On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 21:21:05 -0600, "HomeBrewer"
wrote:

Just got a new boat, looking for a good gps/fish finder combo. Trying to
keep it under $600. Any recommendations?

I have personal experience with this one http://tinyurl.com/2dsel and
it's marginally ok performance wise, but you are limited in scope with
the amount of data the GPS can provide. If you are truly limited in
space and dollars, then this is a decent unit. The same company makes
this unit http://tinyurl.com/ywvzs which is also a decent performer.

Lowrance makes this model http://tinyurl.com/3antd which I have seen
on other boats and it performs well. Again, if it's a question of
space and money, this is probably the best choice overall.
(Disclaimer: I am a shameless brand loyalist.) :)

I did not include Garmin in any choices for personal reasons having to
do with incredibly lame and stupid, insolent attitudinally challenged
customer service representatives and a technical service rep who
didn't know his ass from a hole in the wall. I will never recommend
Garmin to anybody for any reason.

These are pretty much your base line choices based on the amount of
money you said you wanted to spend. There are others, but they are
toys. Personally, I like the concept of an all-in-one unit, but there
are scenarios in which all-in-one units can cause you problems in
particular if, for any reason, the unit goes down, you don't have
either. It's really a personal choice - what you are comfortable
having.

For me, I want the best that I can afford of each.

Having said all that, I confess I have a single unit GPS/Sounder on my
Ranger, http://tinyurl.com/39qqe, but I carry a backup handheld GPS
just in case and I have an X-85 built in the dash so if the X-18C
dies, I'm still in good shape. My Contender has seperate units.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Angling may be said to be so
like the mathematics that it
can never be fully learnt..."

Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653