Best value gps/chart plotter

Hi guys

 

Looking at getting a gps/chart plotter for my 19ft old girl. I'm not looking at spending thousands of dollars on the latest and greatest, just looking for something I can load with maps of local waters/ rotto/mandurah etc to help navigate offshore.

 

I've been a boat owner for years but never had the confidence in my boat to venture any distance offshore. Current old girl has a great solid hull  ( chivers thunderbird) and I've just repowered with the latest mpi mercruiser  (8hrs) so I'm running out of excuses to stick to the river, except for the navigation nightmares. I have some charts but would prefer some maps I can reference quickly.

 

Just after your thoughts and recommendations  on a suitable gps/chart plotter that doesn't cost the earth, is reliable and will do what I'm asking off it.

 

Bring on the debates !!!. Thx.


Posts: 5798

Date Joined: 18/01/12

 Well ill throw the cat among

Mon, 2013-02-04 19:24

 Well ill throw the cat among the pidgeons and say find a navman 5500 and cmap card used, $400 odd bucks unless your set on new? Just sold one myself 2 weeks back.

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Posts: 33

Date Joined: 13/01/13

Would consider used for sure,

Tue, 2013-02-05 16:48

Would consider used for sure, so long as the seller is local and I could see it working. Better yet, help me fit it up to my boat...

Brucesta's picture

Posts: 1721

Date Joined: 29/05/09

 the best value one is a

Tue, 2013-02-05 18:16

 the best value one is a second hand one loaded with good fishing spots. I like the Lowrance HDS series ones with the Navionics card fitted to them, you can find them second hand quite a bit as they have released a few new models as of late. Navman with the CMAP cards also are good, or a Garmin GPS unit as well.

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Las Vegas - Rolling the dice and trying your luck. 1M+ Barra summer target. 100kg Black Marlin winter target

Justo82's picture

Posts: 482

Date Joined: 17/10/11

 Yep.  Lowrance hds 5 is a

Tue, 2013-02-05 22:54

 Yep.  Lowrance hds 5 is a good unit IMO

Ambiance's picture

Posts: 105

Date Joined: 06/12/09

RayMarine

Tue, 2013-02-05 21:58

I recently purchased a Raymarine A57D Oct 2012 and have found it great for under a $1000.00.

But am pretty pissed at myself as you can get the latest Raymarine A67 now with the Gold Nav card and transducer from Whitworths for $1200. I should not have been so hasty in my purchase.

 

Still a great unit though and the guys from Whitworths have always helped me out with advice and such since I am a bit of a Newbie to the Boating scene.

 

Cheers

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