www.iFourWinns.com

Well guys I have started to think about summer and am starting to count down the days until I can pull out the boat. With that I have also started making a list of things to prepare for the upcoming boating season. Number one on my list for this summer is a good GPS/Chartplotter/Depth Finder. I have done plenty of research, but I am also curious as to what kind of GPS you guys own etc. My boat is a Horizon 180, so I don't need anything too intense, I would really like something clear and easy to read, but also fit on my dash nicely behind the windshield. Also I would prefer not to drill into my boat to install the transducer, so I was also curious about the type that can be glued to the bottom of the boat. Thanks in advance for any info/opinions you guys have!

If Doc99 would ever post, he's got a really good one on his H170, but I can't remember what kind.... Hey lurker... read and provide input!

I'll try to find out from him if he doesn't respond.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

I got an Eagle Cuda 250i (obsolete now!) which does everything I want. Is a combo fish finder and GPS, gives water depth, temp, detects fish (in theory!!), etc. etc. Definately great value for money for our sized boats.

http://www.eaglenav.com/Products/Legacy-Products/FishfindersChartplotters/CUDA-250-SMap/

Trnasducer on mine does screw to the hull - however, there are bound to be a range of different mounting options. Unit itself is mounted in a cup holder. It has performed absolutely flawlessly over the years and was excellent value for money.

These days, if you dodn't want the fishfinder/depth option, then I'd go for an iPhone app as far as GPS and charting..!!

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

I've been looking at the new Hunmminbird 788ci HD DI Combo. I like the high resolution (640V x 640H) display. It has down imaging sonar and GPS. It's a bit pricey, though, with a list price just under $800.

http://store.humminbird.com/products/410760/788ci_HD_DI_Combo

KJF

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2000 Four Winns Horizon 230 powered by a Volvo 7.4 Gi, and towed by a 2003 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4WD Extended Cab.



kjf.smugmug.com

I went the seprate depthfinder & gps route. I am using a garmin Fishfinder 90 as a depthfinder, and a GPSMap 76Cx for GPS. With a suction ram mount, I use it in the car with the Highway SD card, and on the water with either the Bluechart or the "inland lakes" SD card for smaller lakes. Pretty versitile.

There is a new version of my GPS out now, the GPSMap 78, but if you look around you can probably still find clearance prices on the 76 series units. All told, the fishfinder was around 100 bucks, and I bought the GPS on sale for $279.00.

Here is where the fishfinder is located....





I suction the GPS on the opposite side of the helm. You could also do a bar mount on the windshield support.

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

I have the Lowrance M68, which is both a GPS and fishfinder. It works great and have had it for 3 years with no problems at all. The unit on the left is the Lowrance X0G, which is even better. It's a combo auto GPS and a marine GPS. I bought the map chip for the Midwest and it contains all the depths for 1,000s of local lakes. It is very accurate and saved me a couple of times from running into a sandbar or other shallow areas. Since I can use it for driving directions, it's a unit I can use all year round. The only downside is the size of the screen. It's a little small and sometimes a little hard to read when underway going fast and bouncing around. But, at slow speeds, it's no problem at all to follow.

I didn't want to drill any mounting holes in my boat's hull, so I mounted the skimmer/transducer unit on the M68 to a suction GPS mount. I had to do a little trimming of the bracket to get it to fit just right, but as you can see, it worked well and saved drilling holes into the transom and/or having to leave the unit with the boat when I sold it. It held great and only fell off one-time while underway. I tied a lanyard on just in case.





This is where I mounted the M68 on my 210:

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http://youtu.be/-4ckF7u1iNk
2003 PowerQuest 260 Legend SX
2014 Lund WC 14

2007 H210 Volvo 5.7 Gi/SX (sold in 2012)
2007 H180 Volvo 3.0 (sold in 2009)

I use the Lowrance LMS-339cDF-IGPS
I think the similar model now would be an ELITE 5. ($500-600)

It has been a very good unit --- I have Navionics charts for all coastal waters and all eastern lakes.
BEWARE OF CHARTS -- If you but the wrong type of chartplotter the charts can be as expensive as the chartplotter.
Mine uses inexpensive Navionics charts.

I have used mine extensively here in South Florida, in the Florida Keys, and recently on two large South Carolina lakes.

I have tied it into a NMEA2000 network and get fuel useage out of the Volvo engine, which then gives me realtime GPH or MPG on my gauge screen. You can easily adjust speed/engine trim/trim tabs/people position to get efficient running. With experience once you learn where that is, you do it automatically.

The unit has been very good with NO issues after two years of use in a saltwater environment.
I installed everything myself.

I know a lot of people like Garmins and they are also good units, but to me the Garmin screens are backwards to how I think in these size units (5 inch screens) -- the garmin screens are wide but thin --- to me you want thin but tall -- that way you see the water column in more detail on the depthfinder, and more of where you are going in the chartplotter.

Just my preference.
Dale

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DaleG -- West Palm Beach FL
2003 240Horizon -- 5.7Gi -Duoprop

iPhone option is not a great one. Maybe in a pinch, pun intended. It is hard to be driving the boat, holding the phone (trying not to drop it) and then the detail is small, so you have to pinch and expand. Doing this moving is hard too.

I too am going to add a GPS/Depth on my Freedom 180 (Basically same as Horizon). The issue is where to mount. I do not have that cup holder in the helm which is a perfect place. I might do it on the left side of the gauges or figure out some other mount. I want a permanent mount and wiring as I will drill a hole for my transducer.

They do offer "thru hull" transducer's but you have to make sure it is in an area that will not get any air between the hull and the water or it will not read accurate.

I am pretty sold on the Garmin 4xx or 5xx series. The older model (about 6 months or so since the newer model came out) is a bit cheaper, but the resolution is better on the newer model and the chip is faster so it moves much faster. I would not do the touch screen (at least in salt water applications) as it is less responsive from what I have seen on others GPS.

Here is the link to what I am looking at and the transducer is extra. No one seems to sell these used or they end up getting bought fast.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=150&pID=28755

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=150&pID=28739

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4