Brand new 2007 23’ Classic Seacraft with yellow hull and a 225 optimax, T-top with outriggers, stereo with speakers already installed. Found boat at Bass pro shop while on vacation in Florida. I get five year warranty on motor. I also get a $750 gift card from BassPro for being retired Military. Me and wife got tired of picking our days to get offshore in the 18’ when she only has off Sundays.
Sounds nice TR - congratulations on your new rig. Hope it serves you well. Post up some pics when you get it in.
Need some help spending that gift card, just let me know
2008 Sea Fox 197 CC
2008 Suzuki 140
quote:
I don't know how much I believe that. I have a 545S and it picks up very well in the garage. That is a lot more than any T-top. You will be surprised.
I have a 540S and it definitley does not pick up Sats in the Garage.
Fishing on the bottom is like having sex with the lights turned off. It feels good… but I wanna see it.
Lights On!
2002 Sea Hunt Triton 210
150 Yammy SS II
quote:
Originally posted by Smilyquote:
I don't know how much I believe that. I have a 545S and it picks up very well in the garage. That is a lot more than any T-top. You will be surprised.
I have a 540 and it definitley does not pick up Sats in the Garage.
Sounds like you should have gotten the 545S.
quote:
Originally posted by Half-hitchedquote:
Originally posted by Smilyquote:
I don't know how much I believe that. I have a 545S and it picks up very well in the garage. That is a lot more than any T-top. You will be surprised.
I have a 540 and it definitley does not pick up Sats in the Garage.
Sounds like you should have gotten the 545S.
Maybe but does it work when your garage door is closed?
Fishing on the bottom is like having sex with the lights turned off. It feels good… but I wanna see it.
Lights On!
2002 Sea Hunt Triton 210
150 Yammy SS II
Semantics!!! My Sirius offshore antenna used to work in the garage as well. However, the one on the car goes out all the time. I have since managed to break that, but it was worth it.
Does it or does it not work when the garage door is open, mine works when the door is open and it has a view of the sky. It does not work when the door is closed and it cannot see the sky. This is the case with all three of my GPS’s
Fishing on the bottom is like having sex with the lights turned off. It feels good… but I wanna see it.
Lights On!
2002 Sea Hunt Triton 210
150 Yammy SS II
All of my Garmin GPS units work in the garage. Even the ones in the car. Up, down, left, right, inside out and backwards.
I have the 540s mounted in the electronics box in my Grady 20wa. I also have a bimini top and it picks up fine with the internal antenna. The basic loaded charts are OK but if you want depth contours and more detailed photos you need the Bluewater g2 charts.
The “Navigate To” function shows a straight line, good for Open water but if you are inland it is confusing trying to find your way on unfamiliar waters. Need a paper chart also. Buy a Bluewater g2 vision chip and then the “Guide To” fun will work like a car GPS but if you are inland it may take you miles out of the way. For instance, I was on the Whale Branch River and trying out the chip I told it to Guide to 170 bridge about 10 miles away. It plotted a course that was 56 miles taking me around Fripp and HHI to get to the broad river.
The added photos are very “gimicky” but the depth contours are nice but not entirely accurate. I tested this cruising around St Helana Sound.
This is an example of the 540s charts:
First pictures is the base unit and the others are with the Bluewater g2 vision chip
The Bluewater g2 also slows down the refresh rate, a lot. There are also other features that need the Bluewater g2 vision:
Enables the land images, like Google Earth.
Fishing charts drop all the bouy and nav data.
Mariners Eye 3D
Fish Eye 3D
Detailed Roads and POI
Auto Guidance
All in all it is a great unit, I’m pleased with mine just don’t assume everything you read on the Garmin website will work without spending another $300 for the Bluewater g2 vision chip
that chip is awesome! I need one for mine. My card cover came off so im sending it back to garmin shortly. They are really great to work with.
“My fish served a whole lunchon. Your fish look like a munchkin”
196CC Tidewater 2008
Suzuki 115 2008
2007 Toyota Tundra TRD 5.7L V8
Thanks for all the info ya’ll gave. I went down looked at the boat on Thursday. They still have some things to take care of. I hopefully will be bringing it home this Friday. Will post pictures when I have everything mounted. Just waiting for the 440 to arrive. Flush mounts and Fishfinder here.
quote:
Originally posted by Half-hitchedquote:
Originally posted by Smilyquote:
I don't know how much I believe that. I have a 545S and it picks up very well in the garage. That is a lot more than any T-top. You will be surprised.
I have a 540 and it definitley does not pick up Sats in the Garage.
The only difference between the 540s and the 545s is that the 545s has a high-vis sunlight viewable screen and it also has digital sonar.
Sounds like you should have gotten the 545S.
I have the 545 mounted in the dash. Flush mount kit was easy to install, you can downlaod the templet. I have a t-top with ext ant, but did try it with the int ant, an both worked fine.
#1 I would recomend a blank SD card be purchased. Out of the box my unit needed to be up dated and once I registered it I found the up date site and downloaded to the SD card. It added a bunch of colores and custom points plus what ever else.
#2 If you download the cheep garmin map for the running watch(or any other garmin software you have) to your computer you can then add your points form your log books or old GPS with the use of a key board on your computer while seated in your haouse. It get real old using that arrow key on the boat and hot has hell this time of year. transfer them to the SD card and five minutes your done.
After waiting about two weeks found out that Garmin will not make the 440 anymore due to screen issues. I was told that they were going to make a different model but were not sure when it would hit the market. So I spent the extra money and went with the 540 recieved it yesterday and got it flush mounted. No problems with picking up signal with internal antenna. I actually brought a battery into the house and hooked it up to put way points in and it picked up signal in the house. Know just hope the weather is good on Sunday to head offshore.
quote:
Originally posted by To roughI actually brought a battery into the house and hooked it up to put way points in and it picked up signal in the house.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Told you that it was strong. Enjoy.
I have a garmin 540s in excellent condition if any of you Garmin lovers are interested. Transom mount dual frequency saltwater transducer.
$600
Mako 211, 200 HPDI
Luke 8:22-25
quote:
Originally posted by PhinI have a garmin 540s in excellent condition if any of you Garmin lovers are interested. Transom mount saltwater transducer.
$500 firm.
Mako 211, 200 HPDI
Luke 8:22-25
That is one hell of a deal. Why you gettin rid of it? Sounds like you are not a fan.
quote:
Originally posted by Half-hitchedquote:
Originally posted by PhinI have a garmin 540s in excellent condition if any of you Garmin lovers are interested. Transom mount saltwater transducer.
$600 firm.
Mako 211, 200 HPDI
Luke 8:22-25
That is one hell of a deal. Why you gettin rid of it? Sounds like you are not a fan.
Nothing wrong with it. It came on a boat we got, and I would like to put a big lowrance HDS on it instead.
Should I ask for more money?
$600?
I didn’t know this thing cost so much new…
Mako 211, 200 HPDI
Luke 8:22-25