electronic packages - thoughts

[Cobiaaddict]

All, 

Just wondering what combo sounder/gps brands people are running in their boats. 

I have always been a Lowrance supporter for the last at least 20yrs, find them very simple to use and the price seems to fit the bill.

Been looking at Garmin, Simrad & Furuno Aswell as the Lowrance packages for the new boat and it's not hard to be spending 10-12K on package . 

At this point a Lowrance HDS16 is my 1st choice, but happy to hear what others are running.

Also, who prefers the C-map or Navionics in their GPS? 

Cheers 

Josh. 

 

 

[Andrew_P]

G’day Josh. I agree with the Lowrance sentiments. electronics loyalties are similar to rod and reel loyalties, they share the same level of technology and similar price points, but so much depends on your use of and exposure to products. I have heard of several Garmin products failing in SW environment but the rep in Qld provides great service when this happens. Lowrance/Simrad are the same company so no difference there. Don’t know much about Raymarine. All the serious offshore fishos I know have Furuno sounders and separate plotters and they swear by them. My 2 cents. 

[mangajack]

Currently i have Humminbird Solix in the boat.

Imaging is great but next time around I will opt back to Garmin.

The Birds do have issues with losing touchscreen randomly.

Navionics charts are good, I prefer them over the C-Map.\

I wonder about the prices being so expensive now how much is the warranty factor in the price.....

[Bretto77]

25 minutes ago, mangajack said:

I wonder about the prices being so expensive now how much is the warranty factor in the price.....

I don't wonder much about that scenario. Tax and profit margins have always been targeted towards things that people would like to do. 

The big companies don't exist for the greater good of the humble consumer.

Profit and tax revenue. That's it. There's no moral obligation.

[Huxstang]

I remember hearing Nick Whyte say when he was asked about what type of sounder reply that the proper question should be “what transducer do you need”.

I have gone Garmin.  I think it’s a bit like Apple or Android, I am not smart enough to cope with mixed brands on the boat.I wont scare people with just how much this new boat of mine will have in electronics but I wanted Livescope and Garmin is the tech leader in that space.  Their newer sidescan transducer is getting up there compared with the acknowledged leader in the market.  Decision got easier with the release of the new long shaft trolling motor.

That said if I was setting up for offshore deep water I would probably be going Furuno with some of their fancy 3D transducers.

The best screen resolution is definitely GPSMAP 84xx series, the lower end GPSMAP series 1253 etc is same resolution as the top end of Lowrance and the Hbird.

Boat will be at the dealer end of the week or early next week so will start my electronics install sometime toward end of the month.  Pics in my own thread when it is underway.

[Bretto77]

24 minutes ago, Huxstang said:

Boat will be at the dealer end of the week or early next week so will start my electronics install sometime toward end of the month.  Pics in my own thread when it is underway.

Soooo... Two members threads to get jealous about...

[Cobiaaddict]

@Huxstang, i agree with you,

You can spend endless money on the Unit but the transducer is definetley the most important

Most of my fishing is  quite shallow up to 30m and almost all moreton bay, 

[Huxstang]

26 minutes ago, Cobiaaddict said:

@Huxstang, i agree with you,

You can spend endless money on the Unit but the transducer is definetley the most important

Most of my fishing is  quite shallow up to 30m and almost all moreton bay, 

Yes I will be mainly bay and northern rivers.  If the weather is good might pop out the front.  I have gone overkill GT56 for the HD sidescan and a GT51 for a bit more depth.  51 was the right price otherwise could have gone with a Gt15 for traditional CHIRP.

Ohh and the electric has a GT56 on it from factory…definitely overkill.  I will have a GPSMAP1253xsv and 953xsv on the console and something else upfront for the LVS34.  Bride told me to set up new boat exactly how I wanted from scratch.  

[Cobiaaddict]

11 hours ago, Huxstang said:

Yes I will be mainly bay and northern rivers.  If the weather is good might pop out the front.  I have gone overkill GT56 for the HD sidescan and a GT51 for a bit more depth.  51 was the right price otherwise could have gone with a Gt15 for traditional CHIRP.

Ohh and the electric has a GT56 on it from factory…definitely overkill.  I will have a GPSMAP1253xsv and 953xsv on the console and something else upfront for the LVS34.  Bride told me to set up new boat exactly how I wanted from scratch.  

Your going all out mate,  

I had that idea in mind when 1st arranging the new boat, I was wanting  a Garmin 8416 & furuno tzt3 12, But come to the realization that the additional costs of around 15k could be put in other areas of my boat & trailer and started pointing myself back towards Lowrance with a  3 in one transducer and a TM260 1kw which I finalized last night.