outside sounder

[sydfish]

Guys I need a new sounder GPS either combo or induvidual units
I am leaning toward furuno, what are your thoughts?

The humminbird matrix 97 cant keep up in the deeper water, perfect under 30m ****house after that, even the gps slows down while waiting for the sonar to catch up AAAAHHHGGG.

[xtosea]

How much you got
I would get the Furuno FCV-620, 600W, great little unit, thats about $1200.

As a combo chartplotter and sounder, i love the new Raymarine A65, about $2700, but i can get a new one for $2200 up the road from Raymarine direct, i delivered there and asked them. Just get a minimum 600W output, with at least a 600W transducer, a 1kw thru-hull transducer is the best as you wont lose bottom while trolling, with the others you will. All the best.

Kamil

[JOC00L]

Kriss, I did a fair bit of research on this very subject not long ago. For a combo, I would have got the Lowrance 337 or 339. The difference between the 2 is that one has an internal antenna. Value for money, these things were the ducks nuts. As a matter of fact, a few mates bought these combos on my recommendations and were ecstatic with them!

As a stand alone unit, you absolutely can not go past the Furuno FCV620L! These things are absolutely brilliant. Don't get me wrong, you can get better. But wouldn't you rather spend around the $1300 mark than $2500? Because that what you need to spend to get something comparable.

You won't get many at that price that offer digital processing with the size of screen on the 620. Raymarine have the DX600, but it is a smaller screen, and runs at 500 Watts as opposed to Furuno's 600 Watts. And if push comes to shove, you could fit a 1KW tranny to it as well.

I had it out to 140 metres, and it didn't even blink. And I get a good reading at speeds up to 40 KM/H.

I hate to sound like an add for them, but they really impressed me. And with Tailored Marine trying real hard to compete with offshore sellers, it's actually cheaper to buy them here than overseas. Plus you get the peace of mind of a full 2 year warranty.

You may even be able to get them at trade price if you have contacts in a tackle store that has the Tailored Marine range.:hellyeah:

[sydfish]

OK the 620 sounds loke the go, but can you hook it up to the 1kw transducer, or is it even nessasary?
I can get it trade but thats really nothing off they are only 11% cheaper as the new models are due in may, but I cant wait that long.

OK what plotter do I put with it? A Furuno that syncs with it or is there something else out there is just as good, remembering that it will have to take navionics gold mmc sd card as i only shelled out the 400 odd bucks for that 2 months ago
thanks for the quick response guys

I had been thinking of the lowrance but a mate of mine in the game said that there had been a lot of warranty issues with the lowrance lately and too steer clear

[xtosea]

Lowrance has been taken over by Simrad,
as for Chartplotter, the Furuno GP-1650W/D looks good. Im sure you will be happy with these if you choose to get them.
Go get 'em Kris! You are gonna catch so many fish soon, i can see it!

http://www.taylormarine.com.au/main.cfm?page=category&brandid=1&section=Electronics

Kamil

[JOC00L]

It all comes back to how much you want to shell out Kriss. If you can spend a little, then look at the Furuno GP7000F. http://www.taylormarine.com.au/main.cfm?page=productdetail&pid=353&brandid=1&catid=10&section=Electronics $2899 at Bias.

[sydfish]

Thanks guys... what a decision

[xtosea]

Has the decision been made? Ay more fish?

[Haji]

Hi
I have just purchased a NavmanTrackfish 6500 Sounder/GPS combo for $1349.00 and am blown away by their user friendly menu and first class phone assistance when I needed some more detailed advice on mounting the transducer on my boat.
I also like their fixed price return/repair service and the fact that they are made in New Zealand, seems a bit more loyal to buy from the Kiwis rather than SE Asia or the US.
Performance so far has been very good with clear bottom and fish definition even at speed. I still need to try it out in deeper water but based on experience to date am confident that it will do all that I need for my type of fishing.
My previous sounder was a Furuno and before that a Lowrance both of which were also very good but not as user friendly as the Navman.
Good Luck
Haji

[beats]

congratulations on buying a Lowrance man, thats right there mother company just bought out navman.Hott

[xtosea]

Congrats on a Simrad then!

[beats]

Thats it Kamil.:upside down hello:

[Haji]

I was intrigued by the references to Navman being taken over by Lowrance and Lowrance having been taken over by Simrad. On checking with Navman I was told that a major Norwegian company named Navaco has taken over Simrad, Lowrance and Navman but that each of them will continue to operate independantly. Sounds more likely.
Haji

[beats]

Simrad own them both & as for Navaco which is a CP software company, they have some shares in Simrad, but do in no way own it.
yes they will continue to trade seperately for now!

[omz]

can u have a sounder on a tinny or not coz im lookin at buyin one?

[TomMc]

yer you can have a sounder on a tinny but you wouldnt need to buy any deep water sounder like kris had to, he needed that sounder because he goes deep sea fishing and im guessing if you have a tinny or are looking at one your probabley planning on using it in rivers or lakes so you can get one thats more basic and doesnt have all the features for outside deep sea fishing
Tom

[omz]

yea jus lookin at locatin channels an holes sort of thing in estuary an river systems