GPS/Sonar for boat and snowmobile

[yoppdk]

It's time to upgrade both my boat's sonar (12 years old and still works fine) and my handheld Meridian Platinum GPS. I use the GPS to mark and find locations/structure, though the unit I have (10 years old) has no lake maps other than boundaries - i.e. no contours, etc. So I would sure like to upgrade to a new unit that takes advantage of the newest mapping programs available. Plus, the old Meridian takes forever to find satellites anymore and eats batteries like crazy.

My first thought was to simply buy a new handheld GPS since my old graph sonar works fine on my boat and my Hummingbird Ice 45 is good for on the ice. However my gps is way-dated. Then I saw a segment on TV when the Linders had a nice looking GPS/Sonar unit mounted on the console of their snowmobile ... and I thought that looked pretty neat and could see some potential for doing the same. I could quickly see the advantage of using a new gps/sonar unit in both the boat and on the snowmobile (for GPS only).

Anybody out there already done this? and if so any guideance you can provide will be appreciated. I figure to spend 5-8 hundred ... less if it makes sense.

I'm thinking it will take a second mounting bracket to attach it to the snowmobile ... maybe a second electrical connector that I can plug into the sled's 12V accessory outlet. Obviously, don't need a transducer for the snowmobile ... but that would be neat if they could figure one out that shoots through the ice while running 30 mph!

Ideas? recommendations?

[usmcjsy]

I have been using a Garmin handheld 60CSx with the lakemaster chip in my boat and on my wheeler. I have been very pleased with this unit and RAM mounts makes a mount for the boat and for a wheeler/sled.

[MinnGuy]

I move a Lowrance depth finder / gps between my boat in the summer and wheeler in the winter. I carry a small tractor battery in the basket of my wheeler for the Lowrance, which comes in handy if I need to connect my electric auger in a pinch. The bigger screen is nice compared to a handheld unit.

[gixxer01]

If I had the chance to do it all over again I would buy a new sonar/gps combo unit and equip. it for year round use. Mount it on the 4-wheeler for gps, use it for an ice sonar, and use it in the boat during summer. I know I spent way more for all my single use equip. than I would have equipping a multi use sonar/gps. An HDS 5 or 7 with the necessary hardware would cost about $1k, but sell what you've got and you'd be right in your ballpark.

If one piece of my equip. craps the bed, its bye-bye to the whole works!

[kerryd15]

If its the GPS thats a bigger issue and you have a garmin in the car that has a SD slot you can put a chip in that. i use mine in the boat , car, snowmobile. For a cobo unit, look at screen size and cost. I like my 798.

[dfeste]

I won't get into brand recommendations as you can figure that out according to budget and needs. I have ram ball mounts in my boat and on my wheeler that are the same size so as far as mounting goes they are universal. You could either tap into the electrical system on the sled or pack a flasher battery somewhere to run the unit as suggested above. I have seen wheelers with 5" Hummingbird combo units mounted on them and it looked slick. Way better than trying to read a handheld on the fly like I do.

[amateurfishing]

i have HB597,mount on boat & portable pack for ice. has internal gps but better with navionics/lakemaster chip. im sure u could get an accesory mount for sled/atv. its very nice having 1 unit that u are used to go with you, just need a mount for every vehicle.

[yoppdk]

If its the GPS thats a bigger issue and you have a garmin in the car that has a SD slot you can put a chip in that. i use mine in the boat , car, snowmobile. For a cobo unit, look at screen size and cost. I like my 798.

Hey, that's a thought ... I DO have a garmin for my truck and use it on the sled with MN and WI trail maps. Maybe I should just invest in the map chip and see how I like it in the garmin. I could always mount it into the boat, too, though I'm not too sure how the screen is in bright light. Guess I need to give it a shot to find out. Thanks for the idea!

[tom fellegy]

i have been using a eagle 480 intellamap for years on my snowmobile/atv. this year i rigged my old lowrance x15 for icefishing. i had to reinforce the dash on the snowmobile due the weight of the x15, other than that, it works fantastic. the larger screen is the reason fot the switch.

[pljllo]

I take my 522i off my boat. I have a Genz box with a bracket and power cord

and put the unit on the atv rack with bungee cords. Works for me.