' t believe the Garmin Inland lakes has the buoys.

[RandyLinden]

Freedom maps do not have any details for the water. They are Topo maps and only show detaled land mass. No contour lines, depth, or marker bouys.
You can use Navionics maps in your H20c that have details for the various bodies of water. Just get the proper one for the area you will be using it in.
Hope this helps
Randy

[Andy_L]

speak of the devil

[beachburger]

Randy,

Do you have the Freedom Map chip for Eastern Ontario? I have an H20c that I want to use on my new ATV and am having a hard time finding the topo chip.

Thanx.....
Doug

[RandyLinden]

Sorry for the delay
I was actually out fishing!
Sorry we don't have any of the Canadian Freedom maps left in stock (except for a northern Ont., a northern Que., and a maritime version)but I have been informed by Navico that there will be a replacement soon....
I don't know how long soon is going to be.
I suggest that you give other dealers a call to see if they happen to have any left in stock.
Randy

[horsehunter]

Mine (Freedom Map chip for Eastern Ontario) arrived un the mail today. I bought it for my depthfinder/gps because of the cr@p Lowrance base map.
It also works in my XOG crossover. I am quite impressed

It was $70 from Anglers Outfitters give Jocelyn a call 613 539 3941 tell him Frank in Tweed recomended himand he wont charge you mor than double.

Edit (I think it is eastern Canada)