What GPS unit?

[cimy3]

I am looking for a GPS (only) chartplotter that is entry to middle of the road in price. I will mainly use it for charting hot spots. <br /><br />Right now, I am considering the Lowrance 4800 or the Eagle 480.<br /><br />Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Ray

 

[FishyFun]

Re: What GPS unit?

Lowrance all the way.<br /><br />lee

 

[JB]

Re: What GPS unit?

Well, I like Lowrance (and Eagle) sonar products, but for GPS I am all the way in favor of Garmin.<br /><br />A very good value in a boat mounted unit is the 162.

 

[Boatist]

Re: What GPS unit?

I also like Lowrance and Garmin. Find the size screen you want and color or mono, then go down to a store that has the units you have picked and compare. If you do this I think you will choose Lowrance. At least in my area the Lowrance unit base maps are twice as good as Garmin base maps. Lowrance has navigation aids. Garmin base maps do not include Navigation Aids (Buoys and Lights) even in the top of the line units. Sure you buy a chip with this data for $100 to $150. Also Garmin does not supply a program to save your waypoints to a PC unless you pay for one of the chips. Lowrance units come with the program. One thing that has kinda turned me against Garmin is older units had better base maps and navigation aids. Like the portable Garmin unit I have a GPSMAP 76 bought about 6 years ago had all the navigation aids but today unit does not and shore lines are much less detailed. It appears to me that they downgraded their base maps to make it nessary to buy the chip. Granted the chip in many cases will have water depth and contuor lines.<br /><br />Anyway before you buy go down and look at the unit. Zoom in on an area you know and see it you see the buoys you know are there. Do this with both Garmin and Lowrance.<br /><br />My garmin unit works perfect and is a fine product but if I want to upgrade to latest firmware I must manually save each waypoint. Then I can upgrade to latest firmware and manually enter each waypoint again.<br /><br />Let us know what you buy.

 

[Triton II]

Re: What GPS unit?

I have a Garmin GPSMap 188. The point about Garmin base databases being very basic is well made. If you go with Garmin it's vital to get the Bluechart chip for your area. IMHO (been using GPS for nearly 20 years - thanks to a long time flying in the military) the Garmin is a better allround product with a very intuitive user system, and is easily upgradable when a new chart comes out - I have a card reader that allows me to download routes and waypoints from the chip onto my PC and then load the latest chart information onto it. Having said that, I've only done this once in two and a half years - the charts are based on our naval charts and they rarely update them over here in Australia.<br /><br />Advantages: Simple, effective, ultra reliable and easy to use. <br />Disadvantages: Not cheap compared to other brands, basic database is terribly basic. Made in Taiwan. Screen resolution could be better -especially compared to Lowrance.<br /><br />BTW: I have no affiliation with Garmin, in fact the local distributor is bl00dy awful whereas the local Lowrance distributor is pretty good. If I were to upgrade tomorrow (pointless as Garmin USA support the product well) I'd buy another Garmin, with Lowrance a close second. Enjoy your research and buy the product you feel comfortable with - good luck!

 

[cimy3]

Re: What GPS unit?

Thanks folks for your feedback. I am going to go with the Lowrance I mentioned above.<br /><br />Thanks!

 

[Capt. Mako]

Re: What GPS unit?

Go for the GARMIN

 

[b.gagnon]

Re: What GPS unit?

I have a Humminbird Matrix 37 with a Garmin GPSV and love the combo. <br />Having separate units for me was best.