Garmin GPSMAP 478 GPS Receiver

I thought I did a thorough job of researching and picking out this unit for my boat and car. I don't use my boat that often or go where the channel is not marked. I thought this GPS unit would work like the Garmin unit I got for my wife's, car but that is not the case. You have to create the route using a lot of way points. If you use just your destination, you get a straight line route that could go over land and outside of the channel markers. Garmin just came out with a 640 GPS MAP that supposedly eliminates the route creation and works like the car models.

The GPSMAP 478 unit has both land and US coastal navigation on board. The screen is bright and easy to read with the aviation sun hood in place. It takes a bit of button pushing to operate it, but is not too bad once you master the process. The included non-slip auto mount works and the unit is waterproof. Excellent unit for my needs. If you want inland lake data, you will need the GPSMAP 378.