Garmin Echo Map 50s issue(s), requesting help

[FIRE UP]

Hey gang,
I don't know of this question or questions should be posted in this section of the forum but, I couldn't find where else to ask. We have a 2014 Bennington 25RCL with the Yamaha 350HP 5.3L. We purchased this boat approximately 3.5 years ago and it's been a flawless operating boat. Installed in the dash on the right side is Garmin Echo Map 50s. I'm not a real wizard when it comes to operating and changing things on it. I just use it as it came. We live in Lake Havasu City AZ and the lake is the primary area we operate that boat in. For the almost 4 years of use/owning/operating this boat, and using that Garmin, it's been working just great. I normally pick one of the *Combination* screens to use for my day trips. Any one of the three available work. Normally, when I finally get the boat out and we're starting to float or motor around some, I turn on the Garmin and pick one of the combinations.

The screen will typically show the shore line, various coves, and edge contours etc. Well, here in lies my recent problem. I turn it on now and there is NO SHORE LINE, no coves, no visible tracks that I've already made up and down the lake into any coves etc. They are ALL GONE! No tracks and no shore line. I changed to charts and still the same, no shore line and coves etc. Hmmmmm. The screen is primarily blue-gray. We (my son and I) have zoomed in, out, and all that and there's still no showing of any shore line etc.

In the almost 4 years of ownership of the boat AND this Garmin unit, I have never "updated" it. I have updated the Garmin Zumo XT I use on my motorcycles and the Garmin Travel version I used in our motorhome. But, I've never updated this unit. Never even thought about it. As stated, this Garmin unit has been functioning flawless every time I use it. Each time we go out for a day ride, when I turn it on, It will show the many tracks, up and down the lake and into and out of coves, our Thompson bay and even where the Colorado river enters our lake. But, NO TRACKS, NO SHORE LINE! Can someone direct me to where I need to go to get help on this? I'd sure appreciate it.
Scott

 

[Jack M]

Here is the contact information for Garmin . They were very helpful whenever I have called them .

Product Support​

U.S. 913-397-0872 | 1-800-800-1020
Canada 1-866-429-9296
Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-7 p.m. CST. Closed weekends and holidays.

 

[SEMPERFI8387]

Is it GPS capable and did it have GPS connection if so?

 

[FIRE UP]

U.S.M.C,
Yes, this IS a GPS. It was factory installed in 2014 in the dash. And as stated, this unit has been working flawlessly since day one of our ownership. It would show all the charting info like shore line, coves, depths and also I'd see all the tracks that we created by running up and down the lake. Well, now all of that is GONE! All you see on the screen for charting, whether standard or 3D is just the little boat, nothing else. In searching so far, as in youtube and maybe one or two other places, so far, there's no mention of LOOSING any ability to see chart's and shore line and tracking. One place did mention that if you do have the "blue" or "gray" (depending on color preference) screen, to make sure your lake is one of them in the U.S. Maps version of whatever you have pre-loaded. So, yes, Lake Havasu is not only in the list of the 17,000 U.S. lakes that were downloaded to the Echomap 50s unit we have but, as stated, I USED to see all of what is now missing. I'll more than likely make a call to Garmin customer service tomorrow. First I have to purchase a micro SD card that can be no larger than 32GB so I can download updates and then put them into the Echo.

You asked if it had a GPS connection. Yes, it did and still does. The unit still functions just fine. It has different screens showing depth and fish, gauges, compass and a few more. It just lost the ability to show shoreline/coves and contours.
Scott

 

[FIRE UP]

Well men,
I spent nearly 3.5 hours on the phone with a Garmin tech in customer support the other day. He was a very nice gent. I'd done my research and found out that what's needed for any type of updating for this unit is a 32GB micro SD card. And 32 is MAX size for the job. So, when I called Garmin Tech support, I was ready with that card so he would walk me through the process since I'm sometimes not so good at this kind of thing. He'd never heard of my problem of loosing the chart/map affects before. But, he did say that based on what I reported to him in terms of what software version I had/have, I was missing 26 updates!!!!!!!!!!

Yeow!! So, when the card was done being downloaded with all that was needed, he accompanied me (on the phone) to the console/dash of the boat. We proceeded to do the update to the unit. Well, all the screens appeared with the information that the unit was in fact, being updated. But, when it was all done, I turned the unit off and back on again and went to the information page. Nope, I still had software version 2.70. CRAP!

We did it several more times. No luck. We even did what's called a "forced update" type procedure. No such luck. The unit is still stuck in software version 2.70. This really frustrated the Garmin tech. He said there should be no reason the unit would not accept updates. But, he thought he'd try one more idea. In the very, very remote possibility that the micro SD card I was using was bad somehow, he decided to send me a fully loaded Garmin micro SD card with all the necessary updates. Well, I received that card today and immediately went out and did the procedure to update my unit. Nope, not happening! It simply refuses to update itself.

And, I don't know if they stated it had anything to do with it or not but, I'm pretty sure that the issue with not being able to update, is directly tide to the fact that I also can't get the unit to bring up charts/maps. It looks as if It's time to buy a new one.
Scott

 

[Jack M]

If you still have that same persons contact info , I would call them back ,ask what new unit would fit in the same spot or with minimal cutting . Perhaps they may even offer a discount on the new one

 

[FIRE UP]

Hey Jack M,
Thanks for the suggestion. The Garmin tech and I did discuss any potential newer models that might come close in size and, like many business's, Garmin has moved on to different sizes and different forms of their newer style/versions. Yes, there are some that are *slightly* close but, none that will fit in that cut-out. Along with being a 35 year veteran fireman, I've also been a fabricator for a few decades. I've made stuff fit where it doesn't belong, changed this, altered that and more over the years. In the pics below, you'll see the recessed area where the present Garmin lives. There is *some* clearance on both sides, the bottom and the top is limitless.

The closest version/model that I can find is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-02590-01-ECHOMAP-Chartplotters-Transducer/dp/B0B9NXG23L/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=p3IeZ&content-id=amzn1.sym.0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5%3Aamzn1.symc.40e6a10e-cbc4-4fa5-81e3-4435ff64d03b&pf_rd_p=0250fb24-4363-44d0-b635-ac15f859c3b5&pf_rd_r=HGW98RT8MS8VEQ743N40&pd_rd_wg=DfIFq&pd_rd_r=3a2d393f-f3fc-45c7-9ee1-fb5d5bf25287&pd_rd_i=B0B9NXG23L

Its total exterior dimensions are around 1/2" larger than the unit in place now. Do I have that kind of clearance to accept this new unit, well, it's very, very close. I'd actually need the new unit in hand to really get a close-up fit and see what maybe I can do to make any form of alterations. The unit you see in the ad is mounted on a cradle. The cradles are removable and the unit can be flush mounted just like my present one is. One of the benefits of purchasing this unit is the new unit would use my present transducer so, I'd not need to disassemble half the boat to install the new transducer and run the wires all the way up under the dash.

Another benefit of the newer style/model is, they (Garmin) have improved the screens, colors, applications and software in the last 10 years so, while my present unit DID work good enough for my application, it's now dead and improvement is a welcome sight, so to speak. So, we'll see how things go. I have to order the new unit and it won't be here for a couple of days.
Scott