You're using a laptop on a 17' boat? Why not just use a chartplotter program
like Nobeltec or The Cap'n? Hook it up to the cheapest Garmin GPS you can
find for input.

If you really want a GPS/Chartplotter combo, stick with Garmin, and get
color if you can afford it. If not, good grayscale is fine.

--


Keith
__
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his
fools."--Ernest Hemingway
"Bill Rhine" wrote in message
...
I now have a small boat (17 ft.) on Lake Oachita in Arkansas. I have
Lowrance Sonar and need to equip this boat with a GPS Mapping unit since
where I have my boat is very close to timber "Stickups". So to navigate
into the clear waterway, I want to be able to have fairly accurate Mapping
information. I have been looking at both the Garmin 168 and the Lowrance
LMS-480M.. I would apprecite any suggestions anyone may be able to
offer.Also is there any major benefit to Color over Greyscale.I would be
using a Laptop to record all of my routes. Thanks for any insight you may
be able to offer.
Hayward