Garmin chartplotter advice

[Stein]

I'm pinching some nickels together and will be updating to a Garmin chartplotter.  I have a Garmin autopilot, so I need to stick with Garmin.

Looks like they have an Echomap line and a GPS Map line, not sure what to get.  I will be using it for salmon fishing in the salt 95% of the time and already have an Airmar TM150M chirp transducer I hope to reuse.

Any advice on one line or the other?  GPSmap 943 is about $1500 and ECHOMAP 94 is about $1k.

[Crunchy]

I picked up the 8610 last year and its is a really nice unit.  Buy once cry once.  They aren't cheap.  I am thinking about picking up a second one for the stern.

[Stein]

I'm on my fourth buy once with these, the second one had GPS which was a real game changer.  It cost more than the boat it went on.   

[jay.sharkbait]

Do you plan on adding radar?

[Crunchy]

I'm on my fourth buy once with these, the second one had GPS which was a real game changer.  It cost more than the boat it went on.   

Trust me I feel your pain.  Last year bought new boat, added new kicker, second battery and switch, upgraded prop on main, chart plotter, vhf radio, downriggers, two sets of Hali rods and reels etc etc etc.  Doesn't include expanding my garage to fit the new boat.  Gets expensive quick.

[blackpowderhunter]

i'd personally opt for the gps map.
i run two GPS map 942s networked together on my boat.
one is an XS so it has built in sonar capability, the other does not.  Second screen can mirror the first if i want, but i usually have it running maps and or radar overlay.
super user friendly and capable units.  reason i say go for the gps map over the echomap (and i could be wrong here since i bought a few years ago) but the GPSmap series allow you to run 1KW ducers.
i LOVE my TM185HW for fishing the sound.
lots of 942xs models on ebay for that 1k price point also.

[blackpowderhunter]

I'm on my fourth buy once with these, the second one had GPS which was a real game changer.  It cost more than the boat it went on.   

Trust me I feel your pain.  Last year bought new boat, added new kicker, second battery and switch, upgraded prop on main, chart plotter, vhf radio, downriggers, two sets of Hali rods and reels etc etc etc.  Doesn't include expanding my garage to fit the new boat.  Gets expensive quick.

well my wife wants a new boat 

[Stein]

Do you plan on adding radar?

No radar plans and nowhere to mount it.

[Stein]

i'd personally opt for the gps map.
i run two GPS map 942s networked together on my boat.
one is an XS so it has built in sonar capability, the other does not.  Second screen can mirror the first if i want, but i usually have it running maps and or radar overlay.
super user friendly and capable units.  reason i say go for the gps map over the echomap (and i could be wrong here since i bought a few years ago) but the GPSmap series allow you to run 1KW ducers.
i LOVE my TM185HW for fishing the sound.
lots of 942xs models on ebay for that 1k price point also.

The 94 seems to check the most boxes for me.  Unfortunately, I think I need to spend $90 to convert my 9 pin transducer cable to a 12 pin for the Garmin unit.

Do you guys have the Navionics or the cheaper Bluechart?  Looks like it's cheaper to buy a unit without Navionics and add it than to buy it preloaded.

[Sakko300wsm]

I would go with the GPSMAP line as others have suggested. We use those in most of our boat builds. Way better options than the Echo

[birddogdad]

pm sent, just did all this on my Striper

[Stein]

pm sent, just did all this on my Striper

 

[jay.sharkbait]

Do you plan on adding radar?

No radar plans and nowhere to mount it.

Some of the plotters aren’t compatible with the new Radar so I thought I’d mention it.

[steeleywhopper]

I have the Garmin 1243xsv with Radar and GT51 transducer, love it.  Now I need to grab another screen so I can have one in the back of the boat when I'm running gear. I have been running the Ipad for then second screen, but sunlight is an issue with the Ipad screen.

[birddogdad]

I have the Garmin 1243xsv with Radar and GT51 transducer, love it.  Now I need to grab another screen so I can have one in the back of the boat when I'm running gear. I have been running the Ipad for then second screen, but sunlight is an issue with the Ipad screen.

you can use a cheap 100$ pad off amazon downloaded with garmin active captain and the wifi built into  the 1243 vs routing cables too! working on a mount here as my winter project!