Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

[mdunn]

I'm new here and a new boat owner but have done the search thing and still looking for input.
My 17.5 Smokercraft came with an Eagle fish finder that works great and I have a 5 year old Garmin Etrex I use in the woods but is not very practical imo in the boat.
I want the best bang for the buck Chartplotter I can find. I won't use it in the car and I won't use it to find fish.
I want the biggest easiest to read display I can get and think in terms of $500.00 but I could go 6 or 700.00 if it was for the right unit.
Thanks.

 

[JB]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

Garmin. I would like the 172C or 182C, but I think they have been replaced by upgraded models.

 

[tommays]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

I think Lowrance has the best bang for the buck as there chart chips are only 99 dollars compare to upwards of 300 dollars for other brands

With the chip you get all the tide times and current flows at all times

And you can connect fuel flow ,temp ect into the unit a a real LOW cost


this is a 3500C the current one is called a 5200C


Tommays

 

[dingbat]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

Pretty hard to beat the Garmin 540 in that price range. It has a 5" QVGA screen and comes preloaded with highly-detailed BlueChart g2 marine cartography of the coastal United States – including Alaska, Hawaii and the Bahamas.

If you want inland / lake charts the Garmin 430 comes preloaded in inland charts.

Both units are about $650

 

[Boatist]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

Garmin Makes good GPS units but if you already have a Eagle unit I would go for a Lowrance or Eagle unit. Main reason is they are brighter and if you buy any chips for one unit they will also work in what you have now. Also units will talk to each other.

 

[mdunn]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

Good suggestion.
Anybody have opinions on the Eagle 500C?
I could make that fit.
I like the idea of interfacing.
That's possible?
I have the Eagle Sea Finder 320 DF.

Garmin Makes good GPS units but if you already have a Eagle unit I would go for a Lowrance or Eagle unit. Main reason is they are brighter and if you buy any chips for one unit they will also work in what you have now. Also units will talk to each other.

 

[AndyL]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

Eagle / Lowrance are much the same thing and their back-up and warranty are excellent. Check any units out in a marine store whilst they are set up and running and see what picture and charts you prefer. They are all very accurate and compared to the prices 5 years ago are a real snip.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

With Eagle products if you want information need more than 500C. They have 500C model in Sea Charter 500 C, Sea Finder 500 C, Fish Mark 500 C, Fish Elite 500 C, and Intellimap 500C.
I think your asking about Intellimap 500 C. Looks to me to be a good unit with 1000 Waypoints, 100 Routes and, 100 Waypoints per Routes. Has NMEA 0183 for interfaceing but not not have NMEA 2000 for the networking for devices like fuel flow sensor, radar, livewell temperature sensor, ect.

 

[mdunn]

Re: Good Single Purpose GPS Chart Plotter

Thanks for all the input.
Geez, what did we all do before we had the internet and all these information recources on any subject you wanted?
I'm guessing we didn't spend as much money!
Anyway, I've ordered the Eagle Intellimap 502C.
I think it will work out just fine.
Mike