GPS Recommendations Please?

[Pierless]

Hey, Y'all,

My Magellan 310 finally bit the dust. It worked last year, but when I powered it up last weekend it started lying to me and then it ultimately stopped tracking satellites altogether. Boo. I can't figure it out; it was only like 14 years old!

So, it looks like I will vault into the world of chart plotting GPS electronics. Probably a good thing, seeing as my eyes are getting fuzzy at short range and the 310's screen was tiny. The 310 was a plotting only, which worked fine for the most part fishing out of Sodus.

The last name is Redden, not "Rockefeller," so I'm looking to go as inexpensively as possible without being a complete twit and winding up with an inflatable unit!

If you wouldn't mind making suggestions as to what make/model you suggest with an eye to affordability I'd be grateful. I reckon I'll have to buy charts/software to load into it. I cruise Lake Ontario and fish pretty hard out of Sodus, but that's about it

Thanks,

Pierless

Neil

[J.D.]

nice basic unit for the price....

http://www.hodgesmarine.com/FURUNO-GP32-GPS-p/furgp32.htm

or this one.......

http://www.hodgesmarine.com/GARMIN-GPS-152-GPS-p/gar010-00227-10.htm

[Billy V]

We run this and love it: http://store.humminbird.com/humminbird- ... 90-1V.html

But this one also comes pre-loaded with all the Gold + and HotMaps Premuim charts and costs a lot less: http://store.humminbird.com/sonar-gps-c ... 60-1V.html

Best price I've seen on the 782 was at BOE: http://www.byownerelectronics.com/store ... 668&page=1

[Pierless]

J.D. and Billy V,

Thanks for the input!

I'll wait until Monday and check back to see what others have to say. I don't have a computer at home,...

I need to have a GPS before the Derby starts though!

Billy V, I've read many of your posts and hear you from time to time when I'm east of Sodus. Thanks for chiming in, I'm flattered!

One quick question please on plotter type units, do they offer "steering directions?" That was the most used feature on my old 310 and I found it very handy when putting the newbie aboard behind the helm and telling them to, "Just follow the arrow!" when running along and rigging while they drive.

Best Regards to you both,

Pierless

Neil

[J.D.]

Neil, I believe all the units listed above have multiple steering screens.

[Pierless]

J.D.,

Thanks.

As the only replies I've gotten is from you and Billy V., I haven't got a lot to go on, as far as what other folks have had for experience with various units.

If I went with what Billy V uses, I’d be broke, but if it guaranteed as much success as Billy has, I'd buy it right away. I know the truth though and there's more to this than GPS/electronics,...

As I said, I think I'm headed for a chart plotter. It seems the way to go. I spend a lot of time on the water and even cruise a bit, so the charts loaded into the GPS makes sense too. Still, I'll miss that old Magellan. It delivered me to my destination for a loooong time.

Again, thank you for your response.

Regards,

Pierless

Neil

[Billy V]

Neil,

The Humminbird we use has a very cool arrow feature that points in front of the vessel in the direction you're headed. We've had several comments in the past week or two about how nice the unit and that feature are. We really like it a lot....more than I expected we would!

The 785c2i NVB that I showed you is going for $749 at BOE, but remember that it already comes pre-loaded with over $1700 worth of Navionics charts. The 785c2 (no charts) goes for $549. You can buy the 755 (no charts and a lower screen resolution) for $449. With both of those units you'd have to add a chip later.

Actually, I was just surfing another site that I've bought stuff from, www.anchorexpress.com, and they have the 785c2i NVB for $687.99 and the other units are lower priced too. http://www.anchorexpress.com/product_de ... _406920-1V

[Pierless]

Billy V,

Thanks for doing my shopping for me!

I hope you get some sort of kickback. I think you've sold me on the 785c2i NVB.

I felt naked out there on Saturday when I ran over the one and only fish of my weekend and couldn't drop a waypoint. It was at that moment that I wished I'd had my "poor man's GPS" units aboard, which were Clorox bottles with some gravel in them,.... I took those off the boat about 10 years ago when I got my first GPS,....

Besides your recommendation, the fact that the 785c2i NVB is pre-loaded w/charts is probably my deciding factor for the purchase of this unit. I don't have a computer at home and loading the charts would be problematic.

Two more questions for you please?

1.) Does the 785c2i NVB have the same "steering directions" you like so much?

2.) Are the pre-loaded charts good enough to navigate Lake Ontario with, as far as details on lights/beacons/channel markers etc? I'm courting the idea of navigating the St. Lawrence, possibly to Montreal, but the thought of the river's notorious, lower unit eating, sub-surface topography has kept me from venturing that way,.... yet.

I owe you one!

Best Regards,

Pierless

Neil

[Billy V]

Neil,

Yeah, as far as I know the 785 has that same arrow indicator.

Like I said I have the 955C NVB but they tell me the only difference in the units is the screen size and the internal antenna. We also really like the different views that you can choose from on the screen. There are something like 7 or 8 different views that you can choose from. It's all totally customizable.

The charts are Navionics Gold + (awesome for navigation) and Navionics HotMaps Premium (which is great for fishing the east end of Lake O). If you were to buy just the Gold + chip for Lake Ontario you'd be looking at close to $200. That unit comes with every Gold + and HotMaps Premium chart they offer.

For what it's worth, you don't need a computer to load charts on most GPS units. They typically take a card that you just plug into the slot on the GPS.

[Pierless]

Billy V,

You're awesome.

Thanks for the look at the graphics, I'm sold!

I guess most of what I know about chart plotting GPS's was based on the investigation I did about two years ago. At that time the "best" thing I saw was Garmin and their BlueCharts. The BlueCharts were sold on a disk with an "unlock code." They sent you the disk with one unlock code and you loaded whatever region you wanted. However, all the regions were on the disk; if you wanted to load a different region, you called them up, paid your $$ and they gave you another unlock code. Naturally, you had to have a computer to download the files.

I should just go and buy this thing from AnchorExpress now. However, I'll probably still poke around to see if anyone's got any better pricing. I doubt they will. By the looks of it, you've already done the legwork for me and I'll just be wasting my time.

Again, thanks and I owe you one!

Pierless

Neil

Out

[Billy V]

Glad to help Neil.

The new Garmin BlueCharts are still very good, but they only work with Garmin units. Best of luck with searching. If you find a better price than Anchor Express let us know!

[Pierless]

Billy V.,

The unit should be on my non-fishy smelling hands by Thursday!

Had to laugh; I signed my brother up for the LOC this year and asked him if he'd received his card in the mail yet (because I haven't,...). He said, "No. Is it scented?" Ha!

I searched only a little bit and could not find a better price. I have ordered the 785c2i w/NVB, as you suggested, from Anchor Express.

Cost delivered (DHL Next Day) = $710.98.

Thank you again for your advice. Hopefully we'll rub elbows at the LOC awards ceremonies and I'll be recouping my GPS purchase cost! All I need is a best in a class,... really, that's all I need,... and this lamp,... and this chair,... (Steve Martin - "The Jerk")

Pierless

Neil

[Pierless]

Just thought I'd cap this thread with the news that I have bought, purchased, installed and enjoyed the Humminbird 785c2i NVB that Billy V. recommended for me (seeing as I was on a budget).

I procured the unit from Anchor Express. I got it delivered via DHL Next Day Air for and extra $23 for a delivered total of $710.

I've only used it once, but I think it's going to work out very well.

I was concerned that the NVB (pre-loaded Navionics charts and Premium HotMaps option) was not going to be good enough for navigating Lake Ontario in places I have not gone before. My fears are permanently quieted. The charts are simply amazingly detailed. I live on Sodus Bay and my landlord's dock is on there (it's a big dock,...)!

No matter where you go, there you are, but if I'm on the water, I'll now know exactly where I am. Heck, I can even call the nearest waterfront restaurant for reservations from the telephone numbers listed in the info screens of the charts! Maybe the "Uber NVB" package has wine lists?

Thanks to Billy V and all who have tolerated this thread!

Pierless

Neil

Out