Garmin Chart plotters

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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time to take a small pile of cash from the wallet and turn into a display and transducer

looking at Garmin, however, havent looked on the website for a few weeks, and all the units I was looking at are now being replaced with new

anyone keep tabs on that is going on

I want side view and down view to prevent hitting things like sunken sail boats
I would like a 5" display or larger. the 5" are going away and there is the 6"
I need the G2/G3 charts
i need something that will work from 0-200 feet, however work well in 5 feet of water at 50mph (most of the gulf coast)
i need something that I can hook up to my VHF radio in the one event I need it
I would like polarized glass friendly

dont foresee a need bluetooth or NMEA 2000 (because I do not have a "smart" engine on purpose)

the new line of ECHOMAP UHD's are coming out. not sure how that compares to the ECHOMAP plus. Looks like the new UCD has the same features as the plus, and then a few more for a bit less

looking for feedback from iBoaters that actually have a newer garmin (recent within the last year) and that use it often

here is the current lineup on the interweb site
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/cOnTheWater-c519-p1.html

this place sells factory refurbs
https://g.factoryoutletstore.com/cat/39208/Garmin-Marine-Fishfinder/GPS-Combos.html
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,414
Couple of general comments:

echomap CHIRP 94sx
GPSMAP 942


Down view is useless.
6” display is too small for side scan. Tough to see in full screen mode on a 9” display
Side scan doesn’t have heave compensation. Chop isn’t your friend. Gets worst at higher frequencies. Must go slow...4-6 mph
NMEA is a must have. Networking of components. Interface to VHF etc.
The system is only as good as the transducer. GT series or better
Max. depth is 1/2 advertised
Bluetooth comes in handy

Your a better man than me if you run 50 mph in 5’ of water.....lol

The echomap UHD buys you nothing. I would go with the echo plus and spend the extra money on an upgraded transducer.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Considering my current GPS is a handheld with a 2.5" screen, a 6" screen is huge

I dont have room for a 9" screen
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,414
Considering my current GPS is a handheld with a 2.5" screen, a 6" screen is huge

Classic mistake...highly visualized, high resolution data on a small display under less than ideal conditions.

As I tell everyone, go out with someone using side or down scan on a 6” display and see if it works for you.

Keep in mind, the screen shots you see are from large displays shooting high contrast targets under ideal circumstances. Far from your typical, real world perform
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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still dont have room for a 9" screen. 7" would be max.
 

roscoe

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Oct 30, 2002
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Hmmmm, I'm starting to think that Scott has trolled us.

A man with a lifetime of boating experience, a wealth of technical knowledge, and a good sense of humor, wants us to recommend a sonar unit that will be of value in 5' ( or 30') of water, that will show anything at all several hundred feet ahead of the transducer, while running at 75' per second.

Add a couple thousand to the budget and you can get a forward scan that will let you see 50' ahead of boat in 5' of water.
 
Last edited:

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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not trolling, simply looking for a solution.

most of the gulf here is 5' deep at low tide when in the channels, sometimes the channels move.

sometimes islands are above the water surface..... sometimes below.

in the deeper sections, sometimes there are submerged and moving objects.

just that I havent looked at GPS units in about 6-8 months, and everything I looked at back then is now obsolete.

for example, it used to be G2 bluewater charts, now its G3. so what is the difference between G2 and G3?

down view came out a few years back, and now they have side view.... is it worth it to identify what I may have clipped?

would love forward facing sonar as well as radar, however I also have a realistic budget and a very small area on the dash that I can mount electronics
 

roscoe

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Oct 30, 2002
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21,657
Just messing with you a bit.
Yeah, we all need a solution to avoid something.
Mine are dead head stumps and slightly submerged logs in the flowages.

SI and DI don't do much in shallow water.

The only real solution is to go slow which would take all day.
Or throw caution to the wind, pray, and have seatow on speed dial.

I believe... G# version adds auto guidance, which will draw a route for you, based on your minimum depth desired, and the draft of your boat.

Doesn't seem like it would be of benefit in an ever changing environment.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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47,296
Polarized sunglasses a must in the gulf, however they dont help in brackish water such as the river I launch in
 

dingbat

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Nov 20, 2001
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had to go to worst-marine today for some hose

so I talked to the guy about chart plotters.

looking now at the Echomap plus 74 SV...... need to add a bit more to the pile of cash.

https://www.thegpsstore.com/Garmin-E...cer-P5885.aspx
The GT51 transducer in the package is a mid-range CHIRP unit.

If your not working deep water, you might be better off with the GT52-HW transducer.

Order the spray shield for the transducer while your at it

Limit side viewing to 3x depth. I run 2x most of the time
 
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