Hey V,

Just a few thoughts, as i recently outfitted my 17' sled for rivers/sound/inshore fishing and will pass along some advice from friends.

If you're even thinking of having this boat in open water (sound, Seiku, Neah Bay) get the GPS. Best insurance you can get if the fog rolls in unexpectedly.

Color is great, and you'll probably kick yourself if you don't get it, but as others have said it adds serious $$$ to the price

Having sonar that works well @ speed is really valuable as you can use it in cloudy water conditions to determine when to come off plane safely, etc. When you decide on a model check with users who have it to make sure this feature works well.

I'm really happy with my Eagle 550c. Sonar/GPS with color for around $550. There are more expensive units, but this one has performed well for me.

tight lines,

Brian