GPS.......what are your favorites and which ones do you not like?
 

There is probably an older thread about this or maybe even a recent one, but electronics change season to season so which ones are you guys using and what are your likes or dislikes?

As a former Marine electronics salesperson Ill ask you 2 pertinant questions.

Best for the money-? Garmin

Best no holds barred? - Furuno


Uncle Dave

Laveycraft 2750 Ilmor 710
Laveycraft 20.8 Sebring 406 SB
Fleetwod nitrous toy hauler
Yamaha raptor 700/Kawi KFX 450
Nissan Titan

The coolest set-up we've seen is the dual Northstar/Smartcraft set-up we've been putting in the Nor-tech's. You can toggle between GPS, video and digital dash. Usually one unit is set to map and the other is all of the gauges that would traditionally be on the dash. Really cleans thing up and makes boating easier and more pleasurable. The computers watch the gauges for you. You just have to drive.

can you do the same digital dash with the new garmin touchscreen units? they go up to 15" displays

whats the big screen in the center in front of the throttles for ?

Northstar is the only GPS that will interface with Mercury's Smartcraft.

That is for the camera system. The video will display on the Northstars. But if you are using one Northstar for map and the other for digital dash, this screen still gives you video capability. I like to set it to rear view. You can watch your rooster tail on the screen in real time to help trim the boat! Neat, huh?

All new high end units take any NMEA 2000 data you feed them and allow near ifinite "gauge" possibilities on screen including cameras.

That are is not where the current edge of technolgy rests-

Its the screen redraw time, radar overlay, 2/3d fusion, type of charts, depth info- fusion and capabilities that set the units apart from one another.

The furuno has the ability to scale and fuse three types of charts from infinity to 25 FT with zero redraw time in 2 & 3d Makes northstar (and garmin) look like they are on valium. It can also fuse that data with a radar overlay in 2 & 3D.

Northstar and Garmin (I own 2 Garmin Rhinos and love them) are great manufacterers they just dont rate in a bunch of areas. The northstar 8000 is a neat piece but misses the mark on several areas.



Uncle Dave

Laveycraft 2750 Ilmor 710
Laveycraft 20.8 Sebring 406 SB
Fleetwod nitrous toy hauler
Yamaha raptor 700/Kawi KFX 450
Nissan Titan

Really nice setup man. I am pretty sure I get my raymarine E series to display the smart-craft gauges as well.

[QUOTE=Uncle Dave;2669565]As a former Marine electronics salesperson Ill ask you 2 pertinant questions.

Best for the money-? Garmin

Best no holds barred? - Furuno


Uncle Dave



Uncle Dave is dead on. I commercial fished in Alaska, and cruised between Seattle and SE Alaska for years. Nearly all commercial boats us Furuno, they are the BEST on the market.