GPS Need your Collective Wisdom Again!

[Woodyq]

Have an opportunity to buy a one year old GPS originally bought from "best" local marine store for over $400 and can pick it up for app $150.

It is a hand held unit.

We are retired and very much recreational and fair weather boaters, we have not yet lost sight of land, however we do like to find islands etc. Our boat is a Larson SEI 180LX.

Are mounted units far superior or will a handheld do an acceptable job. It sounds like a good deal however I don't want to get this simply on price and a year from now buy a mounted one.

I tried to locate thread on this but was not successful.

I apologize if this has been answered a hundred times.

Pls post your thoughts.

Many thanks.

 

[nlain]

Re: GPS Need your Collective Wisdom Again!

I have a handheld gps that I use in my home waters, I have used it in PCB FL and Crystal River FL with the respective charts and it has always been accurate. So for running the sounds and rivers I would think it would be ok, if going offshore I would want a second one and use the handheld for a backup. I don't think you will go to far out in a 180, that is not really an offshore boat, I have a 185 and I would not go very far out in it even on dead calm days, you never know when the weather will kick up.

 

[mrz333]

Re: GPS Need your Collective Wisdom Again!

GPS or Chartplotter? Gps only & you'll need your local charts to find positions & plot courses to them.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: GPS Need your Collective Wisdom Again!

Have an opportunity to buy a one year old GPS originally bought from "best" local marine store for over $400 and can pick it up for app $150.

It is a hand held unit.

Thats a pretty vague description. You might get some better feedback with more details about the unit you're thinking of buying.

I own a Garmin Vista handheld unit and love it. I have full marine maps/charts, topographical maps and road maps for all of North America. It does everything I could ask for and works flawlessly. Only issue is that the display is on the small side, but the graphics are bright and crisp and very easy to read.