Looking for GPS/Fishfinder combo for '94 Adventure 208. Don't need top of the line, but good quality that will serve as both a solid fish finder and GPS that will fit well within the Glove Box. I've heard Garmin are pretty good. I welcome thoughts/recommendations.
Looking for GPS/Fishfinder for 208
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Hookup1
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SkunkBoat
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For a 20 footer with no radar and a single screen, the Garmin EchoMap series is a great choice. It has sidevu. Make sure you are buying the package that includes the transom mount transducer. That is a huge discount vs buying a separate transducer. Make sure you get the model with the maps you need. Make sure you are buying the one with G3 maps for Coastal or Lakes depending on what you need. The models ending with 3 have Lake (93sv) and ending in 4 have Coastal (94sv).
Deals can be found on "last years" model but they never discount the very latest model. There is nothing wrong with that.
GET THE BIGGEST ONE THAT WILL FIT. Pay up for the biggest scren that will fit. You will not regret it.
Deals can be found on "last years" model but they never discount the very latest model. There is nothing wrong with that.
GET THE BIGGEST ONE THAT WILL FIT. Pay up for the biggest scren that will fit. You will not regret it.
Agree! 94sv UHD with GT56 is very good. Look for sales or West Marine points deals if you are a gold member.
I realize this is not what your looking to do, but I'm a big fan of the Lowrance units. The 9" carbons were on sale for around $800. I have an overhead electronics box for my radios, but I really like having the glove box empty for my wallet, gloves, things like that.
Capnrey
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I replaced the old Lowrance ('96) that was probably original when purchased by the previous owner, with the new Garmin Echomap 94SV and love it. I like that I can take it off the mount (snaps off and on) without disconnecting the connectors. Very intuitive unit. I purchased it WITH the transducer.
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oldrusty
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Agree , a lot of good info about different ways to go but I also have a 204c about the same glove box size as yours. Its pretty tough to fit anything in it. If you looking into older used but still good enough equipment to get started Garmin is a good product to start with and there's a lot of used equipment out there that will get you started. I still have as a backup a Garmin 3205 that is a gps/ fishfinder with a sounder21 that both units fit into the glove box and are out of the way. They are not as big as my other equipment but they still work and fit in the box if i need them. New equipment can get expensive fast lol . I think you are just getting started and you said you wanted to fit in your box . my 2 cents.
I have 2-5 inch displays mounted on brackets, I remove them when I am nit using the boat. I am pretty sure you could fit a 7 in display, maybe one 9.
As skunk mentioned the bigger the better,
As skunk mentioned the bigger the better,
You can fit two 7 inch displays in the box,. Have a Furuno and a Lowrance, use one for the fish finder and one for the chart. Have since flush mounted them both. The flush mount is on hinges so I have access to the box for storage.
Thank you for all your very helpful responses. I ended up getting a Garmin Echomap 74SV. Last year’s model saved me $50. A solid fishfinder/GPS that didn’t break the bank. Gonna install this week. Happy fishing! (Feels like Christmas in July!)
I just installed a GARMIN 1243 XSV in my gulfsream,with radar,the system is absolutely incredible,well worth the $$$$
T-Man….what product is that on the dash? Also, where did you install the VHF? I just bought a 93 Adventure, and am looking for ideas. I like how you did yours. Thanks.
It's just the cheap eva foam from Amazon. It's only been there for a few months so time will tell on how it holds up. I mainly wanted to cover the mess of screw holes on the dash. It is nice to throw your phone up there and it doesn't slide all around. My radios are in a overhead electronics box since I have a hardtop. I'm in the middle of redoing that now. When it's done I'll share with the fourm.
dogdoc
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Just installed the Garmin 94sv uhd with gt 54 transducer. Got it at west marine when giving triple points and on sale. The 94 will be great and all I need. The gt54 leaves a little to be desired but should be fine for our fishing activity. Transducer cable is short, so ext needed and the mounting bracket is plastic but I was able to use the metal bracket already there for prior traducer. Just to clarify this unit does have wifi.
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Mustang65fbk
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Literally just finished up doing this yesterday on my 2004 Grady White 228 Seafarer. I looked for quite sometime before finally settling on a Garmin 943xsv along with their GT56UHD-TM transducer. I plan on launching the boat tomorrow as it’s currently still on the trailer following the installing and I need to wait 24 hours to let the 5200 sealant cure, but I like it so far. I like a GPS unit without any buttons, besides the power button of course, is a touchscreen and can be seen from the stern of the boat. My neighbor has a GW 270 Islander with a 12” Garmin and that thing is big imo, even for his boat. I’m glad I went with a 9” screen as opposed to a 12” screen as I think the latter would’ve been even more overkill on a smaller 228 Seafarer. Attached are a few pictures, I’ll take some more over the next week or so when I’m out on the water, hopefully and without any issues.
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Mustang65fbk
Read you post about getting the 943xsv
I am at an early stage to replace mine in the fall and wonder if you compared this to the ECHO Map UHD 94SV ?
What is the purpose of the 4" unit in your picture?
Would you post a pic or two of your Garmin while out fishing - How do like your Garmin.
thanks
Steve
Read you post about getting the 943xsv
I am at an early stage to replace mine in the fall and wonder if you compared this to the ECHO Map UHD 94SV ?
What is the purpose of the 4" unit in your picture?
Would you post a pic or two of your Garmin while out fishing - How do like your Garmin.
thanks
Steve
Mustang65fbk
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Hey Steve,
I didn't really consider the UHD 94SV as I'm not a fan of an MFD that uses any buttons other than the power button and prefer a touchscreen only device. I know I'm probably one of the few in that regard but I've used MFD's in the past that had the buttons only, or touchscreen as well as button usage and never liked using them. I figured for the extra couple hundred bucks that I'd splurge a little and get what I really wanted as well as it fit within my budget since I was trying to keep it less than $2k and hopefully closer to the $1,600 range, which I did do. The second unit in the picture is a Garmin Striker that actually came with the boat when I bought it as well as the 7" touchscreen unit that went belly up. I just kept it on there for redundancy and a backup if it was ever needed, or if I had an issue after installing the new 943xsv as the Striker was already installed and working fine when I bought the boat. I really like the 943xsv, about my only "gripe" with the setup is the flip up storage area that I have it mounted in as it makes it a bit of a chore to operate, although that's obviously no fault of the Garmin itself. I think over the winter I'll seriously consider flush mounting it or possibly some other option like mounting it above in the overhead area where I've got a radio and stereo currently, but the Garmin unit itself has performed flawlessly. I like the size of it and am glad I didn't go any bigger like with a 12" unit as that to me would've felt like overkill and a waste of money again imo for only a 22' boat.
I've got an iPad with a suction cup mount so if I'm fishing with someone else that is driving and I want to see my depth or where the fish are back by the stern of the boat, I can sync up the iPad and mount it on the cutting board or elsewhere and it mirrors the Garmin up at the helm. Kind of cool, not everyone will likely use that feature but I enjoy having that option as well as the SideVu which I probably won't use a lot for my style of fishing, which is trolling for salmon, but do like having it as an option if I did want to use it for some reason. I'm of the opinion that it seems like MFD's and other GPS units are great but they don't pick up everything as I've caught fish that weren't even showing up on the unit before, and mostly use it for speed, depth, contours of the bottom of the ocean and marking where I've caught fish in the past. The MFD telling me that I've got fish below me sounds great in theory, but again I don't really know if those are salmon, seals, dogfish, porpoises or so on. They give you different colors for sizes of the fish but I don't rely on that alone and typically fish the same area all the time. I'd definitely buy the same setup that I bought again as I've had no issues with it, the unit is very easy to use and operate. I'll see what kind of pictures I currently have of it and post them.