Constructing a route is simplicity itself. Follow it on the chart display or the highway display – you can select which windows you display from the set-up menu. Tidal current and tidal curves can be shown, the latter either the nearest or any you choose.

Although operation is very instinctive, a little time spent looking at the manual will be rewarded. There’s no keyboard lighting, but familiarisation with the set make this almost irrelevant. The screen is bright and the detail very clear.

PBO review:

“I like this set, which has a very instinctive interface, a comfortable lightweight feel and a bright, clear screen. I’m not so keen on Geonav’s Navionics presentation of the international fixed marine lights, which look like striped lighthouses, but that’s the professional navigator speaking (the Raymarine version of Navionics has a normal fixed light presentation) At £349 including detailed marine charting it’s similarly priced to a 5in fixed chart plotter.”

Both alkaline and rechargeable batteries may be used in the battery tray (remember to reset the switch in the battery compartment), the latter being charged from the 12v lead.

Constructing a route is a very easy. You can follow the route using the chart, highway or a fan-shaped display. Tidal curves and tidal current information are available by selecting the appropriate logo on the chart. The RC400 is supplied complete with mounting cradle and power/data cable to supply other instruments.

PBO Review

“Despite its bulk, I enjoyed using this set, and the large display makes it a viable primary plotter for smaller boats. As its original price this was an expensive unit , but currently bundles make it competitive with the deals available on some 5in fixed sets”

Although the standard Garmin BlueChart was loaded and set to maximum detail, no soundings where shown, Drying heights and depth contours were, however visible. by ‘clicking’ on a buoy, its name was given but light sequences are not. As on the g2 charts the contoured area is coloured blue between 0 and 4m, so shallow depths are easily noticed. Tidal graphs are available from the tools page.

A route could be constructed and followed the arrow on the compass screen,. I doubt that a boat owner would buy the Nuvi as a dedicated marine chart plotter, but if you already had this for your car it would make an acceptable back-up for your boat.

Constructing a route was straightforward once I found by accident that the instructions had missed out one critical step – an intermediate press of the menu key was required! You can follow the route using the chart page, than compass page or the highway page.

A nice feature was that when running on its integral Li-ion battery power, the total remaining time available was shown on the position data page, rather than the usual percentage or part-charged battery logo – a good reminder to turn down the brightness.

PBO Review:

“It’s difficult not to be enthusiastic about the 267C as a hand-held (just) plotter, because the screen is large and very bright and it’s easy to use. It is pretty pricey, however.”

The tough screen works well, scrolls easily and smoothly and for most operations your fingur s just as successful as the stylus, memory can be enhanced by the use of an SD card (up to 4GB), to store charts and photos from the built in camera.

The detailed marine charts contain tidal information in the form of times and heights of high and low water, times of slacks and maximum ebb and flood rates, though no graphical information was available. The scaling of the buoys, etc is such that the screen is never cluttered, whatever the zoom level. With the SD card set at ‘read only’ mode to protect your charts, no photos could be taken or audio recordings made.

The supplied PC cable allows route planning to be undertaken on your PC with its larger screen and other maps and charts to be downloaded.

http://www.magellangps.com/products/product.asp?segID=425&REGION=emea

PBO Review

“To have full access to detailed marine charts, the starting price for this set id £709, so this easy to use tough screen plotter jumps up to a price point way above the cost of a 5in fixed set. Only the buyer can decide if the extra features are worth the price.”

It has no sliding or flip-out components so by modern standards it’s large – but it’s also exceptionally rugged. The touch screen works well. While you can use your fingertip it’s easier to use the stylus (there’ a pack of spares).

The icon-driven software is easy to use, but it’s worth looking at the quick start guide. The full manual is on CD and the C-eMap manual is found on a separate one.

The C-eMap cartography is excellent but the navigation interface is basic. You can’t construct a route, being able to navigate only to a single way point. Navigation is by following the COG pointer and aligning it to the way point or adjusting COG to the bearing to way point. clarity is excellent.

Other features:
Bluetooth
Wireless lan
Mini DS slot supports up to 1GB
Li-Ion battery
Push to talk

http://www.airowireless.com/a25/

PBO Review

“If you want all your tools in one box, this does as well as any I have used. Its navigation logic is different from most, but works as long as you don’t want to construct a route. I could certainly live with this set, thought I could never justify it at a minimum cost of £703 by the time you’ve bought the marine charting.”