When I bought my boat last year she came with a 235 sounder/gps from GARMIN and no chip. After searching e-bay and loosing on many a chip auction I took someones advice hear and used esnipe. I won the chip, and did not have to over bid. Well, I cant wait to try it out. My previous boat came with a brand new standard horizon. Althoough this will be like going from an x-box to a ATARI, I am still excited.

Your a lucky dog. I have given up. Garmin is having a trade in thing going on now to trade in any old gps and get some cash toward a new unit. Paul

Yeah, I lucked out. The chip covers cape cod to glouster.

laptop + normal GPS works great.

The maptech software on a laptop is 1000x better than the chart plotters, esp. considering you get tide and current data with it.

Had the Raymarine network CRAP on a boat going to the USVI in December, when one part dies the whole system goes with it (and that was with around 800 miles to go).

Choose your electronics carefully.