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u/cbitzer

▲ 1 r/boats

Simrad GO9 XSE vs Garmin UHD2 94sv for SWFL Gulf Waters — Worth Paying More for Garmin?

Trying to decide between these two for SWFL Gulf waters:

- Simrad GO9 XSE combo w/ transducer = $699
- Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 94sv + GT20 transducer = about $870

95% of my use is honestly just going to be GPS/maps/navigation. I do want to get more into fishing eventually, but I already have a Lowrance Elite 9 CHIRP for sonar, so sonar/fishing features aren’t my biggest concern right now.

What I mainly care about is:
- lag/glitchiness
- smooth chart scrolling
- responsiveness
- overall reliability

I keep seeing mixed opinions saying the older GO9 XSE hardware can feel laggy compared to the newer Garmin UHD2 units.

For people who’ve actually used both:
- Is the Garmin noticeably smoother/faster in real-world use?
- Is the Simrad lag issue overblown?
- Is one significantly better overall for navigation/general boating?

Would especially appreciate feedback from anyone using them in SWFL Gulf/coastal waters.

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u/cbitzer — 1 day ago
▲ 2 r/boating

Upgrading Helm Electronics — Garmin ECHOMAP vs Simrad GO/NSS for Mainly GPS/Navigation?

Looking for some opinions on upgrading my helm electronics setup.

Right now I have:
- an older Garmin chartplotter that I want to upgrade
- a Lowrance Elite 9 CHIRP that I can still use for sonar
- OEM Yamaha digital outboard gauge/display that I plan to keep

Fishing honestly isn’t my primary focus. I may fish a few times a year, but my main use is GPS/maps/navigation and cleaning up and modernizing the helm.

I’m trying to decide whether it makes more sense to:
- keep the Lowrance for sonar and add a newer Garmin ECHOMAP mainly for charts/navigation
OR
- just consolidate into one newer 9” unit that handles both sonar + chartplotting

I’ve been looking mostly at:
- Garmin ECHOMAP UHD/UHD2 units (mostly 93sv)
- some Simrad GO/NSS units (mostly GO9)
- and even some older used Garmins because the pricing is tempting

Ideally trying to stay around $1000 or less total.

As of right now I have zero NMEA 2000 integration. I’d like to eventually move that direction, but it’s not a huge priority since the Yamaha gauge already covers most of what I need from the engine side.

While it would be nice to have an xsv Garmin, I honestly don’t know if I really need all the extra sonar capability for my use case.

For what it’s worth, I’m in Southwest Florida and mostly use the boat for cruising, navigation, sandbars, and general boating.

Is there a specific unit/setup you guys would recommend for this kind of use case?

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u/cbitzer — 2 days ago
▲ 0 r/boats

Hey everyone — looking at this boat and wanted to get some opinions before I go see it / make a move.

Boat: 2007 Angler 220 VFX (22’)

Motor: Yamaha F225 4-stroke (~630 hours)

Price: Got him down to $19,000

Trailer: Aluminum tandem axle (2 spares)

Listed features:

- 100 gal fuel tank

- Trim tabs

- 2 live wells (40 gal total)

- 5 fish boxes

- Simrad 9”

- VHF + AM/FM + Bluetooth speaker

- Full boat cover

- Seller says “turnkey ready”

Seller also mentioned the exhaust was replaced by previous owner. I know that’s an issue on the 3.3L 225. I obviously cannot verify the truth behind that without doing a scope but hopefully he’s truthful on that.

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From photos / listing:

- Looks pretty clean for the age overall

- Typical wear: grime, oxidation, small cracks/scratches

- Wiring looks a bit messy but not completely butchered

- Electronics are older but usable

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A few notes:

I haven’t seen it in person yet, but I’m not totally green — I know the basics to check:

- Transom flex / moisture / mounting bolts

- Soft spots in deck

- Stringers / water intrusion signs

- Motor compression + maintenance history

- Sea trial behavior, etc.

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My questions:

  1. Is $19k fair for this setup?

  2. Anything to watch out for on the Yamaha F225 with ~630 hours?

  3. How are these Angler 220 VFX hulls long-term? 4. What would you look closely at on this specific model before buying?

Appreciate any feedback, especially from anyone who’s owned one of these or run this motor.

Thanks

u/cbitzer — 26 days ago
▲ 17 r/boats

Hey all — I made a post last week about this boat and wanted to follow up now that I’ve seen it in person and taken a lot more photos.

Boat is a 2000 Pursuit 2470 CC with a 2012 Suzuki 300 (under 400 hours). On the surface it looks decent, but after going through it pretty thoroughly, I found a number of issues that have me hesitant:

- Electronics: Garmin powers on but touchscreen doesn’t work

- Bilge: Bilge pump wasn’t functioning when tested

- Electrical: Corrosion on battery terminals and wiring, plus some messy/DIY-looking connections

- Fuel system: Fuel/water separator has visible rust

- General condition: Lots of grime, staining, and neglect in compartments and bilge areas

- Hull: Scrapes/gouges underneath (looks like beaching wear)

- Fiberglass: Some stress cracks around the console

- Trailer: Structurally okay but likely needs tires/bearings soon

Motor condition is still somewhat unknown (haven’t done compression yet), but it does run.

I’m trying to figure out if this is just typical wear for an older boat or if this is more of a project boat disguised as turnkey.

Would you guys pay $20,000 for something in this condition?

If not, what would you realistically value it at?

Appreciate any insight — just trying to make a smart call here.

u/cbitzer — 26 days ago