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Garmin G3 Costal maps coverage

Bizywk

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We're prepping for the 2021 Bimini run. Equipping the boat with a chart plotter. Looking at the Garmin EchoMap UHD 94sv because it comes preloaded with the G3 US Coastal charts, but I can't find any detailed references that confirm that this chart/map will be sufficient for our trip. Does anyone know if these preloaded US Coastal G3 Charts will suffice or will I have to buy a more specialized chart?
 

tdonoughue

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If you go to the maps section of the Garmin site, they actually have a map where you can select the location and it will tell you what maps cover that spot (as well as the features, resolution, how the map was made, etc.). Don't have the address, but I was just checking out the same unit and clicked on the map and ultimately got there.
 

Julian

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I had an add on card for my last trip that had High res maps for Bimini - but that card was an "after market" non-garmin card that my new 94SV said....you can use this map for 1 year only.

I never tried the 94SV without the card - and can't find out if the "BlueChart® g3 (coastal maps) " cover Bimini....I don't think they do.....still looking. @Bizywk did you ever get the answer?
 

Babin Farms

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Julian

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I think that is what I had that Garmin detected as a copy and blocked. But at 1/10th the cost of Garmin, it might be worth just buying it every time and having it for one trip. I'd still prefer a permanent solution.....need to get into my Garmin and check the on board maps.
 

Babin Farms

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I think that is what I had that Garmin detected as a copy and blocked. But at 1/10th the cost of Garmin, it might be worth just buying it every time and having it for one trip. I'd still prefer a permanent solution.....need to get into my Garmin and check the on board maps.
I believe it can only be installed on one unit but for the $$ I figured I’d give it a shot. The maps may not be the latest & greatest but they’ll work.
 

Julian

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I believe it can only be installed on one unit but for the $$ I figured I’d give it a shot. The maps may not be the latest & greatest but they’ll work.
So you bought the card? What gps are you loading it on and did it work?
 

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Just a heads up, that's the G2 map as opposed to the G3. I assume the mapping will be similar but the biggest thing that's lacking is the auto-route feature. Currently waffling on upgrading for that reason alone.
 

Bizywk

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Mistakes were made here based on flawed information but we got it sorted out. It cost us a more than it had to, but we're ready for the JB Fling. We really only need a chartplotter for safety and navigation on this Bimini trip, but I figured why not equip for freshwater too? The Garmin 94SV and the 93Sv are the exact same device with the only difference being the default (hard programmed) onboard chart. Even though we exclusively boat in Mid-West freshwater puddles, I bought the Garmin 94sv (G3 Blue Water version) and would buy a freshwater chip later so we could expand to explore other regional puddles some day. We defaulted to the saltwater chart because the G3 Lakes chart was significantly cheaper. We were told by the on-line sales agent that the 94SV G3 Bluewater maps would cover Bimini. The Garmin sales and chat board information appeared to support this, so we bought from an on-line retailer during a great sale back in the fall.

We immediately found a couple of things. First, the detailed G3 maps we received provide greatest detail for the great lakes and lower Canada only - where we have no plans to boat. We were later were told that the G3 Bluewater maps are broken up and distributed by the region where you buy them, a detail the sales literature leaves out. While some folks have reported that their factory programmed on-board G3 Bluewater maps cover Bimini, we found that we have limited detail for Florida costal waters and there is a line a few miles out from Bimini where the detail quality drops again to very poor and would be unsafe to proceed as-is. I contacted Garmin to see if I could send in our unused 94SV to get it re-programmed. They respectfully declined but did help me out with a small discount on the proper chart. Now we have a solid chart plotter, but had to buy two additional maps to cover our needs. It feels a little like a brand name razor marketing strategy that gives you the system at a fair price, then gets you on blades.

If you're looking at buying charts, look carefully because even Garmin sells three different charts covering Bimini with very different and overlapping coverage areas. Sales sites intentionally dumb down their sample detail so it is difficult to know which one you really want to pick. Even more confusing is that even though Navionics builds Garmin branded maps, and were later acquired by Garmin, they still seem to operate as a separate company selling Garmin compatible maps directly, but the defined boundaries are different again.

There is another big decision to make with regard to additional or upgrade charts. Downloaded maps are quick and easy and work forever with a small period for free updates, but will only work in one device (as a copyright protection), so if that device ever fails or you upgrade, you have to buy all new maps again. SD chips have to come in the mail but are programmed at time of order so they have the absolutely latest data. I'm told that the pre-programmed chip can also be used in other Garmin devices since they can't be copied like downloaded maps. The downside is that it ties up the one and only USB slot and works differently in Garmin Express. This is goofy because the hardware requires a different SD card to be inserted to use your Active Captain features. We're long-time auto GPS owners, but since we bought the SD card marine charts, we haven't cracked the code yet on how to program, move and edit trip/regional plots back and forth to our desktop computer since the hardware has only one SD port but wants to see both the chart and the user SD card. Until then, we'll have to work exclusively on the device touchscreen and have every plot/course cluttering up the database no matter where we go. We found some information where a user said Garming told them that
Basecamp is only compatible with G2 charts.

Others have warned against 3rd party, or knock-off maps in Garmin devices. They may work fine, or work until Garmin decides to block them - I don't know. We heeded that warning because I just don't like surprises.
 
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Julian

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Mistakes were made here based on flawed information but we got it sorted out. It cost us a more than it had to, but we're ready for the JB Fling. We really only need a chartplotter for safety and navigation on this Bimini trip, but I figured why not equip for freshwater too? The Garmin 94SV and the 93Sv are the exact same device with the only difference being the default (hard programmed) onboard chart. Even though we exclusively boat in Mid-West freshwater puddles, I bought the Garmin 94sv (G3 Blue Water version) and would buy a freshwater chip later so we could expand to explore other regional puddles some day. We defaulted to the saltwater chart because the G3 Lakes chart was significantly cheaper. We were told by the on-line sales agent that the 94SV G3 Bluewater maps would cover Bimini. The Garmin sales and chat board information appeared to support this, so we bought from an on-line retailer during a great sale back in the fall.

We immediately found a couple of things. First, the detailed G3 maps we received provide greatest detail for the great lakes and lower Canada only - where we have no plans to boat. We were later were told that the G3 Bluewater maps are broken up and distributed by the region where you buy them, a detail the sales literature leaves out. While some folks have reported that their factory programmed on-board G3 Bluewater maps cover Bimini, we found that we have limited detail for Florida costal waters and there is a line a few miles out from Bimini where the detail quality drops again to very poor and would be unsafe to proceed as-is. I contacted Garmin to see if I could send in our unused 94SV to get it re-programmed. They respectfully declined but did help me out with a small discount on the proper chart. Now we have a solid chart plotter, but had to buy two additional maps to cover our needs. It feels a little like a brand name razor marketing strategy that gives you the system at a fair price, then gets you on blades.

If you're looking at buying charts, look carefully because even Garmin sells three different charts covering Bimini with very different and overlapping coverage areas. Sales sites intentionally dumb down their sample detail so it is difficult to know which one you really want to pick. Even more confusing is that even though Navionics builds Garmin branded maps, and were later acquired by Garmin, they still seem to operate as a separate company selling Garmin compatible maps directly, but the defined boundaries are different again.

There is another big decision to make with regard to additional or upgrade charts. Downloaded maps are quick and easy and work forever with a small period for free updates, but will only work in one device (as a copyright protection), so if that device ever fails or you upgrade, you have to buy all new maps again. SD chips have to come in the mail but are programmed at time of order so they have the absolutely latest data. I'm told that the pre-programmed chip can also be used in other Garmin devices since they can't be copied like downloaded maps. The downside is that it ties up the one and only USB slot and works differently in Garmin Express. This is goofy because the hardware requires a different SD card to be inserted to use your Active Captain features. We're long-time auto GPS owners, but since we bought the SD card marine charts, we haven't cracked the code yet on how to program, move and edit trip/regional plots back and forth to our desktop computer since the hardware has only one SD port but wants to see both the chart and the user SD card. Until then, we'll have to work exclusively on the device touchscreen and have every plot/course cluttering up the database no matter where we go. We found some information where a user said Garming told them that
Basecamp is only compatible with G2 charts.

Others have warned against 3rd party, or knock-off maps in Garmin devices. They may work fine, or work until Garmin decides to block them - I don't know. We heeded that warning because I just don't like surprises.
So what maps did you end up buying?
 

Bizywk

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So what maps did you end up buying?
For safety and future proofing - I got everything I thought I might one day need. It came with the embedded G3 Blue water - Great Lakes (hard programmed), and I bought the US Lakeview G3 Ultra - East, and Bluechart G3 Vision VUS010R - SE Florida which covers everything in S. Florida through the Exumas, the keys, and covers most of the Florida Loop. ... Future JB Trips ;)

Black Friday sale on the chartplotter and Garmin helped me with a discount on one of SD card maps.
 

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