Reel Special 3 Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 I need a little help. My gps chartplotter garmin 4208 was a victim of hurricane Irma, I guess it was never designed to take 100 mph rain head on uncovered for 5 or 6 hours. So here is my concerns, my existing unit is flush mount, do I cover the hole with starboard and get a bigger unit surface mount? I can't make the hole bigger as I have a glove box adjacent to the gps. Do I get a similar size 8" screen unit and flush mount in same hole? Next question, are the side scanning sonar transducers really worth the cost when most of my fishing is hunting redfish up in the mangroves of Pine Island Sound? Last question, I have been a Garmin gps user for over 25 years, is there any reason to look at other brands. If so would like to hear the reasons from former Garmin users and why you like your new brand better. As always this forum is great, filled with lots of good people having lots of valuable experience and are willing to share. Thanks in advance to all replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capnbill Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Sounds like you have the same questions I did a few months ago. I have a '14 2200TRS which had a Garmin 740S installed by the dealer. The panel also has a VHF on the right side. I researched various units and brands and decided to stay with Garmin. Been using them since my sailboat days years ago. Opted for a Garmin Echomap Chirp 94sv and am totally satisfied. The unit fit the original flush mount space with only slight cutting. Another concern was display size. The screens are only so large and when you try to display chirp, traditional and sidescan I think a 9" screen is optimum. Also, as I get older, bigger numbers help. The resolution with the 94sv is far superior to the old unit. I'm still experimenting with the sidescan, but the chirp and traditional are outstanding The 94sv came with a transducer and we mounted it in the same spot as the original installation. The thing created a rooster tail when the boat was at speed, so I installed the spray shield Garmin makes. It works well. If I pushed the right buttons, there should be an attachment of the boat in the rack showing the transducer mount. Good luck IMG_0826.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Sounds like no matter what unit you choose, you will have to rework the dash in some way. I prefer Lowrance, they have many more user options which allows for more customization. . Typically with Garmin there is not much you can tweek to setup it up how you like it. This does make Garmin easier to use right outta the box, but user settings only need to be done once. Also the the Lowrance is normally priced lower than Garmin. I don't have any experience with Humminbird. One other thing you might consider, what brand TM do you have. You can link Lowrance to a Motorguide and Humminbird to Minn Kota. Lowrance can also link to Power Pole. I think best bang for the buck right now is the Elite Ti. You can get it with or without sidescan, but always have the option to add it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reel Special 3 Posted October 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Thank you for your replies. I have some good news, I went out to the boat this morning to remove my Garmin and just for good measure I pushed the start button and it powered up. Looked just like it did before the storm, so if it ain't broke I'm not going to replace it. I guess it just took some time to dry out. Let's hope it stays operational. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Never again Garmin for me....their mapping software has become pure "S&^(%T"....for them now, it's all about the upgrades I would definitely go with RayMarine or SimRad on my next selection... dc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCTribute Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Raymarine is definitely the price leader, just picked up an Axiom 9 with 3D side scan and Navionics+ maps for $1,495, including the transducer, nobody else can come close to that. West Marine had $200 off the transducer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reel Special 3 Posted October 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Capt DeWALT I have read many if not all of your posts for many years now and value your experience and advice. My Garmin dried out and started to work again so I will not be fixing something that ain't broke. When the time comes to do a replacement I will most definitely be looking to RayMarine or Simrad. Thanks for your help it is much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINCHASER Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 On 10/20/2017 at 1:10 PM, hurricane said: Sounds like no matter what unit you choose, you will have to rework the dash in some way. I prefer Lowrance, they have many more user options which allows for more customization. . Typically with Garmin there is not much you can tweek to setup it up how you like it. This does make Garmin easier to use right outta the box, but user settings only need to be done once. Also the the Lowrance is normally priced lower than Garmin. I don't have any experience with Humminbird. One other thing you might consider, what brand TM do you have. You can link Lowrance to a Motorguide and Humminbird to Minn Kota. Lowrance can also link to Power Pole. I think best bang for the buck right now is the Elite Ti. You can get it with or without sidescan, but always have the option to add it. ^I'm with this guy.... love how you can change things with lowrance.. namely you can pick what readouts you want on the screen and where and how big they are etc. Not discounting what Wanna said on sim and Raymarine they are great units... exceptional if are going to run radar, Broadband sounder modules etc... but don't think you need none of that chasing reds where you are fishing, and no for you wouldn't go with structure scan. 4 hours ago, NCTribute said: Raymarine is definitely the price leader, just picked up an Axiom 9 with 3D side scan and Navionics+ maps for $1,495, including the transducer, nobody else can come close to that. West Marine had $200 off the transducer. Installed it yet??? Interested to hear your results with it, just played with one the other day on display and it was very responsive and I kinda liked some things about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 3 hours ago, Reel Special 3 said: Capt DeWALT I have read many if not all of your posts for many years now and value your experience and advice. My Garmin dried out and started to work again so I will not be fixing something that ain't broke. When the time comes to do a replacement I will most definitely be looking to RayMarine or Simrad. Thanks for your help it is much appreciated. thanks for the compliment....I mostly share what I've learned from others...which is the forum.... Regarding Garmin...I was a GARMIN addict for every boat I've owned since 2000. I had a 3210 on my Pathy which was my life blood for running da skinny in the 10k's. After I sold my boat Capt DonH put a 740 on his skiff and it was great as well....we could see all the little creeks and channels around the bights and in da back. I bought my skinny Mini - Pathy 17T, and without thinking, put a GARMIN on it 741xs and didn't spend time (shame on me).....to really look at the map details until we took it to the 10K's with DonH and he says....hey, something has changed...yep, all the detail was gone....and whenever I ran the skiff along shorelines...1/2 the time I was 1/4 page in the green For me now, no need to change...I use Google Maps and scout out the locations of the creeks, etc. and will mark them....1/2 the time I don't need a GPS running Choko - if ever to be honest...I mostly use it for the depth finder and speed and mileage for fuel consumption... But, after I saw the SIMRAD and RAYMARINE detail and learned of the overlays from FLAMAPTRACKS for the keys, I found my unit to be rather "plain".... Now, that being said - GARMIN service is 2nd to none.....hands down. I had a few issues and they put me on the water in less than a week; however, I do notice they are discontinuing support for many older models (meaning only a few year old)....which then drives you to the newer models.... I don't know anything about SIMRAD or RM's service....but, there are many dealers here in FLL who do service, VS Garmin, where it's been my experience you are best served to send it them. One fisherman's opinion.....congrats on it coming back on.... DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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