GPS for Bike and Boat

Jul 18, 2007
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I have just bought a sailboat (Wauquiez Hood 38, if you are interested in such).

I have not put a GPS on my bike, but had the thought that if properly selected, a GPS unit for the bike could also provide another redundant system for the boat.

Do any of you have recommendations for a GPS that would be suitable for both motorcycle and maritime use?

Tks in advance.
 
Dec 25, 2007
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NDSinBKK wrote: I have just bought a sailboat (Wauquiez Hood 38, if you are interested in such).

I have not put a GPS on my bike, but had the thought that if properly selected, a GPS unit for the bike could also provide another redundant system for the boat.

Do any of you have recommendations for a GPS that would be suitable for both motorcycle and maritime use?

Tks in advance.
I have a new model on my KLX from Garmin , the 550 , it is designed for Car , Bike and Boat ..... you can switch in mode program walking , driving a car or a bike and even a boat.
You can not buy it in Thailand (my parents brought it with them from Belgium) Price 425 Euro.

Thai software works perfect , let them do it in BKK Seacon Square building (global 5) www.global5thailand.com

Can stand very high shocks and is 100% waterproof for 1 meter depth. So no problem in rain.

Cheers
 
Mar 15, 2003
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www.daveearly.com
avantgarde wrote: [quote quote=NDSinBKK]I have just bought a sailboat (Wauquiez Hood 38, if you are interested in such).

I have not put a GPS on my bike, but had the thought that if properly selected, a GPS unit for the bike could also provide another redundant system for the boat.

Do any of you have recommendations for a GPS that would be suitable for both motorcycle and maritime use?

Tks in advance.
I have a new model on my KLX from Garmin , the 550 , it is designed for Car , Bike and Boat ..... you can switch in mode program walking , driving a car or a bike and even a boat.
You can not buy it in Thailand (my parents brought it with them from Belgium) Price 425 Euro.

Thai software works perfect , let them do it in BKK Seacon Square building (global 5) www.global5thailand.com

Can stand very high shocks and is 100% waterproof for 1 meter depth. So no problem in rain.

Cheers
Well I don't like to disagree, but I am afraid I do disagree with virtually everything stated.

First the Garmin 550 is not new and has been out for a couple years. It is available in Thailand but much more expensive than overseas.

The 550 is waterproof but it is not designed for boats and I wouldn't recommend it for that purpose. I have a Zumo 450 (virtually the same as 550 minus Bluetooth) and have used it for more than a year. I also have a Garmin 76csx which IS recommended for use on the water.

I can not see attempting to plot a course on the 550. It is not really designed with that in mind. I (and Garmin) would recommend the 60csx or the 76csx. The 276 would be excellant for the boat and I know of people using them on their motorcycle and are quite happy with them. The only problem is they have not yet updated to the SD card so loading a Thailand map is a little more difficult.

Maybe Pico or RHeikel could advise as to the map they use on their 276.

In my "past life" I did have Charter Boat company and am familiar with navigating by GPS. Personally I would go with the 76csx if you are serious about using it on the water. Both me and Davidfl use the 76 series for serious mapping. The 550 does not have the available data screens that one woould like on the water, it is more of an easy to use gadget and specifically with motorcycle in mind.

Try this link to the Garmin Site and you can do your own comparison. Garmin Site

I wish these would work on a bike, I wouldn't need my glasses :lol:

Helm.jpg
 

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Jul 18, 2007
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Thank you, Dave. After reading the initial suggestion, I had gone to the Garmin site and discovered that the 550 was not in fact one of the recommended marine devices. Your comments now make clear why there are better alternatives. The differing perspectives were helpful, I thank both of you.

It looks to me as if the 60csx may no longer be in production, or marketed under another name - I did not find it on the Garmin site.

The boat has two older model Garmins, a GPS 12 and a GPS 126.

As seems to always be the case with tech choices, I don't see anything that hits a bullseye. The SD card would be a real plus, but it only seems to be used in models that are not really ideally suited for a motorcycle.

So no free lunch. Tks again for your well-informed advice.

S.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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NDSinBKK wrote: Thank you, Dave. After reading the initial suggestion, I had gone to the Garmin site and discovered that the 550 was not in fact one of the recommended marine devices. Your comments now make clear why there are better alternatives. The differing perspectives were helpful, I thank both of you.

It looks to me as if the 60csx may no longer be in production, or marketed under another name - I did not find it on the Garmin site.

The boat has two older model Garmins, a GPS 12 and a GPS 126.

As seems to always be the case with tech choices, I don't see anything that hits a bullseye. The SD card would be a real plus, but it only seems to be used in models that are not really ideally suited for a motorcycle.

So no free lunch. Tks again for your well-informed advice.

S.
The SD cards are used in the 60csx, 76csx, and the Zumo. Also some of the other GPS listed under "Mapping Handhelds". There may be some good choices in Oregon series, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

The 60csx is here; https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145&pID=310 . This is probably the most used by the guys riding here in Chiang Mai.

You are probably better off sticking with a "use specific"' GPS. Use what you have for the boat, and choose a different GPS for the bike.
 
Mar 21, 2007
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I have the 76 Cx...with all the latests maps here which are gratis if you know the right people...? !
Mine has floated in my sinking boat...salt water...and ridden through everything thailand can throw at it....
Its awesome...the only failure has been one of the fine metal springs for the battery broke...tinfoil to the rescue...couldn't recommend them highly enough.
And for what its worth Silverhawk is probably the guy with the best advice available...he's a yachtie and a biker , like myself.
 
Nov 21, 2008
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NDSinBKK wrote: I have just bought a sailboat (Wauquiez Hood 38, if you are interested in such).

I have not put a GPS on my bike, but had the thought that if properly selected, a GPS unit for the bike could also provide another redundant system for the boat.

Do any of you have recommendations for a GPS that would be suitable for both motorcycle and maritime use?

Tks in advance.
Just bought a garmin 276c for the boat it is clearly the best alternative for allround use,watertight and robust,it has evrything you need for the boat even sonar capability fish finder and a lot of other nice feathures.
it is a bit big but you will get used to it,the price is allso rather stiff because you basicly buy a lobotomised gps and then you go shopping for the software and hardware for the specs that you want as for boat use it is fairly compleete but need charts and memory stick (garmin stick) expencive as hell i bought the memory stick from hong kong payed just over 140 dollar with shipping,i think compleete for boat and road it will cost about 1000 dollar us,belive me it is worth it,this is a multipurpose gps battery lasts about 6-15 hours,extra battery do not cost a lot,about 30 dollar on ebay.
 
Dec 25, 2007
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SilverhawkUSA wrote: [quote quote=avantgarde][quote quote=NDSinBKK]I have just bought a sailboat (Wauquiez Hood 38, if you are interested in such).

I have not put a GPS on my bike, but had the thought that if properly selected, a GPS unit for the bike could also provide another redundant system for the boat.

Do any of you have recommendations for a GPS that would be suitable for both motorcycle and maritime use?

Tks in advance.
I have a new model on my KLX from Garmin , the 550 , it is designed for Car , Bike and Boat ..... you can switch in mode program walking , driving a car or a bike and even a boat.
You can not buy it in Thailand (my parents brought it with them from Belgium) Price 425 Euro.

Thai software works perfect , let them do it in BKK Seacon Square building (global 5) www.global5thailand.com

Can stand very high shocks and is 100% waterproof for 1 meter depth. So no problem in rain.

Cheers
Well I don't like to disagree, but I am afraid I do disagree with virtually everything stated.

First the Garmin 550 is not new and has been out for a couple years. It is available in Thailand but much more expensive than overseas.
The 550 is waterproof but it is not designed for boats and I wouldn't recommend it for that purpose. I have a Zumo 450 (virtually the same as 550 minus Bluetooth) and have used it for more than a year. I also have a Garmin 76csx which IS recommended for use on the water.

I can not see attempting to plot a course on the 550. It is not really designed with that in mind. I (and Garmin) would recommend the 60csx or the 76csx. The 276 would be excellant for the boat and I know of people using them on their motorcycle and are quite happy with them. The only problem is they have not yet updated to the SD card so loading a Thailand map is a little more difficult.

Maybe Pico or RHeikel could advise as to the map they use on their 276.

In my "past life" I did have Charter Boat company and am familiar with navigating by GPS. Personally I would go with the 76csx if you are serious about using it on the water. Both me and Davidfl use the 76 series for serious mapping. The 550 does not have the available data screens that one woould like on the water, it is more of an easy to use gadget and specifically with motorcycle in mind.

Try this link to the Garmin Site and you can do your own comparison. Garmin Site

Hello Silverhawk ,

I don't know what country you are from origin , but in Belgium where i'm from is the Nuvi 550 out from august 2008 , not 2 years like you said here on the forum.

Can you also give me an adress or phone where you can buy it in Thailand , because i can't. I want to have a new second mountkit and what they have here is to small for the 550.

Cheers
 
Mar 15, 2003
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www.daveearly.com
Avantgarde-

I don't know what country you are from............etc
Hmmm....SilverhawkUSA

It appears we both need to be more specific in our posts :lol: . We both refer to "GARMIN" 550. As we are talking motorcycles I was refering to the ZUMO 550 and the ZUMO 450.

If you contact Eagle GPS they sell the ZUMO 550 /41,000 baht and the NUVI 550 /16,500 baht (=350 euro? :cry: ). They may be able to help you out.

Reading the specs on the Nuvi 550 it sounds pretty good for the price. I don't see where it has track logs which is extremely important to most of us doing mapping and dirt biking. Can u save and share tracks? Let us know how it works out.
 
Dec 25, 2007
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SilverhawkUSA wrote: Avantgarde-

I don't know what country you are from............etc
Hmmm....SilverhawkUSA

It appears we both need to be more specific in our posts :lol: . We both refer to "GARMIN" 550. As we are talking motorcycles I was refering to the ZUMO 550 and the ZUMO 450.

If you contact Eagle GPS they sell the ZUMO 550 /41,000 baht and the NUVI 550 /16,500 baht (=350 euro? :cry: ). They may be able to help you out.

Reading the specs on the Nuvi 550 it sounds pretty good for the price. I don't see where it has track logs which is extremely important to most of us doing mapping and dirt biking. Can u save and share tracks? Let us know how it works out.
Thanks Silverhawk , I didn't know that eagle gps would have it already , i was in that shop 3 months ago to ask for a second mount and they said to me , (NO HAVE) but that they would try to import it for me but i never hear anything no more from them. That time they didn't even know how a nuvi 550 looked like when i show them mine. So i'm happy they get it already , now i can fix a new mountkit.
I dont know much about sharing maps , but for what i need it ( to not get lost :wink: , i'm very happy with it , plus i do not have to worry when it start raining , also its very easy to take it of my KLX and put it in my pocket , a Zumo is much bigger or ticker and way to much money in Thailand for that.
The guy in Bangkok put me also the neigbour country's in the sd card , it includes now Thailand , cambodia , Laos , Vietnam , Honkong and more.
Also the police checkpoints in Thailand are on it. Plus whole europe is on that thing , so for the price it is good yeah. :wink:

Below you can see the mount i made for my bike

DSC02226.jpg


DSC02227.jpg


Cheers
 

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Mar 15, 2003
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Yeah, I had honestly never researched the Nuvi 550 before either. It is fairly impressive for all round use. Don't get me wrong, I am not a big fan of the Zumo. It is overpriced and more gimmick than useful, in my opinion. That is why I also have the 76csx, but for most people having two units is not worth the cost.

Great job on the mount. It looks very well done. :D
 

Marco

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Oct 15, 2006
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That nuvi looks nice and wide screen is good for eyes

My only consern is the holding clip, as IF your bike is shaking a lot while in off road or in bad surface,, is there a change that it would jum out form it gradle?

that what i like in Zumo, t really holds it in place in the gradle.
 
Dec 25, 2007
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Marco wrote: That nuvi looks nice and wide screen is good for eyes

My only consern is the holding clip, as IF your bike is shaking a lot while in off road or in bad surface,, is there a change that it would jum out form it gradle?

that what i like in Zumo, t really holds it in place in the gradle.
Until now , no problem with my mount on the bike , even on dirt roads. It is already like this from december last year and i drove about 3000 km with it.
You realy have to push it open to get the nuvi out of it and that can normaly not happen by itself , even shaking very hard. But , you never know what can happen :roll:

Somethimes i go to drive on parcours with the guys from Loong Nuad , donno if you know them , but then i take the nuvi of the mount because i dont think it can stand jumps with the bike. :wink:

Cheers
 
Oct 17, 2006
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Yes the 276c is very, very good,its made for boat and bike. I 'm not an expert so can't compare.
You may have seen in the other thread that updating is very expensive. For one my memory card is too small , and Maurycy of EagleGPS had to tell me = No upgrade available in THailand, hard to get

PLUS updating my 2 year old ESRI map costs a fortune.

I guess it is an outdated model but should serve me well for some time.