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This claims to be "perfect for land or water" in its description, but that is not the case at all. I took this deep-sea diving (I was hunting for monsters), and as soon as I got underwater the unit completely stopped working. I called the customer service, and they said it was "user error". Me and my new monster pets are very upset.
Garmin has to be the best GPS available. I would like to have the option to increase the size of the font, but that is not available to the extent I need for motorcycle use. It is the only one I buy, and this is my fifth unit. It is fast to aquire satellite data, and will position you within feet of where you are. Rugged and reliable, if just a little over price; but then you are paying for the Garmin name. Software was easy to install on my GPS.
For starters, the marine base map is garbage for those who boat offshore or cruise the coast. another $20.One of the more powerful feature I plan to utilize in the near future is the sonar function. However, in order to take advantage of the 276C's many IMPORTANT features you should plan on spending (quite) a few more $$$. Overall, I am very pleased - setup was a breeze, never a problem with position refresh, battery life is good, data is accurate, signal strength is fantastic in my boating area, and I really like the fact that nearly every screen is customizable. I use my 276C exclusively for boating, and it performs admirably. From there you can analyze your trip - it even interfaces with google maps to provide a real-life view of your excursion. If you plan on using this GPS for boating I would recommend the display cover. So, plan on spending another $25 for that.
One other feature I enjoy is the mapsource software that came with the unit. Also, the absence of a 12v adaptor is a real miss. Once you figure out how to navigate the menu screens, you can take advantage of some very powerful options which you would only expect to see on higher end GPS models. To enable this feature, you'll need Garmins analog scanner (GSD-21) and a suitable transponder. I wasn't expecting much in the marine base map department going into the purchase, but for those that are expecting this, plan to pony up an additional $150 for a (proprietary) data card which gives you the detail you'll need to navigate the waters safely. Given the unit is marketed as "portable", why Garmin opted to not include one is a mystery to me. From this, you are able to upload your trips to the computer. Pretty cool stuff.
Another excellent product from Garmin. I only use it on the water so I cannot speak to its automotive prowess but I am a very satisfied customer.Great accuracy (to 10 feet without WAAS) in Bermuda and charts are good.Thanks Garmin.
Naturally it was non functional but I sent it in to Garmin and they sent me a new one for the $250 "repair" fee (including shipping). (To be fair, I should add that I also have a bigger, fancier RayMarine chartplotter/radar display unit at the helm, but I prefer my 276C for all uses except autohelm).Without question it is the best product out there for how I use it.Oh, about 3 years ago I lost the unit overboard in Catalina in about 20' of water.
I race and cruise sailboats from my home port in Southern California but have used also it many times in Mexico, the East Coast, the UK and The Netherlands. It is a remarkably functional and reliable unit.
I've been using my 276C since they came out. I still have paper charts on board but rarely use them other than to see the big picture.
I've also used it occasionally for land based travel and though this is not my primary interest, I have been quite satisfied. I have a chip so I can navigate the ports of Baja and Southern Mexico and it works seamlessly and A-OK.
I could see it down there but it took me several dives to collect it. Took about a week.
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