The Garmin GPSMAP 376c was a mid-2000s dual-purpose GPS that combined road and marine plotting with satellite weather reception and multimedia playback. It offered waypoint and track management, rechargeable/internal battery operation with external power options, and single-device convenience for travelers and boaters. Today it is a discontinued legacy unit; modern alternatives provide improved connectivity, map updates, and longer-term support.
Overview
The Garmin GPSMAP 376c is a legacy handheld/chartplotter unit that combined land and marine navigation with satellite-delivered weather and entertainment features. Introduced in the mid-2000s, it was aimed at users who wanted a single device for driving, boating, and longer trips where up-to-date weather and route guidance mattered.
Navigation and weather
The unit provided route plotting for both road and coastal navigation and could display satellite weather products when used with a subscribed data service. That capability let users view weather updates and make safer routing decisions - a notable advantage for boaters and travelers before smartphones and integrated chartplotters became widespread.1
The GPSMAP 376c also supported basic waypoint and track management, so you could save destinations, follow a planned route, and replay tracks. For its time, it brought together mapping and weather into one portable package, which reduced the need to cross-check separate sources while on the move.
Entertainment and display
Garmin positioned this model as more than a navigator. It offered a color display and multimedia playback options for audio and video files, so users on longer trips could play music or video from the unit. That multimedia feature helped make long transits more bearable for passengers.2
Power and runtime
The device used an internal rechargeable battery and could also be powered from an external source. Early reviews and product materials for similar units cited multi-hour runtime ranges; the original marketing suggested a broad operating window (commonly reported as several to dozens of hours depending on settings and use). If continuous, satellite-linked weather and display use were enabled, practical battery life could be significantly shorter than simple navigation use.3
Where it stands today
The GPSMAP 376c is a discontinued, legacy device. Modern navigation has largely shifted to integrated chartplotters, multifunction displays, and smartphone/tablet apps with live weather, crowd-sourced traffic, and cloud map updates. Those platforms offer higher-resolution maps, constant connectivity (where cellular or satellite internet is available), and more frequent firmware and map updates than an aging handheld from the mid-2000s.4
That said, the 376c illustrates an important step: combining navigation, weather, and entertainment into a single portable unit. For collectors, hobbyists, or offline-use scenarios, legacy hardware can still serve basic navigation needs if charts and batteries are maintained.
Recommendation
If you need modern, supported weather and routing, consider current Garmin chartplotters or mobile navigation apps that receive regular updates and have active support. If you already own a 376c, keep expectations realistic: it can still handle basic waypointing and navigation, but verify battery condition, map currency, and whether any satellite weather subscription or receiver component still functions.5
- Confirm exact release year and product announcement date for the GPSMAP 376c
- Verify which satellite weather service(s) the 376c supported (e.g., XM/other) and subscription requirements
- Confirm multimedia playback capabilities and supported formats for the 376c
- Confirm typical battery life figures quoted by Garmin for the 376c and whether the 5-15 hour range applies
- Confirm official discontinuation status and last support dates from Garmin