GPS Recommendations for 16 foot starcraft

[marcusknight]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a GPS / Fishfinder for not a outrageous price? I am looking for something that would show me where I am on a map and also show me on the map the depths around me and any obstacles buoys etc.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: GPS Recommendations for 16 foot starcraft

What water do you normally boat?
Many smaller lake have very little info on the charts.
What is your definition of "Outrageous"?; $300? $1000?
Black+White Maps OK? Color required?

Download the paper versions of the Charts first to see if they have the info you would like to see.

 

[5150abf]

Re: GPS Recommendations for 16 foot starcraft

Poke around on Ebay, most of the newer hand helds will do what you want and there really isn't a bad one.

Just keep in mind water levels change and there are new obsticals all the time so use the GPS as a reference but don't count on it exclusively, who knows when the map was made and I know around here water levels are 2-3' below normal which the GPS wouldn't show.

I have a Garmin color sounder plotter, probably on the outragous side at $600-$700, but I use it more for seeing where I have been and marking fishing holes, also comes in really hand getting back to the ramp at night, don't have any maps on it since I am fishing lakes and rivers I have been on my whole life.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: GPS Recommendations for 16 foot starcraft

Does anyone have a recommendation for a GPS / Fishfinder for not a outrageous price? I am looking for something that would show me where I am on a map and also show me on the map the depths around me and any obstacles buoys etc.

A GPS will show you where you are on Earth, a Chart Plotter will show you what is around and under you as far as depth, obstructions, etc .

Unless there are actual paper charts of an area available from the government that are used for navigation you wont find a chart plotter with the information in it's memory nor available on a "card". That information is gathered by our Fed. Government to be used for other than recreational purposes, we just get to make use of it.

You can use even your cell phone app for a GPS, I have after the chart ran out. Hand held GPS units are really inexpensive, and go on sale regularly. And, since they are real time displays, they don't need updating (by you) but show the Sat. view of your location from different altitudes.

So, if you regularly, as in only, boat in "uncharted waters", then a Chart Plotter would seem to be a waste of money, use the savings to buy the best GPS you can afford.

Fish Finders are so cheap with so many improvements over what they were when I started boating, that you can virtually not make an error.

I like Garmin products, some others like Hummingbird, Lowrance, Eagle, just to name a few. Go with a name brand and you wont be sorry.

 

[marcusknight]

Re: GPS Recommendations for 16 foot starcraft

What I would be using it for would be along the coast of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin as well as the bay of Green Bay.