new Garmin GPSmap chartplotters

garmin-gpsmap-7215
We’ve talked about Garmin’s GPSmap series here on Navigadget but just today they came out with a bunch of new models including this one pictured above – the GPSmap 7215.

Their new series of chartplotters are the GPSmap 6000 and GPSmap 7000 which include the new Garmin G Motion technology that promises to smooth map panning, and zooming with super fast updates. Unlike most other devices out there when it comes to marine GPS devices it is sometimes really important to have a really really dim backlight – and all the new models in these series boast a display that can dim down to 0.5 nits.

The new models are:

  • GPSMAP 7015: touchscreen, 15″, basemap only
  • GPSMAP 7215: touchscreen, 15″, U.S. coastal charts and more
  • GPSMAP 7012: touchscreen, 12″, basemap only
  • GPSMAP 7212: touchscreen, 12″, U.S. coastal charts and more
  • GPSMAP 6012: soft key interface, 12″, basemap only
  • GPSMAP 6212: soft key interface, 12″, U.S. coastal charts and more
  • GPSMAP 6008: soft key interface, 8″, basemap only
  • GPSMAP 6208: soft key interface, 8″, U.S. coastal charts and more

Youll have to wait until February 2010 to get one of these MFD chartplotters. Expect to pay more than $3000…

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put this in your boat: Geonav-G12

Geonav-G12
What you’re looking here is the new Geonav G12. This is a marine GPS system that may come as handy as flip flops on a boat. We don’t know much about the technical details yet but the Italian company already has a mini site dedicated to the Geonav G12.

This marine chart plotter has a DualFuel Cartography which lets users navigate on their terms with choice of Navionics or C-MAP by Jeppesen charts, QuickConnect Data Port with a front-panel USB access, plus the flexibility to use two SD memory cards for charts or routes, and a powerful processor that makes view multi-pane 2D and 3D charts, sonar, radar and other navigation information simultaneously a breeze…

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GPS chartplotting with 955c from Humminbird

955c
We realize we don’t pay enough attention to marine GPS units so we’ll try to make up for it by talking about the GPS chartplotting device 955c from Humminbird. It has a price tag of $1,200 but it’ll probably pay for itself with all that fish you’ll catch.

Chartplotter 955C has a nicely sized 8″ color display with 480×800 resolution in a 16:9 format. It comes with UniMap built-in, and it is Navionics compatible, with 3D chart support. It can hook up to bunch of other units with with various network Modules such as the WeatherSense, CannonLink, and InterLink.

As far as the GPS receiver it can track 16 satellites at once and that should be plenty since you’ll almost never be under thick tree canopy or tall buildings blocking your view (ok maybe some big dark clouds). It allows for trackplotting and chartplotting, can report your GPS Speed and supports Navionics Platinum which is an optional add on.

You can store 3000 waypoints, 50 routes or 50 tracks with 20K points on each. Amazon has the Humminbird 955C for $1054.

Garmin GPSMAP 545s Marine GPS Receiver

gpsmap-545s
Garmin GPSMAP 545s is a chart plotting device which uses global positioning satellite technology to help you navigate safely and accurately at sea. It features a full color 5 inch screen capable of rendering sharp and bright visuals at 640×480 pixels and specially designed to be readable even in the glare of the sun.

It is easy to read, easy to set up and the detailed routes can be recalculated with fast redraw rates and photo-enhanced cartography. The machine includes detailed offshore maps and Bluechart g2 coverage of the USA and Bahamas. Powerful dual frequency or dual bean sonar allows you to map depth contours or target fish and structures beneath the water. It is also CANet enabled which means you can share sounder data with other plotter displays on your boat. This looks to be a very useful and versatile device for professional or casual sailing and you can currently pick one up for a knock down price of $779.20 – or get it from Amazon for $830…

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Garmin GPSMAP 620


Continuing our marine GPS coverage; we have GPSMAP 620 after the GPSMAP 640 we just talked about.

Both devices have the same form factor and most of the same specs such as the 5.2″ screen and IPX7 waterproof design.

What’s different is that GPSMAP 620 is designed with international boaters in mind and thus excludes street level maps and marine charts. Instead it has a worldwide basemap with shaded relief. All the extra maps will cost you money and you’ll have the SD slot to feed them into your system.

GPSMAP 620 will cost $1000.

GPSMAP 640


GPSMAP 640 is the latest dual purpose GPS navigation system from Garmin for both the land and the sea.

GPSMAP 640 is portable and rugged, and has a waterproof (IPX7) 5.2″ WVGA touchscreen display with 800×480 pixels resolution. It comes preloaded with maps of North America and worldwide shaded relief mapping in addition to detailed U.S. coastal BlueChartg2 charts.

GPSMAP 640 is smart enough to automatically start up in marine mode when placed in its included marine mount. Also with the optional BlueChart g2 Vision technology, the GPSMAP 640 can provide a 3-D “mariner’s eye view,” for a navigation perspective above the waterline, and a “fish eye view” for an underwater 3D bathymetric contour perspective.

Mariners will also benefit from the auto guidance technology the g2 Vision data card enables that suggests the best navigational route. In addition, photo references give detail aerial views of points of interest (POI) such as ports, marinas, waterways and landmarks.

GPSMAP 640 also has support for XM WX Satellite Weather with the GXM 40 antenna which can display the information directly on the screen. With GXM 40 you’ll have access to more than 20 different types of weather attributes, nearly 200 channels of commercial-free music, news, sports talk and entertainment with XM Satellite Radio, and XM NavTraffic to avoid traffic.

GPSMAP 640 will go for $1200 when it first comes out.

Raymarine E120


Raymarine is one of the leading marine electronics developers and manufactures a wide range of electronic equipment and GPS products for marine markets. Raymarine E120 is a high performance and multifunction navigation display with 12.1 inch immoderate bright sunlight color display. The Raymarine E120 has new features like chartplotter, fishfinder, radar, and video and easy to use communicated navigation system. It is built inside a rugged aluminum chassis and waterproof to CFR46 standards.

It has customized options for each page and you can also customize with multiple window combinations or full screen applications for every navigation scenario. It supports SeaTalk HS network protocol for plug and play sharing of radar, chartplotting, fishfinder, weather and navigation functions between E-Series displays. It also supports SeaTalk and SeaTalk2/SeaTalkNG protocols for seamless integration with Raymarine instruments and autopilots.

Features of Raymarine E120

Multifunction Navigation:
It has multifunction displays and easy to connect sensor to send the E-series display with full function for chart plotter, digital fish finder and radar.

Video Integration: Easy integration of various videos from marine cameras, CCTV cameras, satellite television receivers and infrared cameras and more. E-series control from anywhere on board with optional 15” remote station kit.

Networking: High speed of 100 Megabit networking. Connect upto 8 SeaTalk hs devices with plug and play interfacing.

Chartplotter: Information rich Navionics vector cartography combined with satellite differential GPS.

GPSMap 5012


Continuing over coverage of marine navigation systems we also want to talk about Garmin GPSMap 5012. This is one of the high end marine navigators from Garmin with a suggested retail price of $3885. However Amazon have a few of them in stock for $2970.

The GPSMAP 5012 is touch screen based interface with satellite enhanced worldwide base map. The wide 12.1” screen helps for easy navigation by pointing finger on the screen. GPSMAP 5012 comes with preloaded Maps of all over world along with high-resolution satellite images. The product is adaptable to new additions and details in to the Maps with integrated SD memory card reader. The 3D show is user friendly and has a auto guidance technology which avoids road blocks or depth waters. It is connected to Garmin Marine Network.

Features of Garming GPSMap 5012:

Graphics and Video
It has worldwide base map with high quality satellite images compared to more traditional maps in other products available in the market. We can add maps easily with card slot without connecting to a computer. It has high quality video resolution and big XGA screen graphics. It has video connectivity option with live in the boat.

BlueChart g2 Vision
The optional BlueChart g2 vision card feature is useful for the graph plotter.

Northstar 8000i


Northstar 8000i is an integrated navigation product from Northstar Inc, a leading manufacturer of marine navigation products. Northstar 8000i is available in two versions one with 12″ and 15″ touch screen display. Northstar 8000i it designed for use in boats, it has big touch screen for control all the functions. The GPS data is displayed in 3D format via satellite photos. The one unique feature of this gadget is inclusion of entertainment like DVD, video and digital music player. It can be connected with any vessel’s existing amplifier and speakers and it is adaptable to 42″ plasma display. The 12″ touch screen display products has all in one unit while the 15” touch screen display product separates the processor, screen and keyboard into separate components.

Some features of Northstar 8000i include:

  • Wide and Easily Understandable Touch Screen
  • Network architecture Combo Graph plotter, Fish observer, Radar, Video, DVD Player, CD player, digital music jukebox
  • C-Map’s MAX PRO cartography and 3D bathymetric presentation
  • GPS aerial
  • High Performance Networked Radar with digital radar processing technology
  • 1kw network, digital sounder
  • Waterproof Rugged
  • Waterproof Casing

How much? Let’s just say it is close to 10K.