GWC3

I have a Edgewater 245 cc center console due in late April and will be outfitting it with electronics. I've spent the last few days here reviewing past posts on this topic which has helped tremendously. In my case I boat in the great lakes (western Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair area) where it's 4 - 35 feet or so - and I'm always within 10 - 20 miles of shore if not closer. I fish a handful of times per year so I really don't need the absolute best FF (chiirp etc) - I'm not that good at it any way. I've had older garmin units (gps 182c & 2006c) on past boats (and my current larger and smaller boat too) which I like a lot as they are intuitive and I know how to use them - so I am going to stick with garmin. So my thoughts are:

- garmin 7212 (might get the 6212 with buttons - not 100% sure yet)
- GMR 18 HD radar (if I add radar)
- garmin 100 VHF
- GSD-22 (6 pin)
- B60 (GAX 10982-00) thru-hull transducer (with 20 deg tilt for 16 - 24 deg dead rise flush mount)

So my questions with these above selections are:
1. pretty sure they are all compatible? (but want to make sure - and if I'm wrong, where?)

2. suggestions on where / who to purchase from? I like to support the forums I frequent as well as good local merchants.

As I said, I know the GSD-22 and B60 are basic units and there is better garmin gear available - but this boat is primarily a day cruising around boat not a fishing machine. So I appreciate any insight on how this package will work together. I am watching the cost, but if there is a huge difference in performance I'm open to considering it (e.g. why I chose the 7212 vs the 5212) Thanks!

stiletto

I would get the GSD24 instead of the 22. The 22 just has a bad reputation. Resale value on the 24 will be much higher as well. I bought my gear from SemperFiFishing and was very pleased with all aspects of my dealing with him.

stiletto

Oh yeah, and touchscreen is the way to go for me!

mjsheehy

X2 on the GSD24...for $200 it is a night & day difference...not even in the same ballpark.

I am also getting a Garmin 7212...PM me and I'll let you know who on here has it for $2800

Bay Marine Electronics

X3 on the GSD24 and Touchscreen
The GSD22 isn't great. The GSD 24 is AWESOME

NoFearEyes

I'm a Garmin bigot for all kinds of reasons -- get the VHF300 with AIS for radio

With NMEA 2000 all the Garmin stuff works really well together and is really easy to install and interface -- I want to upgrade to the new 8000 stuff--specs make it sound hot

Itteldoo

Either go to a boat show or find a good local retailer with both units in stock and on display, and try them for yourself. That's the only way you'll KNOW which user interface you prefer. Meanwhile, I'm betting you'll choose the 7212.


If/when you add RADAR, try to do better than this. RADAR in general is Garmin Marine's Achilles' Heel; and their small dome-type units are the worst of the lot. But if you're determined to stick with Garmin for the MFD, you have to take the good with the bad, so to speak.

I understand that you might not want to spend what it takes, but your boat WILL properly support the GMR-404xHD model, which would be my "minimum acceptable" unit if it were my boat; and if you have any pretensions of marking birds, then the GMR-604xHD or even GMR-1204xHD would be more appropriate. If you just can't swing any of these, then the GMR-24HD should be your absolute dead minimum.


Upgrade this to at least the VHF-200, which offers NMEA 2000 connectivity.


I'll add my voice to the chorus: Go for the GSD-24, without question.


Given the depths you fish in, this is near-ideal. I nonetheless suggest you get the "Mix & Match" version, as opposed to the Garmin OEM version. This will cost a trivial amount more; but think of it as "cheap insurance" in case you ever change your mind about your sounder module (which, if you ignore the screams and buy a GSD-22, you probably will. )..


No, you're right. It will all work together well, save for the performance failings of some individual units as discussed above.


Then either Jim Maier at BOE http://www.boemarine.com/, who have their own Forum here, or Gil Travis ("Semperfifishing").


As noted above, the B60 is fine for your purposes. The GSD-24 IS worth the additional money, no question. The RADAR is a harder call. I'd prefer to see you defer it a season or so and get a "better" model, than lock yourself into something like the GMR-18 just because the cash is tight right now.