I'm looking for a good GPS system for a boat. What would you guys recommend? I need something I can plot a coarse, record hotspot. The graph has to be in Topographic map form so I can at least know were the drop off are at. Price should be below $1000.

GPS only, or a sonar/ GPS combo unit?

Just about any marine GPS unit will do what you listed.

The name for those is Chart Plotter.

You can get those functions in a handheld unit.

Love my Humminbird 597 hd Di. Got it at BPS for $690. Spend the extra $99 and get the Navionics chip. It's a great setup, and easy to install.

For a stand-alone chart plotter, the Lowrance HDS-7M is at the top of your price range. The HDS-5M is less expensive.

Garmin has several chart plotters with-in your price range.

If you can find one in stock, there is the discontinued Humminbird 786ci chartplotter in the middle of your price range.

Just do a web search for Chartplotter in each brand and read the specs.

Lorance or Hummingbird or Garmin? The technologies are so close together that it really does not matter.

Except for the quality of maps that is available for them. I would talk to some guys that fish the lakes you want to fish and find out which unit has the best maps.