Garmin GPSMAP 78sc: Waterproof Marine GPS and Chartplotter for Boaters and Fishermen

pedronei cézar de souza: Gosto muito dos aperelhos que essa empresa fabrica, sempre compro os seus produtos, muito prático e durável

Brazil on Mar 01, 2023

A Modahl: Fast service and good quality all the way around.

Canada on Oct 19, 2019

Robbie Munger: This is a wonderful little device and I have used it extensively, including over a 47 day kayak trip from Anacortes WA to Petersburg AK. When functioning properly it is an awesome tool. However there are some design defects which I would like to see resolved.

1. The rubber covers for USB and power ports are poorly designed and WILL leak salt water leading to corrosion. My other IPX 7 devices (camera, VHF radio, etc.) have more positive enclosures that never leak.
2. When loaded with lots of waypoints and routes the device consumes more power. I was able to see this over many days use and found through experimentation as I deleted waypoints and routes as I journeyed forward. Prolly got a software loop that's evaluating everything always rather than what's presently relevant which as data grows never gets to sleep.
3. Unit OFTEN locked up while navigating a route. This would require popping the protective cover off, removing batteries and restarting. Not something you want to do while in windy wavy conditions! Eventually I stopped using this feature but that's just a shame.

Let me reiterate that when it works I love it. I have taken to coating...

United States on Jan 22, 2019

Rajesh Krishnaswami: Very practical for Sailing, Initial learning curve with the menu options, once beyond it very functional. you get a day of continious use on 2 AA cells.

Canada on Jul 19, 2017

Amazon Customer: You can't enter way points using the (panning) pointer, which makes adding way-points far more difficult than in the older model (Garmin, that is really not very smart!!).
The last time I changed the batteries the thing reinitialised and I had to go through all the startup screens, select language, etc, during a race - very frustrating!!
It seems much flimsier than the older 76CSX, particularly the battery compartment door, which far too easily springs off and clatters into the bilges. It is much faster and the interface is generally better than the 76CSX, except for the frustration over new waypoints - which realistically can only be easily entered when the unit is attached to a computer and is running Garmin Home Port - which is not even mentioned in the user manual. Generally a very poor job Garmin!!
At the moment I have not found

Canada on Jun 02, 2017

Steve L.: I use a suction cup RAM mount on my standup paddleboard so that I can easily monitor my average speed and distance and my heart rate while I workout on my board. I can read the screen easily, even on sunny days. I wear the garmin premium heart rate strap and has been reliable and so far works every time with my gpsmap 78sc. I use this almost everyday and so far I love it. It is everything I had hoped for...lightweight, waterproof, floats, and has great battery life. I am using standard batteries, not rechargeables. (Kirkland AA Alcalines).
The screen may be a bit small if you are planning on using this for marine navigation, but for my needs it is fine.

United States on Aug 04, 2015

Wandering Academic: At first thought, it's tough going to a small handheld GPS after the marvels of google maps, on multiple google devices, all happily embedded in the google ecosystem ... until you're out of network range, need detailed marine maps, and need them on a device that will take some abuse, including routine submersions. Then all of a sudden this clunky thing seems a whole lot more attractive. The screen is small ... very small ... but you know that if you're buying this device, and like me, you probably want this for some quite specialized applications (kayaking, paddleboarding, or other minimalist open water adventures that won't involve a relatively dry deck and a proper chartplotter). Computer-wise I do a lot of my work in a Linux environment, so I won't be doing much with Garmin's online services from my desktops, but the device is recognized when you plug it in, so if you don't mind a bit of fiddling it's not too hard to load your own gpx file for waypoints. I haven't yet messed around with the full Garmin ecosystem from my Mac laptop, but it looks pretty straightforward. All in all, a great device for what it is, but know what you want it for, because any gps...

Canada on May 28, 2014

Wouldchuck: This unit replaced my Magellan GPS 3000 which had replace an older Loran C unit. The older unit was not a Chartplotter and had great difficulty in acquiring satellites when on shore. The 78SC acquires satellites within seconds of turning it on as long as you are outdoors. Although it did a pretty good job acquiring them even indoors most of the time.

It is nice to have a Chart to give you a visual of the area you are in. I always was concerned that the older unit I had would guide me right into a breakwall in poor visual conditions, if I didn't have an old route map to rely on. The built in map is sufficient for my purposes as I only need to rely on it for fishing purposes on Lake Erie which is part of the coastal maps included. I seldom if ever need to rely on it for poor visual conditions and I am only guiding a 16' aluminum boat fishing fairly familiar areas. The general need is to be able to find structure for fishing and being able to mark spots where I have had previous success. It is good to be able to see where sandbars and old wrecks are located in an open lake.

All its features function accurately and it wasn't too difficult to learn and...

United States on Jul 26, 2011

The Searcher: I've had some experience with the older GPS 76 and found it very hard to see in bright sunlight out on the water.

So, I was a bit nervous in ordering the GPS 78sc without being able to kick the tires. It arrived yesterday and I've spent about 6 hours total getting used to it. There were several concerns that I, at first, felt like I had bought a pig in a poke -- BUT, after a couple of phone calls talking to the Garmin technical people, all my issues were resolved.

This device is simply incredible with its accuracy and features for such a small package. I rely heavily on the MOB (man overboard) screen for use in setting upwind marks at specific bearings and distances from the committee boat in Race Committee work for Offshore classes. The color screen is very easily seen in the brightest conditions. The track log and reciprocal bearing back to the committee boat are highlighted in different colors and make for a superb display.

One of the reasons the color screen is so good (and they don't mention it anywhere) is that the lense window is polarized. I stumbled onto that by accident today on a hike while wearing my polarized sunglasses. I...

United States on May 21, 2011