Selecting the best marine GPS system possible can be tricky if you have never shopped for a GPS unit before.
There are many different types of units that can be used on the water, ranging from a handheld GPS system with marine software, a full fledged marine GPS, or a depth and fish finding GPS compatible unit.
On account of this, you will want to take your time in selecting which unit is the best for your needs. If you plan on being on the water quite often, you will want to have a dedicated marine GPS. These systems have more features for marine use than those that simply have software installed to make them acceptable for marine conditions.
Depth indicators and fish finding are two aspects that come with full fledged devices. Many devices may have advanced GPS with the ability to plug in with a specialty fish finding and depth indicator system, which is the most powerful and versatile of all of the set ups.
If you do not plan on being on the water that often, the best marine GPS systems are handheld or full sized generic GPS devices such as the Garmin Street Pilot III or the Magellan Road Mate. Both of these units can be made compatible for marine use through installation of software, which allows you to take your GPS unit on the road or on the water very easily.
Deciding which type of unit you would like is dependent on the level of user you are. If you enjoy highly technological devices with a higher learning curve but more informational output, you will want to consider Garmin units. If you like simple, easy and basic information that is accessed at the touch of a button, you may want to consider the Magellan unit.