Help on choosing a chartplotter/sounder

[Ciscovet]

Hey guys,
I'm sure this has been hashed out one hundred times on this forum but I have some questions that relate particularly to my situation. I have a 2001 Sea Ray 180 bowrider that I use mainly go go out around the gulf of Mexico. I do not fish (unfortunately) so my main concern is really with the GPS and depth. I am looking for a chart plotter/sounder combo that is under 500 dollars.
My main concern is with the maps. Some of these units look heap until you realize that you have to automatically upgrade the maps. I am not looking to go from here to the Bahamas (yet). I really just need maps that are good enough to navigate the waters near Tampa. This are is extremely shallow and there are marked rock piles on the charts which I would like to know about. Do any of the units' base maps give you enough detail for this?
Also, I do not really care about screen size but I could go up to a 4 inch screen. I am also worried about the size and mounting it on my boat. Lastly, the ability to remove it from the boat and take it with me. My boat sits in high and dry and do not want to leave the unit there. So far from what I have found, the Garmin 441s looks to be the best option but I am open to others. Any Ideas?

 

[mark1905]

Re: Help on choosing a chartplotter/sounder

Before I even got through your post to see your conclusion, I knew a Garmin 4xx series is your perfect bet for that size boat and your application. They get the job done beautifully with all the features you need at a reasonable price. Go for that model, seriously.

In the end, most models/brands have the same features but it comes down to what you'll want to be staring at for hours on the boat. Go to your local West Marine or major marine store and play with all the units they have and see which one agrees with your eyes and your budget the most. I've always been a Garmin fan for marine use because of their ease of use, features and good looking displays/menus. It's all what jives with you personally.. and people on an internet forum can't answer that for you. That's your call.

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Help on choosing a chartplotter/sounder

I would agree with the Garmin as your choice also.

I own a Lowrance HDS usnit and it is wonderful but I don't see you needing all those bells and whistles. The chartplotter is most important, sonar is secondary and really only usefull at speeds where you can manuever quick enough to avoid a rapid change in depth. If screen size and near daily updates are really, really important then you could optionally go with a HP Elitebook and a GPS antenna + software but that would put you over your budget. I've got everything in that last list except the software which I'm still looking for. I've tried a few of the trial versions but either the cost is too high to be practical for my use or the products don't do anything more for me than I already have. The nice thing about the last option is that you just lift it out of the docking station and take it with you so it's not a single use item.

 

[mark1905]

Re: Help on choosing a chartplotter/sounder

Except that a laptop + mounting station just for chart plotting on an 18' bow rider might be juuuuuuuuust a little bit of overkill..