You need to decide what you want first. Do you want combination units?
Or do you want dedicated single function units, and do you have the
room for them? With your combination units you get more in less space.
But when you have a failure, and you have to return the unit, you loose
all those functions the unit performs. With dedicated, single function,
units you do get better performance, but they take up a lot more space
and they cost more. But if your fish finder fails that's the only
function you have to do without until it comes back. Your best fish
finders and radar's come from Furuno, for GPS equipment it's Northstar
and for radios it's ICOM (their top of the line units). Furuno makes
some very nice combination units, they've been building these units as
individual components for some time now, so their probably a safe bet
when it comes to a combination unit. Northstar has been building
LORAN's and GPS's for a long time, and their great units, but their new
to radar and fish finders. ICOM, I'd stick to their radios only for
now.

Just my two cents.
John

"Capt John" wrote in message
ups.com...
You need to decide what you want first. Do you want combination units?
Or do you want dedicated single function units, and do you have the
room for them? With your combination units you get more in less space.
But when you have a failure, and you have to return the unit, you loose
all those functions the unit performs. With dedicated, single function,
units you do get better performance, but they take up a lot more space
and they cost more. But if your fish finder fails that's the only
function you have to do without until it comes back. Your best fish
finders and radar's come from Furuno, for GPS equipment it's Northstar
and for radios it's ICOM (their top of the line units). Furuno makes
some very nice combination units, they've been building these units as
individual components for some time now, so their probably a safe bet
when it comes to a combination unit. Northstar has been building
LORAN's and GPS's for a long time, and their great units, but their new
to radar and fish finders. ICOM, I'd stick to their radios only for
now.

Just my two cents.
John


Thanks for the input. I sort of have my eyes on the NavNet 1823C which is a
combo unit. I think I'd prefer one large screen to 2 or 3 smaller ones.

--
Peter Aitken

Practical Sailor is the Consumer's Union like review source that I know
of, and they usually come up with pretty reasonable testing methods and
critieria for evaluating products. However, being a small publication,
it's hard for them to keep up with all the products on the market. And
while they have a website (http://www.practical-sailor.com), they
charge for review articles to offset the fact that they aren't
advertising supported.

I'd certainly like to see more reviews of boat products on the web, and
I would hope that we start seeing a lot more boat and gear blogs, but
surprizingly few are active yet. And I'd also like to have more product
review type features on my blog, www.navagear.com, though producing a
good review is remarkably time consuming, not to mention costly, if the
manufacturers aren't giving you freebies.


Aaron Tinling
s/v Sweet Destiny
www.navagear.com - the tools and tech blog for sailors

I have my own non commercial web site based on UK small fishing boats and
equipment.

Web page http://fishing_boats.tripod.com/

It may not be the slickest and fancy web site but I rely on the users of the
boat/equipment to send me honest reports.

If anyone wishes to add their thoughts I would happily add them, it does
however need input from others.
Do not worry about how to present a report, I can edit/arrange before it is
uploaded.

Hope this helps

Dave


"Aaron" wrote in message
ups.com...
Practical Sailor is the Consumer's Union like review source that I know
of, and they usually come up with pretty reasonable testing methods and
critieria for evaluating products. However, being a small publication,
it's hard for them to keep up with all the products on the market. And
while they have a website (http://www.practical-sailor.com), they
charge for review articles to offset the fact that they aren't
advertising supported.

I'd certainly like to see more reviews of boat products on the web, and
I would hope that we start seeing a lot more boat and gear blogs, but
surprizingly few are active yet. And I'd also like to have more product
review type features on my blog, www.navagear.com, though producing a
good review is remarkably time consuming, not to mention costly, if the
manufacturers aren't giving you freebies.


Aaron Tinling
s/v Sweet Destiny
www.navagear.com - the tools and tech blog for sailors