GPS Recommendation

[bugger]

I just bought a 20' CC and now need to purchase a GPS/fishfinder.

I'm looking at the Garmin 182C (plus fishfinder) and the 188C (combo GPS/fishfinder). The cost is around $1150.

I also looked at the Lowrance LMS 330C which is a combo GPS/sonar and costs around $700.

Is it worth spending an extra $450 for the Gramin vs Lowrance? The screen size is the same.

I also have to admit that I saw the 7" Garmin 2006 and of course was very impressed. The cost of this unit is about $1350 plus fishfinder/tranducer.

Any recommendations? Is a 7" screen overkill on a 20' boat?

Thanks

[PhilS]

I went through the same decisons last month. I bought a 21' Hydra-Sports 212CC Center Console. I decided on the Garmin 188C- it is awesome. I fish in LI Sound out of Westport and there are lots of rocks and obtructions...it's easy to ID them on the 188C. Mine is hooked up to both a Standard-Horizon Spectrum fixed mount VHF and a S/H 470 Handheld, The Lat.Lon gets sent to each by connecting two wires to the 188C and that enables DSC in emergencies or for exchanging locations with friend. Their boat shows up on your screen and vice-versa. The sonar is great, dozens of adjustments you can easily make underway. The 188C comes with external GPS antenna and integral GDS unit to connect top the transducer.

If you buy either Garmin, don't get the BlueChart Memory Card pre-loaded, buy 2 blanks- a small one and a bigger one. Load the BlueChart Chart data on CD-ROM and download it yourself onto the the bigger card with the Garmin USB card reader, then take the smaller card and put it in the reader and you can lay out all your routes, waypoints etc. on the PC and take them aboard with the smaller chip and 'merge' them into the main memory of the GPS. (BTW, you get two Garmin GPS unlock codes for the 1 price so you can load the charts on a small handhelp for a back up like the eTrex Vista etc.)

When you're coming back in, you pop the little card into the GPS and download your tracks and new waypoints into the card so you can look at them on the PC- rename meaningful names like "Home to Cove Marina" and "Awesome Striper spot"....even the temperature gets graphed on screen if you have the Speed and Temp transducer so you can see temperature changes. --127-3-

[bugger]

Thanks alot for the advice on the blue chart on CD vs preloaded on the card. I am going to look up the PN for the CD version and PN for the blank cards. How big is "big" and how small is "small" with the cards? I'm not sure if there are many different sizes.

[PhilS]

Not that big....I think the bigger card is 32MB ans smaller is 8 or 18MB...BTW I think the 182 and 188 are similar, but the 188 has the GDU or GDS black box integrated is all.

[uncle4]

You might look at the new Garmin 178C... it has much
higher resolution than the 188 and is cheaper, too.

Uncle 4

[bugger]

I actually just purchased the Lowrance LCX-18C 6" GPS/Fishfinder. The price was the same as the Garmin 188C. According to the specs on Garmins website the color model has a 5" display and the mono display has a 5.5". I figured for the same price I'm getting a bigger display either way.

I'll let you know how it works.

[uncle4]

Hi Bugger.... let me start by saying I'm sure
you'll be happy with the Lowrance unit. These
days the electronics and displays are _SO_ su-
perior to even 2 years ago its amazing.

But I caution you and other future GPS purchasers
to remember what my wife told you: Size doesn't
(always) matter <hehehe>.

More often its the resolution (measured in pixels)
that determines how 'good' a screen looks. If you
get a bigger display but don't get more pixels the
images will look blocky (tessellation).

You get better images by getting a constant resolution
in smaller sizes, or constant size and greater resolution.
The Lowrance unit is 240X360 pixels (86400 total
pixels), while the Garmin 188 is 240X360 <same as
Lowrance> and the Garmin 188C is 234X320 (15%
less pixels).

Overall, I'd say look for (in my preferred order):
WAAS, screen resolution, dual frequency sonar,
5000W transducer (or more, PtP), 10 buttons or
less on the display..... everything else is of a
personal consideration.

But I digress.... mount it and fish! We want a report
of the GPS _and_ the fishing!

Cheers,

Uncle 4

[RogerStg]

If you buy either Garmin, don't get the BlueChart Memory Card pre-loaded, buy 2 blanks- a small one and a bigger one. Load the BlueChart Chart data on CD-ROM and download it yourself onto the the bigger card with the Garmin USB card reader, then take the smaller card and put it in the reader and you can lay out all your routes, waypoints etc. on the PC and take them aboard with the smaller chip and 'merge' them into the main memory of the GPS.

FWIW, you can do all of that with one card. The Northeast region is only 8.7 meg for all the maps. A 16 mb chip has enough room for all that plus as many routes, waypoints, etc that fit on your unit. :)

Best regards,
Roger

[PhilS]

I spoke with Garmin Support, who had told me you needed two cards to do that....apprently you can indeed use one card. Different from what they told me...apparently in older firmware they had issues where charts or tide data (you write both to the card from MapSource) would get overwritten but supposedly one card will work now. Good to know- thanks.

[Codfisher]

As another option you should look at the Furuno 1850WF. This a WAAS machine and you can get it with either Navionics or CMap card. The sounder side is the same as the Furuno 582L (one of the best fish finders on the market) and you can run a 1Kw transducer with it. The screen has a AR coating and is readable in direct sunlight. Good luck with your decision.

[gerryg]

I don't know about getting the two together my luck one would break down and I would be left with no GPS or Sonar while the other was being fixed. I feel safer with separate units. Just my opinion though.

[NilsC]

Link to "Online Marine" (http://www.onlinemarine.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online_superstore/electronics/gps/garmin_gpsmap_176C.htm?L+scstore+ntgb9851ff2ff32f+ 1084485379)
The second line down have the best deal, this Garmin would cost around $1000.00 if you buy it individually. With the rebate it's 443.91 then buy a 128MB RAM chip and you should be all set. (If you have a big enough boat you can sync the GPS with the data on a laptop using com1 and view both.)
I use mine in the car and on the kayak.
Nils

[Codfisher]

I don't know about getting the two together my luck one would break down and I would be left with no GPS or Sonar while the other was being fixed. I feel safer with separate units. Just my opinion though.

Agreed...individual units are better than a combo if you have the room to install them. In that case (and if $ aren't a problem) I would go with the Furuno 582L sounder and Garmin 2010C plotter.

As far as prices are concerned I shopped both interent and brick and motor stores extensively. In the end I bought here:

http://www.byownerelectronics.com/store/customer/home.php

Get your best prices elsewhere and then email Jim (dont just go by prices on his website). He will beat any price you find.

[Jim Miller]

Just ordered a Garmin 2010c to replace an older 10" Raytheon B&W unit. Should show up soon! Also considered Raymarines C series chartplotters. I'm looking forward to that big color screen.
IMHO: if you won't be requiring a radar interface....Garmin is the best Chartplotter out there.
BTW: some great deals available currently on 2010c and 2006c units!
New 3000 series coming w/ radar/weather options.

[Codfisher]

You're right Jim that 3010C (http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap3010c/) looks real nice and the MSRP of $2857 seems resonable for what it offers. Guess I have to buy a bigger boat....might be overkill on my 16ft. :)