GPS/Fishfinder

[seagate]

I am looking for a GPS/fishfinder combo unit but don't know who makes the best one I can aford around 500-600$ looked at a garmin 441S looks good but any thoughts.Once again thanks for the help

[pete]

cant go wrong with a garmin

[seabob4]

Seagate,
The MarinerEye view that you can ass with the g2 card is a really cool feature, especially when coming into passes and river mouths.  If you haven't seen it, check it out...

[flounderpounder225]

Seagate,
The MarinerEye view that you can ass with the g2 card is a really cool feature, especially when coming into passes and river mouths.  If you haven't seen it, check it out...

I have the Garmin 545 with the G2 Vision card for the Gulf, the card actually has sattelite photography like Google Earth, I can see my house with my Garmin.  The 546 is the newer version of the 545, just has more waypoints, there is a guy on THT selling a brand new 545S with transducer and all, here is the link.  I showed to a friend of mine, but he decided to wait, so I am pretty sure this guy still has it and wants to move it?? Said he got it from a friend who worked at Boaters World when they were going out of business,  
http://www.thehulltruth.com/fishing-mis ... ipped.html

Marc

[Capt. Bob]

I believe the 5 series has the 5" screen.
I'm currently running the 4 series (4" screen).

As most women I know will tell you, an inch DOES make a difference.
If I did it over, I'd would have went with the bigger screen.

PS.... I'm running a single (GPS only) so splitting could only benefit from a larger platform.

Good luck.

[wingtime]

I have the 440S which is last years version of the 441S.  It's a nice little unit and works pretty good.  The G2 vision cards add a bunch of info but at $300 it kinda steep.   I run mine split screen at times and it's OK.  I bought the Garmin home port software which allows you to organize your way points and plan trips on your lap top then save them to a SD card.  West Marice has the 441S on sale right now for $449.  That does NOT include the transducer.  I think a transom mount is about $70 bucks.  I'd say that in your price range it's best unit for the money.

If I was going to spend the $$ to buy a larger screen I'd go for the Lowrance HDS-5.  The resolution on that thing is SICK and it is easier to find you way around in the software than the Garmin.  Plus the sonar capabilities far exceed anything Garmin has out right now.

[Capt. Bob]

If I was going to spend the $$ to buy a larger screen I'd go for the Lowrance HDS-5.  The resolution on that thing is (SLICK) and it is easier to find you way around in the software than the Garmin.  Plus the sonar capabilities far exceed anything Garmin has out right now.

I fully agree (on the slick part). I run the HDS-5x (sonar only). I chose it just for the resolution.

I came from a Garmin 180 which had a 5.5" (diag) screen.

[MarshMarlowe196]

Seems like I might be the only one here who is not a fan of Garmin.  Mine stopped picking up Satellites a month out of warranty.  Went back and forth with Garmin, installed a few updates, and the unit is just gone.  No real reason why- I never left it on the boat when I wasn't using it.  It just glitched out.

I'm sure any late model Garmin will work just fine though.

CB- Wanna sell me your GPS?  I need one ...

[Capt. Bob]

CB- Wanna sell me your GPS?  I need one ...

PM coming.

[Circle Hooked]

I've been a Garmin guy all along,and have always had good luck with them but in that price range the Lowrance i think is the way to go,planning on getting one myself soon.

[GoneFission]

Have you looked at the side-imaging Humminbird 786C?  It's pretty slick as well - the side imaging is pretty amazing at times, but a bit more $$$ but includes Navionics Gold and Hotmaps pre-loaded.  It also comes with a nice quick-release bracket that allows you to quickly take it off so not-so-nice types are not tempted...

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUMMINBIRD-798c-SI- ... 3362f524c4

[wingtime]

You may want to wait until the first of the year when Lowrance releases the new down scan imaging models.  The prices are not bad and the images are almost photo like.

http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Marine ... ite-5-DSI/

GPS city lists it for $650

[John Jones]

I am a solid Garmin fan for chartplotters.   Garmin still has a lot to learn about sounders.

Lowrance sounders are super until they break.  After all these years of reading Lowrance customer service complaints on FS I'm not touching them.

I was always a Furuno sounder fan and considered Humminbird for the bass guys but their side scan is awesome.  I friend of mine claims he can tell which dock to cast under and which ones to skip.  If I can swing it when I need a new sounder/fish finder I imagine it will be a Humminbird side scan, for inshore at least.

[seagate]

I have been doing some research and am more confused then before I started.I don't know If I want a combo or 2 separte units.Is 500 RMS enough power,how big a screen also I have used humminbird all my life but my last unit started letting moisture in the display I think you can guess what happened after that.The Machines cost so much I don't want to have problems for a long time.

[RickK]

I like my combo Garmin Chartplotter/Sounder. I don't know how I ever made it from point to point before this equipment, especially in the dark.  I did though, just wasn't as fun.
I guess I don't use it as an intense bottom searching tool like a real fisherman should although I have all the zoom I need. I have both boats set up for the same chart plotter and transfer it boat to boat, so I'm pretty comfortable with it.  JJ had to show me some stuff on it (did I read the manual.... of course I did, just too much to remember).  Some swear by sensitivity adjustments, garmin doesn't have that at least on my model.
Would I like one of them 10" screen models.... let me check with my wallet and get back to you on that.