Westmarine has the gpsmap 76 on sale for $199.99 in the 4th sales flyer. Are there any other units in this price range to check out? Sounds like a good deal, I will go play with it and see what it's about....

is it a handheld unit?

Yes, it is a handheld, I have one and like it. I might have to check that out, because I'm going to sell my present one with my 280 Velocity, and I'll need a new one for the Nordic.
Dean

I loved mine, I'd get another one in a heartbeat...need a boat first LOL

Just bought one last night at West Marine and mounted it on the dash of my Spectre. Look forward to using it this weekend.

Aren't they usually around 300+? West isn't usually that much cheaper than everyone else.

Just got back with mine. Can the chart be downloaded from the web or do you have to buy the cd rom that costs almost as much as the unit? Is the chart that much better.

Well how is the unit work-out for the guys that just bought them??? Will they show small islands with the included software?? Let me know how you like it...

I have the 76C (color version) and have owned it for about a year. Very happy with it. I bought a land/sea package and it came with the blue chip CD ROM. With out the CD Data it shows the water ways, but no depth contours /marinas/fuel etc.

What mneal said - I bought one today for $199, but it costs another $140 or so for *one* chart package - additional packages are another $100+ a pop.

It will show you the outline of the land, canals, etc, with just the base unit, but if you want water depth, nav aids, buoys, etc, you'll have to pony up for the chart CD.

And for me, Michigan is covered by *2* chart sections - the west half is on one section, the east half on another. So it would be another $250-300 bucks to get the chart info for the whole state. No thanks, I skipped it altogether...