A $1,500 OUTFIT

Let's say your kooky old aunt put a couple of scratchers in your birthday card and, lo and behold, one hit for $1,500. Your 18-foot runabout should get the new Garmin GPSMAP 525S combo GPS Plotter and Sounder. The package includes a dual frequency transom-mount transducer, which will give you great bottom definition in shallow and deep water. The 525S also accepts Garmin's new G2 cartography, which features aerial photos and 3D charts.

This isn't just an entry level machine. Garmin generally incorporates all of the company's sophisticated features across its whole product line and, save for the screen size and some networking capabilities, this unit has everything than its bigger, more expensive cousins have. The 525S has a bright 5-inch VGA screen and an internal GPS antenna (external is available). The unit sells for about $1,099 and offers the best value and sophistication in its class.

For $230, you will also want to get the G2 chart for your specific boating area.

For communications, we're going to add the new IcomM34 floating VHF handheld radio. Why a floating VHF radio hasn't come along until now is beyond me, and this little 5-watt gem is just right for a wet, open boat. The M34 will cost about $170 and tap out your winnings.

I barely made it. The total for the package is $1,499. But you have a rig that allows you to navigate accurately day or night, set and store waypoints, communicate with other boats , find the fish and stay out of trouble.

A $7,000 OUTFIT

Let's say it's tax time and you overpaid this year, so your CPA gives you the good news that Uncle Sam is going to refund $7,000 of your own hard-earned cash. What better way to celebrate than to blow it on a new electronics package for your 28-foot cuddy sportfisher?

First we're going to focus on screen size: the Raymarine C-120 is a 12-inch bright color multifunction display that will serve as the heart of your refurbished helm. There are various accessory components that make the C-120 shine. Raymarine offers the basics along with the display in a discount package, so we'll take advantage of that.

The C-120 System Pack contains the display, a Raystar 125 GPS antenna and a DSM300 fish finder module. This package sells for about $2,600.

The fish finder requires a transducer, so we're going to install the dual-frequency, 600-watt P-79 in-hull adjustable plastic model. The P-79 will run you $100, and it does not require a haul out or a fairing block, which saves some money.

Because we already have the GPS antenna, we'll need a stainless steel mount for it. Add $20. We also need a Navionics XL9 chart for our cruising area, so that's another $189.

With the GPS plotter and sounder complete, let's add radar. We're going to splurge a little here with your new found money, but radar is the perfect example of getting what you pay for. Raymarine's 4kw Radome is twice the power of the 18-inch version and the $500 difference is well worth it. The Raymarine radar antenna will run you $1,700.GarminGarmin's 525S is a combination GPS and depth sounder. It accepts Garmin's G2 charts, which include arial photos and 3D cartography.

To raise the radar antenna up and make the installation clean, we'll put in a 5-inch PYI Inc. Seaview mount. These aft-leaning, powder-coated aluminum mounts also allow you to hang your anchor light high and behind the dome, so we'll opt for the anchor light bracket too. The mount and light bracket cost $345.

For $600, it's a no-brainer to add the Raymarine SR50 Sirius satellite weather and music receiver. Not only will weather graphics overlay on your chart, but you will be able to control all your satellite tunes from the C-120 display. Your stereo (not included) just needs an auxiliary input, and everything else is included.

The only time steering your boat is fun is the first day you buy it. After that, let an autopilot do the work. You're no less of boater without your hand on the wheel, and a pilot will invariably do a better job than you ever will. Some people also see it as a required piece of safety gear.

To keep the dash looking good and to take advantage of Raymarine's proprietary Seatalk network, we're going to stick with a Raymarine autopilot. The ST6002-Plus system includes a control head, the fluxgate compass and rudder feedback, and a hydraulic pump for boats with a steering ram up to 10.5 cubic inches. The complete pilot should cost $1,150.

There will be some custom hydraulic hoses needed for a clean installation of the pilot pump, which will cost about $100. We'll also interface the pilot with the C-120 display, so you can steer to a set waypoint. You will want to use the C-120's radar overlay and target tracking features as well, which are dependent on a heading from an electronic compass. We'll take that data from the pilot with a simple 1-meter Seatalk cable, which costs about $27.

To cap off the project we'll install a new Icom M304 VHF radio with DSC, which transmits emergency distress calls with coordinates. It won't take up too much space in the dash and has Icom's well-known quality. The cost is $155. Add a good eight-foot Shakespeare fiberglass antenna for $35 and a stainless steel mount for $25 and we are just about done.

The total is $7,046, so I blew the bank a bit. If you skip lunch the week you buy the gear, that should cover it.