New Navagation System

[Gimme Time]

Anyone have experience with the new Garmin 5212 or 5215 systems that would be willing to provide pros & cons about the system? Lighting took out my nav systems the past Monday and have been looking at the different systems out there and the Garmin touch screen systems seem exceptionally user friendly which I can't say for my existing Ray Marine equipment.

Your comments and recommendations would be greatly appreciated. :smt021:smt021

 

[wkearney99]

A friend has the 5212 on his 290. While it is nice, and the graphics are great looking, the touchscreen is not all that convenient to operate when underway. At least when there's anything more than mild conditions. The tapping gets tricky when you're finger is bouncing due to boat motion. Personally I prefer a system with hard buttons. That way you can feel for the button rather than having to take your eyes off the water to look at the screen.

 

[gerryb]

I have the 5208 and would disagree with Bill in that I find the touchscreen much easier because I don't have to fumble with buttons. (Looking for the right button to use is the distraction, not 'looking at the screen'...) Four taps is all it takes to create a waypoint for my buoy markers, as an example. Screen and refresh speed is nice. I always recommend that you try the different new units at one of the big boating stores (west marine) before making the final decision.

 

[barryg]

I also have the 5208 on my 320, and had the E-80 on my last boat. I also just went to Bimini and back and it does take a little practice to get used to tapping while in rough seas, but zooming in and out, and going from one screen to another is very very easy. I also have XM weather with it and it is amazing-the best thing to get as like radar, you can overlay it on the chart and zoom in or out to see what is coming your way.

Barry

 

[wkearney99]

I have the 5208 and would disagree with Bill in that I find the touchscreen much easier because I don't have to fumble with buttons. (Looking for the right button to use is the distraction, not 'looking at the screen'...) Four taps is all it takes to create a waypoint for my buoy markers, as an example. Screen and refresh speed is nice. I always recommend that you try the different new units at one of the big boating stores (west marine) before making the final decision.

Trying a demo on the shelf is like buying a car while sitting in the parking lot. Or by only taking a 5 minute test drive. Get the car on loan over the weekend, or get on a friend's boat that has the setup in question and focus on what the owner would or wouldn't improve about it. THAT will serve you a lot better than poking at the demo screens and talking with ill-informed retail personnel.

Everyone has different learning styles. I prefer being able to "get used to" the location of buttons and then using them based on position and feel. Sort of like typing on a keyboard. Some folks will forever hunt-and-peck while looking at the keys, and that's fine. Others will find the raised marks on the F and J keys and touch type. Both get the job done.

What I disliked about the Garmin setup was it's inability to easily split screens with weather and charts at different resolutions. As in, show me the up close depth values on a chart while also letting me see the long range weather. Out on the open ocean or in deep, unobstructed waters this wouldn't matter very much. Inland would be a bit different.

I used this coming out of the Sassafras one Monday trying to get home 'in-between' pockets of rain. Being able to see the charts at 1/4" mile range, while having the weather at 25 miles let me see whether I should speed up or slow down based on conditions ahead. The weather display on the Garmin didn't give me this same flexibility.

Garmin's find feature is very nice as is the automatic route planner. That and the weather is definitely more eye-catching (but problematic because of blocking chart detail).

Now since I already have Raymarine gear I'm unlikely to be changing any time soon. But if lightning cooked it all tomorrow I still would not make the switch to a touchscreen only display. A combination of the two would definitely strike my interest...