Gps

[THEFERMANATOR]

http://www.boemarine.com/

Give these people a call. They have VERY competitive prices to even those of the to good to be true EBAY prices, AND you'll have an actual person to deal with if you ever need help. And they do answer the phone and go above and beyond to help you get the right product. Give them a call and I'm sure they will hook you up. And as for the 440S from GARMIN, I wasNOT impressed with it at all. The GPS is ok, but the fishfinder portion SUCKED! Maybe I'm just spoiled from using SI-TEX and FURUNO for years, but it wasn't any better than a $100 HUMMINBIRD fish finder.

[chumbucket]

The Humminbird 383c has very basic detail on the cartography and is not capable of upgrading to more detail.

[macojoe]

I have had a few Garmins and love them!! I hate Humingbirds! But I have always had seprate units I no like all in ones.

I now have Foruno on the big boat and like that also but it was $$$ But i still say you can't go wrong with a garmin!

[phatdaddy]

i think it would depend on what you plan to do with the boat. if you are a hard core fisherman, you need to have seperate units. the bottom machine is going to be the weaker half of the above units. if you run out to a general area and drift or troll, you will be ok, but if your hunting for a secret pile of washing machines in 120' you will not be happy. i think garmin has the gps covered hands down and furno on the sounder. i also have friends with lowrance bottom machines that are happy. its nice to have two screens to look at. trust me, the older you get, the harder it is to read info on a 4" screen that is split.

[csvencer]

Phatdaddy nailed it - What are you going to mainly be doing, that will drive the features you need/like. The garmin is a better GPS than almost anything out there, but unless you go with their GSD22 sounder and a better tranducer don't expect anything on par with furuno or raymarine.

-Svence

[fullofitx3]

thanks for all the replies, im leaning more to the garmin, its seems for the little extra you get alot more features and functions in the long runs and can upgrade the charts.
I'm a novice boater and mostly stick around the back bays with the kids and catch fish and have fun. just concered if i stray to unkown area or break down and being able to give my location.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I personally have just a sounder mounted on my boat, and carry a hand held GARMIN GPSMAP 76 for my position for those 2 items. I prefer the hand-held myself for most all applications as I can take it on any of my boats(or friends boats) and have EXCELLENT repeatability in finding spots. For a good budget machine I would reccomend the FURUNO 4100 or 6100, they are black and white but excellent machines for the money. If going with a combo in a GARMIN, step up to the 540. You will thank yourself in the longrun for doing it.

Here's a reman 540S with a full 1 year warranty(same as new) for less than you were going to pay for a 440S.
http://www.boemarine.com/Products/01...1/Default.aspx