I understand. I have a Garmin GPSMAP296, and Garmin can furnish the Blue Chart in seperate cards that can be inserted into the GPS, and a computer is not required. I don't know if other Garmin units have this feature. The telephone number for tech services at Garmin is 800-800-2120. My experience with them is that they are very patient with novice users. Good luck. I have friends who fly with Magellan GPS sets and are quite happy with them. You probably won't go wrong buying either's product. CKA ----- Original Message ----- From: "B. Mayer" <barbaram@csufresno.edu> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2005 12:10 AM Subject: M_Boats: Magellan

I guess I am the one not making myself clear. If I buy a Garmin, and buy the Blue Chart CD, I have to use someone else's PC to transfer the maps to the Garmin unit. My CD, my chart, my GPS, just not my own computer because I have a Mac. Also, I just learned from reading that when I load the charts from Blue Chart, it erases the original loaded maps, so I have to go back to the friend's computer to download those again from Garmin. That sounds like a major headache.

If I buy a Magellan, I can buy the charts for Puget sound on an SD memory chip that goes directly into my GPS. (Only apparently the one I was looking at has been discontinued.) This bypasses the computer problem. This sounds like a much better bet (except for the discontinuation problem.) I just want to know if people have used the Magellan, whether there are disadvantages to it. (From what I've read, if I go color, the battery burns up faster.)

Bobbie

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