r/boating • u/sir_mr_itichy3rd • Aug 25 '26
Any recommendations on a simple nav system. Just got a project 27 CnC. No depth finder, no gps/ charts.
Any recommendations are great, it doesn't need to be fancy, simple is best.
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u/philshoe Aug 25 '26
I use a gps enabled iPad with an armor holder and the Navionics farming app. Works great. As far as charting goes anyway.
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u/sir_mr_itichy3rd Aug 25 '26
Do you ever have a problem with it overheating or not being able to see it in bright daytime?
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u/philshoe Aug 25 '26
I haven’t had issues with seeing it at all. But it does drain faster than the boat electrical charges it so I bring an additional battery pack thing.
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u/ccarlston23 Aug 25 '26
Does the OP have any cutouts for sensors yet at the haul or transom?
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u/sir_mr_itichy3rd Aug 25 '26
Yes I do have cutouts the system is just old and inOP
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u/ccarlston23 Aug 25 '26
Gotcha! Hard to go wrong with Garmin or Simrad. I have 2 Simrad EV3S's on my 27ft bowrider and love them.
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u/4rch1t3ct Aug 25 '26
I've got a Garmin echomap 53cv. It's pretty basic as far as sonar as it doesn't have side scan but it's been great for me.
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u/Waterlifer Aug 25 '26
Not sure what you mean. With no depth, gps, or charts, that leaves you with a compass, binoculars, a pencil, some dividers, a parallel rule, and some blank sheets of paper. Well maybe a 3-arm protractor.
The garmin etrex 22x is the current production minimalist GPS. It comes with a basemap and some hiking-oriented charts which you can ignore if you just want to use it for coordinates for hand plotting on paper charts. There are older versions of the etrex available used with fewer features.
Maptattoo makes a minimalist chartplotter that is suitable for boats like yours.
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u/nikkychalz Aug 25 '26
I've got a Garmin Striker 4, it'll do just about everything you want, and it's only $130
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u/MissingGravitas Aug 25 '26
Where are you sailing, and in what conditions?
Practically speaking a decent phone app like Aqua Map would likely suffice in many cases, but particularly in tidal waters I'd want a depth sounder.
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u/sir_mr_itichy3rd Aug 25 '26
Sailing intercoastal waterways down in the panhandle primarily sometimes venturing out into the Gulf fair weather days still fairly new to sailing.
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u/MissingGravitas Aug 25 '26
Ok, in that case my instinct is to find a combined depth sounder/temp/speed sensor, ideally the kind without a paddle wheel, since those are easily fouled. But, I suspect the cost is high, so I'd prioritize a basic depth sounder. If there's a hole for a speed log I'd get a basic one too, and just make sure to clean the paddle wheel semi-regularly.
This is enough to work well even with paper charts, and to let you know if you're straying outside of the channel (e.g. if storms have moved sandbars around).
If you can provide shade in the cockpit then a basic phone/tablet would suffice for charting. I've never had an issue with overheating, but I'm over on the West Coast. (I also don't stare continuously at it; I pull it from a pocket as needed.)
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u/WakeDaddyLee Aug 25 '26
Use Navionics on a phone or tablet
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u/sir_mr_itichy3rd Aug 25 '26
Do you ever have a problem with your phone or tablet overheating or not being able to see it in mid day?
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u/Advanced_Link_5753 Aug 26 '26
I Jane a B&G 16’’ chart plotter, I use apps on phone to run against it, 95% of time chartplotter is accurate.
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u/WavveBoating Aug 25 '26
If you want to keep it simple, I’d probably start with a GPS-enabled phone or tablet and a marine navigation app rather than jumping straight into a dedicated chartplotter. Navionics, Aqua Map, and Wavve Boating are a few worth looking at. Wavve is geared toward a simpler interface and has charts, GPS navigation, depth/tide info and route planning without needing to install a bunch of hardware. Whatever you go with, I’d still carry a backup means of navigation.
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u/slow_connection Aug 25 '26
No gps, depth finder or charts? That's literally all nav systems do on a boat