Best GPS for the money
 

Does anyone have any suggestions on the best GPS for the money? I'm looking for a fixed mounted unit.

Thanks

A freind told me about Lowrance and I got one and love it..best prices i found are on www.boatersland.com

I've alway used Garmin, and been very happy with them. If you can swing a visit to the Miami Boat Show, you can see all the manufacturers latest stuff. Failing that, your local West Marine may have a decent selection. How big is your mounting area?

I just got a garmin, seems west marine has the best prices unless you order 1 offline somewhere....

I bought one from west marine and so far so good. Only used it once at Cumberland. Old one took a dump and needed a new one in a hurry.

Does anyone have any good comparison between the Garmin 4200 series and 5200 series? For the type of boating I do, I am not sure if I need to spend the extra $$ for a 5200.

I believe I can only fit an 8" screen in the center between my canopies.

the comparable Garmin to the Lowrance that i got was 1000 dollars more, i couldn't justify it...

The GPS store has the best prices I have seen, we are a dealer for many different Marine GPS builders and they beat my dealer pricing. I recently upgraded my GPS to the Garmin 541.


http://www.thegpsstore.com/

Does anyone use an iPad with the built in gps antenna and the navionics app as a chartplotter? How does it work?

I was coming here to ask the exact same question as we dont have a GPS in the new boat! It could also be an occasion to get a new Ipad to play with when we're not boating or during the 7-8 months winter

My thoughts exactly which is why I asked. If I can get an iPad to do both then all the better as my new boat doesnt have a chartplotter either.

Tom, the 4000 series use buttons, while the 5000 series are touchscreen. The 6000 series are essentially the same as the 4000 series, but with more powerful processors. I'd go with the 4208, which includes charts for the entire US coastal waters. Buy the remote as well. It's handy when you're in rough water...

Hoping to hear more on the use of the Ipad too!

I just picked up a Garmin GPSMAP 640 on West Marine for 600.00 Black Cyber Monday Special savings off from the normal price.

Tom,

We have two 5208 touch screens in the boat and they are fantastic. I would go for the touch screens.

I agree..Im putting one on my cat with Radar..

That is a great price for that unit.:coolcowboy:

Thanks for the input guys!
I will see what kind of numbers work and go from there!

there is a thread on ipads already http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...roids-gps.html

Make sure you watch the maps option, because some units can be a lot cheaper but you make up for it in buying maps.

I have GARMIN but IMVHO i think Garmin runs a raquet between how do maps and stuff being interchangeable between units. My boat garmin is used, if I went new I would have went lowrance.

Garmin only charges $100 for the entire US chart set (the X2XX series). That seems like a good deal to me. Or you talking about the old BlueChart series? They could be shared among three units.

only 100 bucks after i spent 400 bucks for the unit.. Not into spending big money on a product then oh by the way have to spend more money just for it to work

The Garmin GPSMAP 640 comes loaded with US coastal and street maps. It is hard to read in the sunlight however; so take whatever you want to buy outdoors in the sunlight before you purchase.

Ck out the Garmin 740 also. Nice unit for the money but has no video inputs though. Also Simrad has the new NSS series they are touch and come in 7" , 8" and a 12". Built in Gps antenna. Ray marine also has anew E7. Hybrid touch, Bluetooth to your phone, iPod, iPad and a wireless control for the wheel.

Then let me re-phrase that. Garmin charges $100 less for their chartplotters if you don't want the charts included.

:drink:




I too which there was a decent solution utilizing the iPad. If someone could come up with a good way to mount it, protect it, charge it, and make it visible in sunlight, they'd all but kill the entire market for everybody else.

Its going to come. And when it does we will see garmins hold on the market loosen and products get way cheaper.

Do you think a I-pad is made for the beating it would take in a offshore boat?

Extended warranty! :drink:

Soldier, I don't think all of the concerns I mentioned are easily fixed, especially the display in direct sunlight. Wild brings up another good point, how well would they hold up to the vibration and impacts of offshore boating? I would be surprised if all of these things will be easily or quickly addressed.

At that point, it would no longer be an iPad... :drink:

If you look a the price of just a sunlight-viewable screen, you're already over the price of an iPad. Unless you've actually used the current generation of Garmin (and the marine brands) GPS's, don't be too quick to criticize the cost/benefits ratio. All of these companies make a very nice products in quantities far smaller than notebook PC's.

true and Ipad is kind of big

Does anyone have a GPS recommendation for Canada?

Everytime I've looked they are slightly more expensive in Canada and we still need a $99 chip to load the maps for Canadian waterway (and in the case of the Garmin 640 roadways), yet they still them in Canada as ready to go...

If you are talking thousand islands area I know the map pretty much goes to candian shores. Cant speak the same for the great lakes but I am pretty sure they cover the whole lake.

Well I want the 1000 Islands for sure, but I want some of the lakes and rivers in Ontario itself, want to poker run in a few more, but having to get stuck in the back not knowing where your going can kind of give you a beating of its own.