Are you looking for the best marine gps units?
When it comes to cruising the open water, you should always have a reliable GPS system onboard your vessel. No matter if you’re sailing on a yacht, fishing boat, or sailboat, a GPS device will keep you safe and help with navigation. Of course, there are many brands and types of GPS systems, so for you to find the best marine gps, you need to do your research.
Let’s take a look at the seven best gps units on the market today and how to choose the best marine gps according to your cruising and personal preferences.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 | Best Overall |  |
| Garmin GPSMAP 78 Handheld GPS | Budget Pick |  |
| Humminbird 410210-1 HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 Fish finder | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4
Pros:
- New features are more functional
- Color display
- Waypoint and route planning
Cons:
- Charger included is not waterproof
- Only 2-point autopilot
2. Garmin GPSMAP 78 Handheld GPS
The Garmin GPSMAP 78 handheld GPS unit is one of the most popular GPS devices on the market today. Thanks to its easy to use interface, you can easily find your coordinates and identify any hazards or obstructions on the water.
It uses the GPS/GLONASS satellite system which allows you to track your progress more precisely than you can with older models.
The touchscreen features are very intuitive, and you should have no problem figuring them out. You can easily switch between contours, satellite, and terrain maps.
3. Garmin GPSMAP 78sc Waterproof Marine GPS and Chartplotter
Pros:
- Intuitive touchscreen charts and simple menu
- Allows you to plan your trip ahead
- This is the best GPS for sailing boaters and fisherman
- Has built-in 5-amp/hour rechargeable battery
- Extremely easy to use
- Clear and legible screen displays
- Easy to recharge
- High-bright GPS display
- The screen is black and white
- Uses AA batteries
Cons:
- The screen is small
- Bulky design
The Garmin GPSMAP 78sc is the best chartplotter for sailing, boating, and fishing purposes. It has a black and white display and is fully waterproof.
This Garmin GPS is the only handheld marine GPS that has the worldwide charts preloaded. You can also get the BlueChart G2 Vision, LakeVu HD Lakes, and Radar.
The screen can be swivelled up to 90 degrees to allow you to use the GPS in any position. It comes with a unique Power Bright Display that increases the screen visibility.
4. Humminbird 410210-1 HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 Fish finder
Pros:
- GPS is integrated with fish finder
- Auto trips track
- Ability to use multiple rangefinders
- A max resolution of 480 x 800 pixels pixels for the display
- A wide screen can support wireless side-mount transducer
- High sensitivity GPS chipset
- 7GHz high-performance transducer gives great boat-tracking range and accuracy
- Plastic antenna breaks down into 4 pieces for convenience of transport
Cons:
- GPS feature is not compatible with other transducers
- Plastic screen, not glass one
- Rather expensive
- Down-scan image quality is short of expectations
5. Garmin GPSMAP 840xs Chartplotter/Sonar
Pros:
- It has a networked search and rescue (SAR) tracking features and 25 ft water-resistance.
This is what I have been running for the last two years. I really like it. I have used it in SD card (I think medium size) format and in a GPND card.
It’s very easy to use and is just a thrill to zoom in and see depth, reef, fish schools, videos of that fish, etc. I love the “snapshot images” where you get photos and videos of where you were.
The menu items are easy to find and the user interface works well. I like the route planning function.
6. Garmin Echomap Chirp 43Cv
Pros:
- Easy to mount
- Affordable
- Solid performance
The Garmin Echomap Chirp 43Cv with transducer, which is the latest model, is a solid choice for boaters who want to track their location with the help of a GPS and still have a ton of useful features at their disposal.
It comes with an internal GPS/GLONASS antenna, along with a preloaded lifetime of maps and numerous different waypoints.
You also get a built-in HD-ID sonar that provides super accurate targeting of fish and game, and is compatible with Garmin’s DownVu¨¬¨ transducer.
7. Raymarine Dragonfly-5M Navionics+ GPS
Pros:
- Can save waypoints
- Has a high-resolution display
- Includes an easy-to-use interface
- It tracks how far you’ve traveled and how long you’ve been using the GPS
- It includes various navigation and mapping features
Cons:
- Doesn’t include fish and other marine life in its integrated maps
- It’s not the easiest to install
The Raymarine Dragonfly-5M GPS can save over 9,000 waypoints onto its chartplotting system. It displays a high-resolution display with over 2,000W of pixels. It also can track how far you’ve traveled and how long you’ve been using the GPS. The onboard maps include various navigation and mapping features.
It’s also a touchscreen GPS at a time when most GPSs are using keypads, although most touchscreen GPS units offer a back-up keypad to make all those configuration changes easily. It has a slot for microSD cards that you can use to not only expand its storage capacity on the GPS but you also can save your waypoints on them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the best GPS for my boat?
Check out this [blog post] for a helpful rundown of boat GPS systems and the best features to look for.
Here are some things to keep in mind when thinking about buying a GPS for your boat:
- Do you want dedicated or a universal system?
- Do you want a screen or a chartplotter?
- What size display is too small?
- Do you want charting available?
- Do you want networked capabilities?
- Where do you want the GPS to be mounted?
- Do you want adjacent channels?
- Do you want an autopilot?
- Do you want to add additional capabilities such as radar?
- Do you want an AIS?
- Is there a migration path to a chartplotter system?
What's the best GPS Fishfinder Combo?
Garmin EchoMAP CHIRP 93sv is the best fish finder from our GPS fish finder comparison.
Is Garmin or Lowrance better?
Hi, Michelle!
I don't know what you need a GPS for, but if you are trying to figure out whether to go with Garmin or Lowrance, the answer is Lowrance. There are many things to consider when it comes to buying a GPS; ability to take the information you want and to put it in the format you want to see it, overall ease of use, price, control features. Well, there are just way too many features to compare here, and I would recommend heading to the Amazon website to read individual reviews. You will find that users of both brands and users of many brands will favor Lowrance over Garmin. That doesn't even address your specific needs, and I can't make a suggestion without knowing what you are looking for.
What is the best chartplotter for the money?
The best chartplotter for the money is the Garmin gpsmap 498. It’s the best marine gps for sailing. It provides highly accurate GPS and chartplotting for boats, vessels, and watercraft. It has a 4.3-inch sunlight-readable display with a backlit color LCD and can operate in temperatures of -30 degrees to 50 degrees Celsius. It also has a large memory capacity and can hold up to 18 charts.
Conclusion
We have selected the 7 best marine GPS systems in 2022 with full reviews and comparison. These GPS units are designed to provide safety and comfort on your boat trip or fishing expedition and they are the best of their…
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 | Best Overall | |
| Garmin GPSMAP 78 Handheld GPS | Budget Pick | |
| Humminbird 410210-1 HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 Fish finder | Upgrade Pick | |