GPS/Chartplotter

[Shadow66]

Okay, did a search on this numerous times on Google and on two forums.

What do you feel would be the best GPS/Depthfinder for me?

I do mainly cruising (No fishing) and some skiing. Half offshore here in Charleston, SC and half on two major inland lakes (Moultrie and Marion).

I would like to keep it under $1000 if possible. Don't need weather nor XM.

Would like to hear all opinions...thanks guys!

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

I have a Standard Horizon CP155C that takes C-MAP MAX cartography. I use it on lakes, rivers and ocean and am very pleased. I do not, however, have a fish finder transducer hooked up, so I cannot tell how well it works for that. It is an option though. The CP155C was replaced in SH's lineup with the CP180, if memory serves. About the same price.

 

[rdny041285]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

I have a humminbird depth finder/GPS and for some reason after a little while of being out in the water, it stops reading depth and says .1 feet up to 20 feet even if i know im in at least 80-100 feet. I know someone else who also had a humminbird depth finder minus the GPS and had the same issues. so i would not recommend humminbird. But on the other hand i hear a lot of people say they love humminbird products.

 

[mystro]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

I have a humminbird depth finder/GPS and for some reason after a little while of being out in the water, it stops reading depth and says .1 feet up to 20 feet even if i know im in at least 80-100 feet. I know someone else who also had a humminbird depth finder minus the GPS and had the same issues. so i would not recommend humminbird. But on the other hand i hear a lot of people say they love humminbird products.

Humminbird sell 10's of thou's of units and if they were generally bad electronics you'd see the forums packed with complaints and the same applies to Lowrance or any other mass market gps/ff which are all assembled in china or mylasisa. You never mentioned what unit you own or what you've done about it, did you know in allot of cases users have never read the manual or trouble shooting sections of the book or sent an email to the manufacturer? ....and no I don't work for them, Heck I may have a problem with my new unit but it could be from any brand.

 

[whofan]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

Humminbirds are assembled in the USA.

Right now I would take a Bird over a Lowrance unit.

Five years ago I wouldn`t look twice at a Humminbird.

I have heard that some Humminbirds have issues with the GPS being slow.

Maybe slow refresh rates?

I had many issues with Lowrance sonar freezing up locking up painting the whole screen yellow in shallow water .

I don`t know whats better, but I`d be more willing to take my chances with Humminbird.

I have a Vexilar Edge II for my sonar now and its awesome but Black & white.

http://www.iboats.com/Vexilar_Edge2...9903522--**********.549606333--view_id.170150

Worth every penny in my opinon!

 

[whofan]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

Okay, did a search on this numerous times on Google and on two forums.

What do you feel would be the best GPS/Depthfinder for me?

I do mainly cruising (No fishing) and some skiing. Half offshore here in Charleston, SC and half on two major inland lakes (Moultrie and Marion).

I would like to keep it under $1000 if possible. Don't need weather nor XM.

Would like to hear all opinions...thanks guys!

If GPS is you primary concern I`d look at Garmin.

Gramin is a little weak on the sonar side but they are good on the GPS part.

I looked at these units myself but went a different route being that sonar was my primary concern.

These are nice GPS units; http://www.iboats.com/Garmin_GPSMAP...9903522--**********.868740923--view_id.358888

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

I have a Garmin 185 GPS Chartplotter/Fishfinder that is nearly 10 years old. A lot can change in 10 years, but what an outstanding little unit that thing has been.

 

[rdny041285]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

Well thats why i said some people love their humminbird. Mine is a 595C and i like the GPS part of it. Just the depth finder is the issue. Ive had other depth finders and humminbird is the only one ive had an issue with. might end up just buying another unit for that issue and just use the GPS for the humminbird. I would never recommend a product if i have it and i am not 100% satisfied with it.

 

[bowman316]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

I just bought the $400 lowrance gps /sonar unit. The M 68 C. It is about a 3 to 5 inch color screen, and fairly compact. I think any bigger would take up too much space in my already cluttered dash. I really like it. It stores every trip you make, and you can look at where you have driven in the past.

You can also select way points from the sonar, if you see something on the sonar.
Like you can mark where a log is for instance.

 

[rdny041285]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

If you google "review humminbird 595C" there are some good reviews but there are a lot of bad ones. Anybody know of a good fishfinder for under $150? dont need GPS as i could just use my humminbird.

 

[bowman316]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

Bass Pro is having a sale on cheap fish finders. But you get what you pay for. most cheap one will be black and white. I think the cheap humming birds are better than any other cheap brand.

 

[rdny041285]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

sounds good. ill have to check that out. only need it to really make sure im not going too shallow or anything cause im happy with my humminbirds GPS. saw a review on humminbird just now a guy having the same issues with mine....his goes from 20ft to 1010ft and flashes back and forth.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

Bass Pro is having a sale on cheap fish finders. But you get what you pay for. most cheap one will be black and white. I think the cheap humming birds are better than any other cheap brand.

Nothing wrong with a good b/w fishfinder However, from what I have seen on a lot of boats, the less expensive sonars these days work OK, but compared to units costing not much more, they are not a good value. A cheap color unit isn't as good as a mid-grade b/w in my opinion.

Stuff in the $170+ range have better resolution and temp and speed which are great fishing tools. A $200 unit is generally a good value, but the cheap stuff isn't much better than my 15-year-old Eagle Fish ID Pro. Which still puts me on a lot of fish but it is definitely time to upgrade to GPS and decent resolution. Humminbird or Eagle/Lowrance, low-mid priced stuff buys you a lot.

 

[bowman316]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

The GPS is nice on those foggy mornings, when you can only see 20 ft in front of you.
I like knowing the water temp too.

 

[whofan]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

If I were buying a cheap sonar I`d take a good look at the Humminbird 565 model.
To get the specs the 565 has in a color unit you will spend $500 to match it
The 565 sells for $200.

 

[rdny041285]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

with my humminbird 595C having sonar issues, i would probably stay away from the 565....but i do need something.

 

[dingbat]

Re: GPS/Chartplotter

The GPS is nice on those foggy mornings, when you can only see 20 ft in front of you.

You put a lot of faith in a unit that can't see at all.