Best GPS unit for river navigation

nitemare38

Cadet
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
7
I have a Tracker partydeck 21 and want to take some long distance inland river trips.
Need some advice on the best GPS for inland river navigation, would also be great if it could point out marinas, lodging, etc.
 

Pez Vela

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
504
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

The best chart coverage for your intended cruise depends upon where it is going to be. Care to name the river and your intended route?
 

nitemare38

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Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
7
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

Tennessee river from Knoxville to Tom Bigbee waterway then on to Mobile, AL andf back.
 

Pez Vela

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
504
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

That's out of my zone, but some others who are local to that area may chime in. Remember that the pre-loaded (built-in) charts in any given GPS chartplotter may be rather basic, and that you may have to specify your particular area when buying your machine, or add a plug-in chart card as an extra cost option to get the best detail for that area.
 

jhebert

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Jul 24, 2005
Messages
902
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

There is only one global positioning system, the United States Air Force NAVSTAR. You are welcome to use it on a river. You really do not have any options. It is the only GPS. GPS receivers all work the same way no matter where they are located. They listen for satellites and deduce their position from the signals they receive. You could be in a desert or on a river, and the GPS system and its GPS receiver work the same way.
 

Outsider

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Apr 24, 2007
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1,022
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

..and the GPS system and its GPS receiver work the same way.

True enough, but all GPS receivers aren't created equal. I'd suggest going to an outlet selling GPS plotters and see what's what. If it's worth anything, the store associate should be able to suggest units that might have chart coverage for that waterway ... :eek:
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
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Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

I have a Garmin GPS/sounder and love it, super accurate adn the fish finder is great too.

I run a river too and at night, it is really invaluable, I know the river really really well but it sure is handy.

Different GPS but I was out one night with the top on and the windows fogged up really bad for some reason, turned out it was really that foggy, could barely see the nav light but the Gps got me back to the ramp just fine, pretty scary, I was running dead slow but it worked and beat spending the night on the water.
 

jhebert

Ensign
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Messages
902
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

..and the GPS system and its GPS receiver work the same way.

True enough, but all GPS receivers aren't created equal....

You can buy an excellent GPS receiver for about $35. There is little improvement in performance of the GPS receiver gained by spending more money on the GPS receiver. GPS receivers are now commodity devices. Most use the same chips.
 

RicMic

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
431
Re: Best GPS unit for river navigation

You can buy an excellent GPS receiver for about $35. There is little improvement in performance of the GPS receiver gained by spending more money on the GPS receiver. GPS receivers are now commodity devices. Most use the same chips.

True that they use the same chips, so you are paying for the software and size of the screen. Garmin is generally considered very highly in GPS as that was always their specialty, later they got into the sonar and such, wheras, Lowrance and Humminbird, were in sonar and later got into GPS, but I think its splitting hairs at this point. I'd look for what features I NEED and a big screen, the screen is what you will be looking at, so I wouldn't get smaller than the 5X5.
 
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