Furuno or Humminbird Combo

[coldasjoe]

Hi Guys

Has anyone used these units

Furuno 1670f combo

/>http://www.furuno.com/special/en/gp1670f_1870f/index.html

Humminbird 858cx di

/>http://www.humminbird.com.au/products/sonargpscombos/800series/858cx-di-combo.html

Huminbird 898 si

/>http://www.humminbird.com.au/products/sonargpscombos/800series/898cxsicombo.html

Or any othere recomendations

Was also thinking furuno 620 and a seperate gps unit

[Seafarer]

Like comparing Ferrari to Datsun 180b

You can't beat furuno

[crazywalrus]

I have a furuno - had it for almost 12 months and am very happy. The pins corroded on the back of it and it cost me $130 to fix. Not sure about the hummingbird but if that happened on a lowrance you would have to bin the unit. They are not a fixable unit. Something to think about when you are spending >$1000

[coldasjoe]

Thanks guys

What model furuno are you using?

Also does sounder power determine what spped you can go while still reading the bottom accurately?

I have used a FCV627 and reads bottom while doing 30 knots

Have anybody used a hummingbird 8 series?

[crazywalrus]

Thanks guys

What model furuno are you using?

Also does sounder power determine what spped you can go while still reading the bottom accurately?

I have used a FCV627 and reads bottom while doing 30 knots

Have anybody used a hummingbird 8 series?

I have the FCV-585 with the P66 Tranducer. There are so many things that effect holding bottom at speed. I have the P66 tranny that is 600 W. I would prefer the 1kw but I do not have the spare $1000 dollars. If you are not going outside in deep water the smaller trannys will do. Mine is not properly setup so I do loose bottom every now and then.

[coldasjoe]

Hey by properly setup do you mean the equipment ie transducer or the installation

Thats another quetion do the pro marine places do anything diff installing to diy ?

Do they like road test it or similar?

Those optional 1kw transducers are super exy

[Bri The Pom]

I have a furuno - had it for almost 12 months and am very happy. The pins corroded on the back of it and it cost me $130 to fix. Not sure about the hummingbird but if that happened on a lowrance you would have to bin the unit. They are not a fixable unit. Something to think about when you are spending >$1000

How come that cost was yours Ted, was it not under warranty.

Just talking lowrance, they have agreed to repair or replace my hds,so sending that back tonight, that has 2 year warranty.What a sh#t fight that was !!

[crazywalrus]

Installing a Tranny seems to be a bit of an art. Mine needs some adjustment but i have been to busy fishing and have not made the adjustment. I don not think the professionally installed jobs are any better and i am sure they do not water test them. Installing one is pretty straight forward but each boat is different and the tranny needs adjustment to get it right.

Unless you are fishing in >120m waters than the 1kw is not required. I would make a huge difference in the ability to see fish.

[crazywalrus]

I have a furuno - had it for almost 12 months and am very happy. The pins corroded on the back of it and it cost me $130 to fix. Not sure about the hummingbird but if that happened on a lowrance you would have to bin the unit. They are not a fixable unit. Something to think about when you are spending >$1000

How come that cost was yours Ted, was it not under warranty.

Just talking lowrance, they have agreed to repair or replace my hds,so sending that back tonight, that has 2 year warranty.What a sh#t fight that was !!

Mine is a grey import so no Aussie Warranty. I do not think you are covered for corrosion anyway. I am still way ahead with the cost I paid.

If the lowrance is still available they will give you warranty however if it is end of line they only give you 50% of a new unit i believe.

[Bri The Pom]

I'm hoping they will send me a new gen 2

[dhess]

I too have an FCV585 and love it. Definitely go standalone sounder and chartplotter instead of combo. Much more flexible and you don't have press heaps of buttons to change a simple setting.

Recently I helped Daveylad install an FCV627 and is also a very nice unit. Essentially a same as a 585 but smaller screen. FCV620 is also good but go the FCV627 as it is the replacement for the 620 and has a much higher resolution screen, also better visibility in glare.

Re the corroded pins, if brass gets wet and doesn't have a chance to dry out it will go green. This isn't a manufacturing defect. Mine is about three years old and the connectors are in pristine condition.

As for transducer output power and speed which you get a good reading there is definitely a relationship.

At the moment I have a 600w P66 which reads fine at full speed up to about 50-60m deep. In around 90-120m I have to slow down to around 15-20kph to get good readings.

A friend uses a 1kw TM260 and it reads perfectly in a 1000m of water at 50kph.

The P66 is adequate but the TM260 picks up a lot more in any depth.

Checkout: http://www.airmartechnology.com/uploads/brochures/TM260.pdf

TM260 is 50 times more sensitive tan P66 at 50khz and 13 times more sensitive at 200khz.

TM260 is made up of 8 seperate 50khz elements compared to a single element in the P66.

[rosco1974]

crazy,

your running your unit on manual or auto while underway..on my cat if i run it on auto over 25knts id drops out but if it on manual i can do 37knts on bottomshift and it will read it like i am doing 10knts..this is offshore

[crazywalrus]

will have to check ros thanks