Com-Pac Yacht Owners Association

Has anyone used one of these?   http://www.amazon.com/Humminbird-4-Inch-Waterproof-Marine-Chartplotter/dp/B000KUMOQ8 (http://www.amazon.com/Humminbird-4-Inch-Waterproof-Marine-Chartplotter/dp/B000KUMOQ8)  I was shopping for a new depth sounder (needed) and hand held GPS and came across this unit.  For $200 seems like a good deal and it would let me put some boat $$ towards something else.

not really a fish finder huh?

I would stick with Garmin and real color charts on their chartplotter/ fishfinder combo. I have a 445 and really like it. Has all charts for the US already on it.

I see Garmin doesn't make a 445 anymore...do you know what it evolved into?
Bob23

Pay the extra $ for full color scope.
You pay for what you get.

skip.

Maybe forgetting the fish finder part of this equation, a true high dollar unit ought to be provided? For peace of mind.

I went with the Raymarine ST-40 unit and the Raymarine 435i Chart Plotter. [The 'i' means no external antenna and one less thing to wire in and get into the way. I actually tested the reception down under the potty and it still worked fine. The chartplotter was put back into the original hole that the ST-40 was in. Of course I had to enlarge the hole. The chart plotter is as high up into the bulkhead as I can fit it. It's touching the outside and inside of the XL liner. And the chartplotter is 3-M 5200 glued in. The St-40 only has a tiny stud on the inside of the XL liner. Works for me.]

Never regretted these tow decisions.

(http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh299/1930fordroadster/Com-Pac19ChartPlotter.jpg)
Actual display sitting at the Door County Maritime Museum in the 'cut' between the Bay of Green Bay and Lk Michigan.
Note the compass is away from electric wire influence and is mounted on a teak 'stand-off' wood ring.
Only the bulkhead was cut to install the compass. Not the XL liner inside down below.
One can see the polished s.s. rub bar by the winch on the cockpit combing to save the saw-cut for the head sheet rubbing on the fiberglass.

(http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh299/1930fordroadster/b1f4cfe9e3dd319550f49292216b74a20_m.jpg) (http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh299/1930fordroadster/cf2ea2a879f039df6940e071183349f30_m.jpg) (http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh299/1930fordroadster/24fd53f198552ed79650bdf14b92996a0_s-1.jpg)
These are the two 2 inch holes required. Keep in mind that a 16" x 16" hatch was cut directly behind the compression post. And the foam was ground away with a 4" grinder to make drilling these holes possible. Just 3-M5200 goop the heck out of the threads and screw them down finger tight + 1/4 turn. The plug is for something to put into the hole after one pulls the paddlewheel.
They are 6 inch ahead of the leading edge of the keel and 6 inch to either side of the centerline. Drilled from inside the hull down.
It took two days for me to work up the courage to make these holes in the hull and cabin.
When the kph paddle wheel becomes home to a few zebra muscles the whole unit can be pulled out of the hull without flooding. A flapper valve and that plug. The white line is my anchor line just in case the anchor goes over the side with the line not cleated on to my Sampson post.

(http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh299/1930fordroadster/reunion3130-1.jpg)(http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh299/1930fordroadster/0000008589.gif)
Forgive the dirt, I'll get to it. At end of season in my driveway.

The St-40 shows around 2,100 nm on the 'odometer' over the years. I install this on my second year of ownership.
A year later I added the chartplotter as I can get lost in a bath tub. Burrrrrrr [water temp] air now, shows it's a bit nipply out.
The dashed lines above show depth under the keel. But not when sitting on my trailer.

So here is my dilemma...the depth sounder on my 27 is out of comission.  The direct replacement is a Moor unit which sells for $269http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/depth-sounder-digital-w-flush-mnt-thru-ducer-169764/4,27403.html (http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/depth-sounder-digital-w-flush-mnt-thru-ducer-169764/4,27403.html).  The only GPS unit I had was a 4" Garmin B&W unit which I included with the sale of my Catalina 25 as an "incentive".  So, after bouncing off a rock at the end of last season (those Compac encapsulated keels are pretty tough - just a couple of scratches and scrapped off bottom paint), and seeing that look of panic in the first mates eyes, the depth sounder has risen to the top of the priority list. 
  Sailing on Lake Ontario, it is pretty easy to get out far enough to loose track of where you are and a GPS is a good comforter even on an afternoon sail.  With all that said, and trying to maximize my boat dollars, a fishfinder/GPS combo unit seemed like a good option.  The other option would be a hand held GPS and seperate sounder or fishfinder. A lot of fishfinders have the ability to show sea floor profile which is an added benefit. 
  With so many options available in such a large price range and time to think about it while waiting for the snow to melt how do you pick the right one? 

 Your set-up is something to be admired Skip.  Thanks....

cdreamIII, This commit,

"So, after bouncing off a rock at the end of last season (those Compac encapsulated keels are pretty tough - just a couple of scratches and scrapped off bottom paint),"

reminds me...that under my CP-19 is what I call a KEEL BOOT. It's simply a 6mm aluminum plate saw cut to shape and glued on with Marine-Tex epoxy while the hull was hung from the trailer hull bunks and the keel was dangling above the trailer. Wood wedges pounded between the four trailer rollers and the KEEL BOOT kept everything nice and tight till the Marine-Tex cured over two days.  I never finished cleaning up the squished out epoxy since it's not going to make the boat any faster in the water. The anti-fouling paint ought to be removed from the glued area.

skip.