Overview

The Garmin 010-02551-02 is a 5 inch GPS fishfinder display that supports traditional sonar plus CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar when paired with a compatible transducer. The screen is WVGA (800 x 480) with seven high-contrast color palettes, and the unit is rated IPX7 for typical spray, washdowns, and rough days at the helm.

It has a built-in high-sensitivity GPS for waypoint marking, track plotting, and speed over ground. You can also draw your own fishing maps with Quickdraw Contours and store up to 2 million acres with 1 ft contours, as long as you have a transducer providing depth.

Key features

• 5 inch WVGA color display (800 x 480) with seven vivid sonar color palettes
• Sonar-ready head unit with 500 W (RMS) output when connected to a compatible transducer
• Supports traditional 50/77/200 kHz, CHIRP (mid and high), and ClearVü 260/455/800 kHz with the right transducer
• Integrated GPS with storage for up to 5,000 waypoints, 100 routes, and a 50,000-point track log with 50 saved tracks
• Quickdraw Contours mapping with storage for up to 2 million acres at 1 ft contours
• One 4-pin transducer port for straightforward sonar wiring runs
• Runs on 12 to 20 Vdc with a recommended 3 A fast-acting fuse; current draw is about 0.40 A at 12 V
• Built-in Wi-Fi for pairing with the ActiveCaptain app for updates and user-data handling
• Water rating: IPX7

What’s included

• STRIKER Vivid 5cv display unit (no transducer)
• Power/data cable
• Tilt/swivel mount
• Mounting hardware
• Garmin bumper sticker
• Documentation

Installation and setup

The included tilt/swivel mount works well on a console, dash top, or electronics box where you can see the screen while standing and seated. Leave room behind the unit for cable bend radius and strain relief, and avoid placing it where feet, rods, or a swinging helm seat will hit the connectors.

Power is 12 to 20 Vdc, so it fits standard 12 V boats directly. On 24 V systems, plan on a regulated step-down converter. Use a clean, switched feed and protect the circuit with a 3 A fast-acting fuse. If you are running it from a small battery system on a skiff or kayak, the low typical draw makes it easy to size wiring and runtime.

Compatibility and fit

This version is the display only, so sonar performance depends on the transducer you add. The unit uses a single 4-pin transducer connection; match the transducer style to your hull and mounting location, then confirm the sonar types you want to run (traditional, CHIRP, and ClearVü) line up with that transducer.

User data is stored internally rather than on a card, which keeps things simple for a small-boat setup. If you are comparing it to a full multifunction display, keep expectations in check: this is a dedicated fishfinder with GPS track plotting and custom mapping rather than a chartplotter built around preloaded cartography.

Use on board

For inshore anglers, bay boats, flats skiffs, and small center consoles, it is a clean way to get quick depth and bottom detail plus repeatable GPS marks for spots you want to return to. The split-screen views, A-scope, and adjustable depth line help when you are watching the bottom while staying on a drift or working a contour.

Maintenance and care

The IPX7 rating covers incidental exposure to water up to 1 m for up to 30 minutes, but it is still worth treating the connectors like any other marine electronics. Keep the plugs seated, support the wiring so it does not vibrate at the back of the unit, and rinse salt off the housing and mount with fresh water after a salty run.