I am looking for a new GPS, I have a Standard Horizon now that is about 4 years old and works fine, But i have had some eye surgery and i need a nice big screen!
I have been looking around and have no idea what is good?? I have been looking at the Garmin 4000 series they look real nice! Sandman had asked about touch screens a while back and not sure what the thought was??

I do not need the sounder part of the GPS but know most come with it as a option, so i just won't use it.

So what you guys think?? I have a $2000 budget for one so i am open to something nice and screen size needs to be a good size!!

Thanks

Standard Horizon Cp 1000? Great machine large viewing area. The Garmins have a great crisp screen also. Geonav looks awesome though.

Boat show is a good way to check out electronics and play with them.
I wouldn't hesitate to go on ebay and get a nice (big) used Garmin for a lot less than the new ones.

Thanks Guys!
I went to the RI show yesterday what a shame it is so small with nothing there!!!!

I did play with a Garmin 4208 and it was pretty nice, the difference from the 4208 and 5208 is the touch screen. I am leaning to the buttons as i had to play a little with the touch screen.

The Boston show is coming soon and I hope the electronic world will be better represented there??

Still open to suggestions!!

hey Joe how is you heart doing? I never saw the outcome of your hospital trip. $2000 should get you a real good one.

I am still here ratting like a rabbit :fury: but still going!! Thanks for asking!! Thats 2 in 19 months and doc up my butt to drop some pounds and excursive, but who has time for that? :smash:

I am still here ratting like a rabbit :fury: but still going!! Thanks for asking!! Thats 2 in 19 months and doc up my butt to drop some pounds and excursive, but who has time for that? :smash:
Mind translating this one? :rotf2:

you better find time. Can't do much fishing incapacitated. Good to here you are still alive

Get on the treadmill,your friends want you around !

I am a big fan of Garmin Chartplotters, they are very easy to use and have good clear charts. The 4208 is a good machine. If you want to save some money you can always find new never used older Models on ebay. Last I checked they had good deals on the 3006 & 3010 models.

I will be looking for another 10" screen this spring myself.

don't eat after four pm if you can
or eat "LIGHT"
switch to virgin olive oil
all food at hamburger joints is 50% fat
so avoid it...

take a walk per day ..just stroll and enjoy it
use smaller plates
drink water when hungry more often
as your stomach doesn't care
as long as its full

do light exercise doing something
so your body doesn't preserve the fat
and burn the muscle tissue first
(that's it's Game)
reverse that ! and you'll do better...

we all want you using your new toy
for a long time Joe...

I have decided to go with the Garmin 4210, Its a bit big for my 23 footer but I have also decided to sell my Furno radar and go with the Garmin radar in the same unit to free up space for the larger unit.

So I have a lot of work this spring!! I am swapping out the 4 stroke that I installed last year as it is way heavy and putting a HDPI on there that should get my scupers out of the water.
Add the new radar and Gps and a few smaller things.

Now if we can get rid of this SNOW!!

Mako...If you are doing all that, it would pay to put the old one up for sale and make a trip to the sunshine state and get a whole new (used) rig. There are a pile of quality used boats down there are fantasic prices.

The dealers that sell boats on consignment have lots that are overflowing with center consoles.

I saw a few that had me considering moving up again this year...

So I have a lot of work this spring!! I am swapping out the 4 stroke that I installed last year as it is way heavy and putting a HDPI on there that should get my scupers out of the water.



Think again about the HPDI. I had one and it did not age well at all. The technology they use was designed pre-ethanol and the engine has too many expensive and difficult to access filters (as in pulling off high pressure pumps and injectors) to run well for long with suspect gas/tanks.

Have you considered a stern bracket with flotation? Or the newer Yami 4 stroke, that is much closer in weight to the HPDI (but 1/3 more pricey)?

or an etec? although that would mean new gauges and controls, but since you are going all out....

I like Sandman's idea... ROAD TRIP!!!!

I thought about changing boats again, but I like cuddys, and this one has a lot of room and suits me well.
That said I also suffer in the ride as the Centers ride much nicer, but then again I sit nice in the slop when drifting instead of rolling all over the place.
As far as the motor goes I know the guy with the motor and have been on his boat many times, the motor is great! I have heard story's on the HDPI but all were on the larger motors, This one is the 200 and I have heard that they are pretty built proof?
So I think I am staying put with this boat for now. But thanks for all the advice!! I am not one of them guys that think they have the best, I can take bad with the good!

200 HPDI?

Been there, done that, and never again.

If you want the gory details, just ask. If not, best of luck.

200 HPDI engine has been historically one of the best built engines. Light, strong, good on the go juice. They have an almost cult following on certain boating sites. I would not hesistate to throw one on a boat. Just make sure your fuel filter is 10 micron or better.

200 HPDI engine has been historically one of the best built engines. Light, strong, good on the go juice. They have an almost cult following on certain boating sites. I would not hesistate to throw one on a boat. Just make sure your fuel filter is 10 micron or better.

Have you owned one?

Your comment about the 10 micron filter is laughable.

There are 5 other levels of filters in that engine, and they will (not "may") clog with time. When they do, the engine fails.

The HPDI engines were designed to run on the "ragged edge of lean" using pure gasoline. The introduction of ethanol to gas introduces dissolved contaminants (particularly from tanks with any age on them) that the filters in the engine can not handle without clogging. As they clog, the engine runs even leaner. Since the engine is already running at peak performance as lean as it can, restricting fuel and lubrication flow leads to disaster.

They are elegant engines designed for a different era. Yamaha has tried to keep them active by ramping up their maintenance schedule and filter changes........but those filters were not designed to be accessible and are not easy or inexpensive to change or clean.

You may have friends with new HPDI's on new boats and be thrilled with the performance they get........but a $17,000 engine ought to last a decade, and the HPDI isn't likely to do it for you without a lot of expense and downtime along the way.

numby is right about fuel issues, the guys I know that have had fuel issues and have gone to very expensive multi-level filters (30/10/2 mic usually) after going thru tank clean-outs and injector and sensor changes on fairly new boats. These filters systems are usually about 750-1000 bucks. IMO The problems stems with fuel quality around here. One iffy tankful of fuel and you are toast. Further what worries me is E-15. I doubt a many marine engines will even run on that. Get used to hearing various sensor alarms go off. The problem is you don't want to go offshore when one of your engines is having fuel problems...the other engine is burning the same fuel, so you don't use the boat as much and you get a bad attitude on life in general. Putting ethanol in gas was a bad idea from all angles as I see it.

When I was in Florida, many gas stations offered both ethanol and non-ethanol and every boater I spoke to put non-ethanol gas in their boat. (most put it in their cars as well) the cost difference was 30 cents/gal. I wonder why they don't offer that up here??

BTW, yami will give you hard time about covering fuel related problems

Thanks for all the info guys!! I have time to think about it and will!!

Just a question, whats the difference with the 4 strokes? They also have the VST system and filters, I had my filters all changed last year and the fuel system serviced, they said do every year if i do 100 hours or could do every 2 years if I stay under 100.
I i got the VST system, filters, oil changed and filter and tuned up for $1200 last season.

etec...

George,did you use Startron and Ringfree religiously?I know some folks who run 200 hpdi's incident free and others who have struggled. It would be great if fuel without ethanol were available for boaters, I would be happy to pay extra.I have also heard my mechanic claim to have similar problems with the yami 4 strokes so it's hard to say what is best.I do know that I have zero interest in e techs though.I also can't imagine three fuel filters not creating a vacuum problem in the scenario Sandman describes.

I used Yami's fuel conditioner and ring free. I used Mobil automobile gas, filled by cans (a potential contaminant source, but fresher gasoline).

My problem was that I worked on the engine myself. I changed the filters (10 micron, low pressure, VST, and medium pressure) as the service manual indicated, but did not have the means to check fuel (or rail as they refer to it) pressure....and could not get Yami's service updates that increased the frequency of expensive filter changes.

The real problem, however, is that even when changing filters, very fine matter eventually makes its way to the high pressure pump filter and injectors. Both have very fine BUILT IN filters. They need to be removed and sent to Fla to be cleaned/rebuilt. This was an issue that blew my powerhead at 5 years, then recurred and basically killed the engine (new powerhead and all) at 9 years, since they needed to pull the high pressure pump, and the injectors, but the injectors were stuck and couldn't be freed without destroying them (this happened to one at five years and three at 9 years....4 years after the rebuild).

If I had another HPDI I would have the 4 accessible filters changed each year (this you can do yourself although the VST tank is a pain), have the fuel rail pressure checked each year both at idle and wide open throttle (dealer job), and I would have the injectors pulled and cleaned every 3-4 years. As for the high pressure pump filter.....pulling that is an expensive job and cleaning it requires an expensive pump rebuild, so I'd probably just pray.

I don't want to hear about any issues with the new offshore 4 stroke.....which is what I'm running now although it is too heavy for the boat.

why won't you guys consider etecs? I would also suggest suzuki, but you seem to be having weight issues, so why not etec? It is the lightest 200HP on the market... extremely reliable, great hole shot, etc....
If weight was not an issue, I would probably lean towards the suzi or the honda 4 strokes...

why won't you guys consider etecs? I would also suggest suzuki, but you seem to be having weigh issues, so why not etec? It is the lightest 200HP on the market... extremely reliable, great hole shot, etc....
If weight was not an issue, I would probably lean towards the suzi or the honda 4 strokes...

If I was repowering an outboard 1 and 2 would be E-tec and Zuki 4 stroke.

Most Commercial guys on the bay run Zuki's and they need reliable gear, especially this time of year!

If I was buying a new motor I would be all over ETec but I am not. I bought a used 4 stroke last year for a great deal and thought I would be fine, but it is to heavy and the scupers are under water most of the time.
So I have a buddy that has the HDPI and wants a 4 stroke and after talking he and I have worked out a deal, and a sweet deal !! His motor has been dealer serviced since new and is a great motor!
If you talk with 100 people you will get 100 different answers, Put all toghter and make the best informed decision I can and hope for the best
I know there are a lot of better boats then mine but I like it, and the money I have in it I can't get back, so I might as well stay with it.
The motor isd a great motor and I got a deal, I am making a great deal for the HDPI and after hearing this stuff and looking up other reviews and talking with my motor guy I am going to swap and hope for the best but i will say i can't say i wasn't told if anything goes wrong!

Thanks all and will let you know how I make out

You wont be dissatisfied with the hpdi although others have had bad luck.
Strong solid motor like I said before. 2 of the buddies have them and have yet to experience any issues like numbskull encountered.

Numbskull thanks for enlightening me to the issues hpdi's have. I was not aware of them since my only experiences with them have been positive. I will forward the info to my buddies.

Makojoe,

This is what you need to do to make everyone happy:biglaugh:

Hi Makojoe

I am new to S-B so first i just like say nice to meet ya,
As far as the E-Tec goes i Re-powered my 23 Seaox 3 years ago with a 225 and I love it, I burn almost half the fuel as my old ocean pro 225, the oil is more pricey but you don't burn through it like the older 2 strokes, I made a trip to Stellwagon last year and forgot the new gallon of oil in my truck just as i put my lines in the water my low oil alarm went off and I had no choice but head in and hope for the best I made it all the way to the Sandwich basin a 28 mile run cruising @28 knots and never ran dry, Won't do that again http://www.anchoredbygrace.com/smileys/kopfpatsch.gif

My 200 HPDI ran strong to nearly 2000 hours before I repowered, Loved the motor. The motor still ran when it went off. It is important you change those filters every 100 hours! I would do the filter in the VST tank at the start of each season, just make sure you order the gasket for the tank. The filter on the high pressure pump does not need to be replaced just cleaned... I did all the maintenance on that motor myself fairly easy motor to work on.
I have twin 250 Yamaha four strokes now, although the maintenance is a bit more, it still is cheaper than the 2 stroke oil, there is no way I would ever go back to a 2 stroke since I am so happy with the 4's . I was told by my mech that the filters on the 250's need to be replaced every 60 hours. I ran over 2400 gallons of fuel through those motors this year and put 260 hours on them, no issues so far...
As for the etecs, I know three people that have them and they had nothing put issues. I would only go with a Yamaha or Suzuki personally... I have friends with Mercs, both Opti's and VRods and they are constantly down due to stupid sensors going at the worst possible times, yes they are covered by warranties but they loose days in the process even week(s). I think reliability is everything...
FYI I had 3 different Garmins, Had issues with them every season.. They have a great customer service, replaced units. I loved the charts on Garmin but I would never buy another. They went at the worst possible times. I know my units were on a center console exposed to the elements but so was my furuno fishfinder which outlasted several Garmin units, needles to say I went all furuno on the new boat this season.. Love the MFD12 Navnet series...

I went to Boston boat show and got what i think is a good deal
I got the Garmin 4210 with radar for $2350 free shipping.
I am replacing my Furuno radar to make room for the 10"unit so i will just have the GPS/Radar and FF on the dash.
My friends father is going to make me a dash mounted ele box to house the stuff.
I chose the push button unit over the touch screen as i was worried about messing the screen up with hand prints and stuff.

Its almost time!!