GARMIN 010-00601-00 GPSmap 545 Marine GPS Receiver Without Dual Frequency Transducer
July 29, 2010
Features:
- GPSmap 545
- Without Dual Frequency Transducer
- Ultra-Bright 5-Inch Diagonal Full Vga Display
- 4000W Max, 500W Rms
- 640 X 480 Pixels
Product Description
This offshore chartplotter boasts the brightest, sharpest, most colorful graphics you’ve ever seen on a 5-inch screen. The GPSMAP 545 has a 5 VGA display; preloaded BlueChart g2 maps of the U.S. coast; and simple, straightforward buttons and menus. You can add the optional BlueChart g2 Vision SD card for even more enhanced features.The 545 has preloaded detailed maps cover all U.S. coastal areas and the Bahamas. For other areas, the 540 has a worldwide basemap with …
Last year I finally broke down and bought a used flats skiff to be kept in The Lower Florida Keys. With little navigation experience, I opted to buy The Garmin 545 S (the ione with Dual frequency transducer) and I also purchased The Florida Keys G2Vision card. Here are my thoughts:
Positive: The unit is small in size–perfect for a 16 foot flats boat. The GPS, chartplotter, Sonar and tracking functions all make navigating much, much easier. Another plus–with the addition of a Garmin XM antenna , one can subscribe to instant weather forecasts, including alarms when lighting approaches. Very cool…..
Negatives:
First: I purchased an early version of The Garmin. As such, I was always downloading software updates, each of which would fix a glitch or malfunction. While the unit and wiring purport to be totally waterproof, my experience has required lots of anti corrosives to regularly clean mounting contacts. Finally, the dual frequency transducer has not been totally reliable. As I understand it, Then newest 545’s include a far more rugged–and reliable transducer.
All in all, I think the rough days with my Garmin are over! Updated software and transducer makes this an investment without which I will never leave the dock. The G2 Vision card stores great satellite overviews of coastal areas and further facilitates navigation.
Bottom line: it’s small, easy to use and the XM weather function alone keeps me and my graphite fly rods away from dangerous Lower Keys lightening. I would buy another.
Rating: 4 / 5
I’ve owned Loran, and 3 Marine GPS’s I considered this unit to be the most useful when it comes to boating in a new area. Here in GA many of the rivers leading to the ocean doesn’t have a buoy system and many of the rivers are very shallow, so this unit was very useful for me and would recommend buying it. Jim Boyd
Rating: 4 / 5