I have come across a few deals on the Garmin 720 + radar for a pretty good deal. The resellers said Garmin is preparing to release new MFDs with more sailing specific features. Nothing more specific than that.

I'd take a look at the B&G Zeus Touch. It should be right around the same price and the sail steer feature looks pretty darn cool whether you race or cruise. The touch also allows you to use your iPhone/iPad for a remote and fully functional MFD - Very cool!

Good luck, there's lots of good choices.

Richard,

There are two schools of thought on this kind of purchase:

1. Buy least expensive close-outs

2. Buy new

The logical approach is to buy new because most manufacturers update every three to four years, so if you do #1, you're essentially buying something that will soon become obsolete and not supported by the manufacturer.

There is a third method: I still have and sometimes use our old Magellan Blazer which still works, but one needs OMG charts! :eek:

Your boat, your choice.

The most helpful advice I've heard is to go into a WM and try them out, see which GUI works for you. I put off buying a Garmin because my friend's old one had such ridiculous menus to get to the simplest functions that I kept using my Blazer. A few years later another friend showed me his GPS Map76Cx and I bought one.

I have no need to replace it, 'cuz it still works for me.

Good luck, happy hunting.

I bought Garmin 76CS with colour display in 2005 and added the charts. I still use them today. I like the fact that it is portable because I can use it in my car or when hiking. The only feature I do not like is that you can only use either the charts or the street maps. That means that you have to turn one on and one off. Since there are over 30 charts in my GPS - I have to turn all 30 on or off. I use rechargeable AA batteries and they last for about 8 hours. On the boat I plug into the cigarette lighter that I have installed on the captains panel where all the other gauges are. It is a keeper.

I'm the wrong guy to ask, since I still use a Garmin GPS 12xl that Columbus used to find the New World. Still finds my waypoints, displays my course/speed and my charts still work, so I'll use it as long as it lasts.

I'd add a #3 to Stu's choices; a tablet or smart phone with a navigation app. That's the route I'm going and I just bought a smart phone to get started. I have a real problem with paying a couple grand for a dedicated chart plotter only to find out a couple years later that it's no longer supported. Not only do I have a problem with that paradigm, but I can't afford to shell out that kind of money for a device with built in planned obsolescence.

I've downloaded some free weather, sailing and weather radar apps and have read some reviews of navigation apps; going to get MX Mariner for $6.95. Looking at waterproof mounts next.

I personally like the tablet/smartphone route as I can use the device for many things and when I get another, just download the apps again and I'm back in business. I even read a review of a marine gps/radar unit that lets you use a tablet/smartphone as a 2nd multifunction display via bluetooth; so they're getting on board, too. While there are definite advantages to purpose built marine devices, they will have to support them for a lot longer than they do before I'll consider springing for one.

You didn't ask about Raymarine but I thought I'd pass this along for consideration.

My son has his own company doing electronic installations so there is a lot of experience behind his recommendations.

When I first installed electronics on my boat, he recommended Ray Marine GPS because he felt it was more intuitive. However, he recently mentioned that Ray Marine has started changing products too frequently and it makes it too difficult to get updates and parts for each model as they become outdated. He now recommends Garmin as the GPS leader so you initial direction/search seems to be in the right direction.

I sprang for the Garmin 740S/radar package two years ago and have (mostly) nothing but good to say about it. The user interface is very good for my needs and is very similar to my automotive GPS (also a Garmin), very intuitive. My old Raytheon was horrible in the user interface world (but very old too). My unit came with the radar 18HD and it is good - but needs the compass module ($650) to make it really usable during rough weather. I added the dual frequency depth transducer and wind module with GMI 10 display last year and really love the whole system. I have not experienced any issues getting a GPS position, and the charts for my area seem to be very accurate. Doing the North Channel next year so that will be the test. I like being able to use the Garmin maps at home with Active Captain to plan out routes and transferring that data to the plotter on an SD card. Have not updated any maps yet and hope that they continue to support the 7xx series firmware for as long as I need. I plan to use this system for as long as I am sailing as it does everything I need it to do now. All the newest gadgets are cool but I really don't like chasing technology (cost to darn much).
I mounted my plotter on the binnacle with a Ram mount for easy removal since I use it on my fishing boat as well (great fish finder).
The new 7xx series Garmin supports the pinch/zoom feature that I think would be nice as it reduces screen usage for the Zoom soft buttons, but the touch screen on my unit is nice enough.
If you are doing this for "a larger screen" I would really look at the unit to see if 2" larger is really what you want. It is plenty for me but when I see the 10 to 15 inch displays - much drooling happens (but that goes away when I see the price tag).
Stu's recommendation to "Try them out" is a really good one. With the boat shows coming up - that would be a great reason to attend (like we need one).
Another Garmin plus is the user support. When I call or email - I have always received a timely reply and useful resolutions.
Good Luck