Ken,

I bought the Magellan Map 330 Marine. I use it for Geocaching and kayaking. It has proven itself in both cases. After using it for a while, I am convinced that one needs the map display that is not on some of the cheaper models. Being able to download and upload routes and waypoints from the computer is a must for me. One can purchace Marine charts and load them in the GPS. You will find yourself using the GPS for a lot of things that you never thought of. My Magellan came with the "Map Send Streets" cd, which gives a lot of details. I don't think Garmin comes with a cd. As far as which brand is better? You can hear pros and cons for all brands. Just get one that is as water resistant as you can and one that has mapping capibilities.

Ronnie