Garmin 172C - opinions please???

[fish-n-dive]

I have read the "search" stuff on this chart plotter but am still at a lost to make an opinion on it.

Anyone who has one; could I have your personal pluses and minuses please. It will be teamed up with a Furuno FCV-585 and (maybe a radar???)

cheers,
Michael

[scrubba01]

I did have a 172 c was very good never had any trouble with it and found it very easy to use sold it with my old boat. I didn't know you could but them new any more I now have the 525c which is a good unit also.

[fish-n-dive]

I did have a 172 c was very good never had any trouble with it and found it very easy to use sold it with my old boat. I didn't know you could but them new any more I now have the 525c which is a good unit also.

I dont know if you can either, it's being offered as a freebee incentive with the boat...........

[disorderly]

Try and get them to throw in a unit that accepts the new G2 bluecharts.....

Think they have prettier pictures and more features (ie 3D ,tide stuff,and they tell you where you can buy beer and maybe even find the closest mcdonalds outlet...just made that last part up but it may actually be true)

I have had the 178 for a couple of years (just the 172 plus sounder) and am quite happy with it....not even sure if the new G2 charts have any more detail but that would be worth checking into.

Scott

[tunaticer]

I have the 178c with the sounder (identical to the 172c) and its good. I have zero complaints about the machines at all. Current charting is about 12 months old and I am trying to find out when it will be upgraded to cover the new green zones in SEQ. You will not be needing a new GPS if your boat comes with that model it is fine. Plus it stores 3000 waypoints in the plotter ( most have 1000).

Jack.

[scrubba01]

Try and get them to throw in a unit that accepts the new G2 bluecharts.....

Think they have prettier pictures and more features (ie 3D ,tide stuff,and they tell you where you can buy beer and maybe even find the closest mcdonalds outlet...just made that last part up but it may actually be true)

I have had the 178 for a couple of years (just the 172 plus sounder) and am quite happy with it....not even sure if the new G2 charts have any more detail but that would be worth checking into.

Scott

The G2 stuff does have a bit more detail but most of the new functions are the bits your not really going to use. Tide funtion is handy though. When I had my 172 also bought the sounder upgrade for it which turns it into a 1000kw sounder which was pretty good as well.

[honda900]

I have a 172c with maps works great, I also have a 527IGPS with navionics;

So comparison, the garmin is fare easier to move around and has a much faster refresh rate the lowrance unit. The garmin unit is far more accurate (external antenna) and locks on to satellites almost immediately with an externa antenna.

To be fair, the 527 is an internal gps model and mounted on the dash, with the centre aluminimum brace for the windscreen right behind it.

Charts, both charts are good, the lowrance chart in certain areas has more detail than the bluechart, (this may have been updated).

I also have the bluechart software and the Lowrance Nave planner software, theres is absolutely no comparison between the products, the Bluechart software is years ahead of the navplanner.

I got trymaxt to bulid me a power supply and cable for 100 bucks to allow me to transfer the gps and waypoints from the unit to my computer. This the real bonus, the Bluechart software allows you to easily manage waypoints routes, and tracks, will even calculate speed and distance for a trip for you..

Need any more info, give me a yell.

Regards
HOnda.