What electronics?

Got a new to me boat and having a hard time deciding on what electronics to go with. I have decided against iPilot link, so that opens up any combo of electronics. My must haves are spot lock, networked units for bow and counsel, good SI, DI and 2D. Is there any reason to go with a motor guide bow mount over a minnkota? Are Garmin units superior now? Would like to get the boat rigged for less than $3500 but not sure if that is even possibile. Lets hear some of your opinions. Thanks in advance.

I always wanted my boat to have a graph at the bow and helm and then when I bought my boat I only could afford one for the helm and now honestly won’t ever put one at the bow. But yet two at the helm now.
It all depends what you want or how you fish. I personally love my mega humminbirds and am selling my Garmin ice unit to go with a bird. I would honestly with $3500 I would go mega 360 and if it fits do a 12 mega si g3n. If it doesn’t then go 10 mega and maybe add a 7 just for mapping.
I just now realized 3500 was including trolling motor. So yes terrova I pilot and probably helix 9 or 8 msi

you should be able to do it for 3kish depending what deals you find. I picked up a terrova ipilot with the built in MEGA and a Helix 7 last year for $2200. that was the best deal I could find and that was shipped from Reeds. I had the Helix 10 already at the counsel and love both units. I found I rarely use my Helix 7 at the bow because I usually fish by myself and sit in the back unless I stumble on a school of suspended fish, then its fun jigging em up. It gets plenty of use on hardwater so there is that.
don’t know much about other brands as I had an older HDS 8 Lowrance on my last boat and the stuff these days is pretty sweet. I don’t think the brands are that far apart in technology. Birds were the cream of the crop and partnered with Minnkota for a great combo. I believe Lowrance and Motorguide are paired and Garmin came out with a trolling motor this year. I love the simplicity of the Helix units but I can’t speak on the others. the spot lock is awesome but sometimes its annoying as hell when it constantly moves around trying to keep you on a spot.

I think $3500 is light when you add up all the components. Does that include the couple batteries you are gonna need and the charger?

If you have time to bargain hunt you might do it.

I run Terrova and garmin with livescope. 93SV at the helm and 73sv on the bow. I rarely use the bow graph so if you want to save some coin I’d opt for foregoing that. Depends on fishing style. With a windshield boat you aren’t up front as much. Not sure your boat.

I ran Humminbird in the past and would run them again if I didn’t care about livescope. The si and di seem comparable.

Batteries and charger are covered. Coming from a tiller going back to a windsheild. I know when I had my last tyee that I spent most of time in the bow while fishing, other than when I was pulling cranks. Are the garmin units networkable. Really all I need is a way to share waypoints.

Garmin’s can be networked. I have only had GPSMAP 7610xsv’s to network together but they have the best system for networking IMO. Using an ethernet cable everything transfers between units including mapping, all sonar, radar, and waypoints.