Raymarine C70 data cards - replacement ?

[Rxflyer]

The C70 GPS/Plotter that came in the boat does not have a datacard. Assuming that I won't have any luck with the previous owner, which brand of maps will work the best, and what are the best sources for buying a replacement card ? I'm not planning any grand excursions anytime soon, and will be staying here in the TN/Cumberland River area. Thanks for any advise.

 

[Hampton]

For my boat, since I bought it in W Palm and live in Panama City, I went to West Marine and they sold me a blank chip and loaded it using a computer they had in the store. I'm not sure if your unit works the same, but I bet it does.

 

[Henry Boyd]

The "brand" of charts is largely determined by the chartplotter as the chips are physically different, or loaded with a data format that is not compatible. If you look up your C70 in West's catalog it will tell which chips will work. As for the cartography itself, you tell the vendor where you will be boating and they load the software onto a chip. That's how it works for coastal waters that have NOAA charts. I'm not sure of the availability of charts for inland waters. Major bodies and rivers (like the Great Lakes and Mississippi) will have charts, smaller lakes and rivers might not. If you boat on a small lake for example, you might not want to spend the money on a chip that has no usable data for you.

Some of the chip suppliers offer 'clubs' that offer an couple annual update at a discount.

Henry

 

[Alex F]

I had purchased new card when I got boat. It's Navionics, if I recall correctly, chart #16 that cover all of east coast region. Paid just under $200 to local dealer. If you go navionics website and find the chart for your region a simple google search can give you plenty sites to get it from. My friend got his for ~$170 this spring.

 

[tobnpr]

In addition to the Navionics chip, you need to purchase (if you don't already have one) a blank CF chip to back up your waypoints, and download/install updates.