GPS revisited
 

I have a new (17.6) boat coming in 2 weeks. I need a GPS and
I am confused by the number of kinds and options.

I'd like the GPS to accept the Bizer chip. I'd like the depth finder option but
that's not absolutely necessary,

I'd like the screen to be larger than my cell phone screen and visible in sunlight. I don't need the biggest screen or the fanciest machine.

What say you experienced Winni boaters?

4G Ipad with the Bizer app!

Not sunlight viewable, AFAIK.

Technically challenged. Is this correct?
 

Sunlight question remains open? "AFAIK" means you're unsure?

Functional under a Bimini?

I can use the iPad internal GPS without subscribing to At & T or Verizon?

Do I need the LTE model iPad?

I buy/install the Bizer mobile app and I now have a portable Bizer chart GPS?

Without buying/paying for anything else, I can use the iPad at home on WiFi?

Thanks for simple answers.

My Northstar/Navman M84 gave up after seven season, so I just bought the Bizer Ipad app for my IPAD 3. It was worth the $35 experiment.

So far it works pretty good, even in bright sunlight. You have to turn it up to full brightness. Plus it works on my IPhone.

Only used it one day so far, more next week

I use the Bizer app on my iPhone and it works fine. It can be a bit tough to see sometimes but it's not unusable. It has a feature for viewing in sunlight which makes it marginally better. But overall I love it, the GPS is great and has a lot of nice features for plotting courses, marking way points, etc...

The new Garmin maps are pretty awesome. They spent a lot of time and money re-mapping a lot of lakes with a lot of detail. It is a bit more $$$ but depends on what you are looking for as they do not have any of the markers or anything. Or you can buy a chip from Bizer that can be used on certain Garmin GPS units.

But most definitely get a laminated map as well, sometimes it's just nice to be able to grab a real map and check things out, I always have the map and phone out together ;)

Humminbird 386ci
 

I have a Humminbird 386ci that I am absolutely thrilled with. I never would have chosen it but it came with my new boat and I fully expected to change it out at some point. However, once again I am very happy with the unit. I am in the navigation business (for aviation) so I'm picky and I use every feature to its fullest. Again, it came with my boat so I don't know how much they are locally but I have seen them online for as low as $299.00 You will also need the Navionics chip...which was another $170 and worth every nickel. Every single dock on the lake is in that database. PM me if you want more details.

I have no experience with the Winnipesaukee app, but I know that my wife's ipad does not have a sunlight viewable screen. It works under a bimini. Maybe the newer ipads have said screen, hence the AFAIK (as far as I know).

If you search on boatered.com or thehulltruth.com there are lots of people reporting their experience with various Ipad models as GPS on boats.

Bizer makes a chip that works on the Garmin devices.

I have a Garmin 441S that works with the Bizer chip. This unit also can have depth and fish finding if you add a transducer. They have larger screens also, they are just more money.

I used it for one year, before getting a larger boat that has a built in Raymarine unit. So now the Garmin is a spare device or may get sold. I currently have it setup with a cigarette lighter plug so I can use it as a spare or lend it to anyone.

I'd say to look at a device like this. It's perfect, can be seen in direct sunlight, and is designed for a boat, with all the weather, and water as expected. You won't drop it overboard or have the battery go dead when you need it most.

I use a Garmin 535 GPS with the Bizer Chip. It works great, screen is easily seen in bright sunlight, screen is bigger than a cell phone also. This one is about 4 years old now, so I expect there is an updated model now.

I appreciate all the real attempts at helping me . . . but
I'm as confused as ever.

I think I'm fodder for a good GPS salesperson.

Like rich I have the garmin 441 and it's great and fairly cheap for a gps. One feature I like is it gives me approximate lines of navigation. Basically gives me a dotted line that I can follow to help show which sides of bouys you should be on. It's a bid help while learning the lake.

We use the bizer app on my iphone. small and hard to see. I made my phone a hot spot as my ipad is not able to connect unless I have wireless. Showed the boat on land, not sure if the phone is getting the gps reading and not the ipad:confused? Still like the phone as I often do not know exactly where we are on the map and hard to read numbers on marker floats.

navionics
 

I use navionics on my iphone / ipad. I'm mostly in salt water with a few trips to the lake over the summer. Navionics app works well for me. They just did an upgrade so you can use NOAA charts too. I think the detail of the lake is good enough for me and the amount of time I'm up there.

Sal, I think you'll agree after reading this that the database is critical. I think if you buy any GPS that uses the Navionics or Garmin card you'll be happy.

bizer vs. navionics
 

Just bought Lowrance Elite HDI GPS What chip is the question. Bizer or Navionics. How do I know if I have the latest version?

Perhaps you can pull your chip and look for a brand name, and model or year on it.

Thought I would add here that I'm a brand new boater and had the Garmin 50DV installed on our pontoon and really love it--I keep a Bizer laminated map with me to see the bigger picture, but the 50DV shows suggested routes, great down view sonar, and has other goodies like an anchor alarm that tells me we've moved more than a set amount of feet when anchored, etc. Very happy with it.

Navionics
 

I have the Navionics chip and I am amazed at how accurate it is and how much information it contains. Not sure about others but I would highly recommend this chip.

Ipad mini..... Lifeproof case.... Bizer App... DONE!

Its perfect, plenty of mounting options, works fantastic! and waterproof! Even better if your stereo on board is Bluetooth Compatible!

Not to mention, its usable for lots of other things in the off-season!

Woodsy

Do you have to have a cell plan for this to work?

Phantom G...

No you do not need a cell plan... the Bizer Map (Brad Goodman wrote the app) is loaded onto the ipad, so you do not need a data connection....

If you use any of the map apps... as long as the map is actually loaded onto the Ipad... the GPS does not need a data signal. For example, I use WAZE on my iphone! Great app, but you need a data signal. I downloaded the Garmin GPS (street) app for my iphone, the maps are loaded onto the phone, so you do not need a data signal. I think Garmin has a Bluewater chart of Winni that's pretty good.

Woodsy