[macattack]

Sorry if this posted twice, but I had a computer error while posting before.

Hey guys,

I am sure this topic has been posted numerous times before, but after several searches, I have decided to just post something more relevant to my situation in hopes that someone can steer me in the right direction and offer good advice.

I fish the Sound in anywhere from 20-125 feet. I have a Furuno FCV-667 color CRT unit onboard that has just become disabled due to the breakage of a pin that connects the transducer cable with the unit itself(the broken pin is on the unit itself). I have researched and found that it is going to be very expensive and lengthy to repair this problem and might be more economical/practical to purchase a new unit given this one is now 8 years old and impossible to see in direct sunlight(although it has been excellent over the years).

I also have an 8 year old garmin chart plotter which I have been happy with, but it is now outdated, the software is slow to update and there are presumably many better models on the market today.

I am looking for a unit to replace either 1) just the fish finder or 2) a combo unit to replace them both.
I like the combo unit idea because it would allow me to purchase a larger screen on my limited budget.

From reading posts on here, I have gathered that the Lowrance units are the best that can be had for color fish finding (within budget). There is a side of me that would like to get a good quality Lowrance fish finder that also can have a GPS/Chartplotter combo. I guess it all comes down to budget. I am putting that around $1000(excluding instillation). What models would you experts recommend that you think would be at least comparable, if not better then my Furuno unit now? I have looked at many, many pages of information on Sounders and it is daunting all the different options. One other requirement is that I have a dual frequency unit as I like this option on my current Furuno.

I am open to other brands, but have heard such good things about the lowrance sounders that I am focusing on them.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am quickly becoming stumped with all of the options out there.

So again in brief summary:
Dual frequency
Ideally sounder/plotter combo
$1000 price range

Thanks again. Your advice is so greatly appreciated and will hopefully make my fall jigging season(rapidly approaching) much better.

 

[boloranks]

i have the lowrance color unit also and it is ok, but the expert said the furuno fishfinders are the best, on almost every site i went to they have the furuno 620/585 as two great unit, i am trying not to get caught up in all these hoop law about fishfinders, most high end unit will do the job, but last year i capt a friend boat out to the sandy hook reef and i was impress with his hummind bird matrix 97 unit, but it will all comes down to the furuno and the lowrance. good luck

 

[BLUEFISH9]

Not sure what guys on this site told you Lowrance was the way to go. Most of us including me...will tell you that Lowrance = crap. Well for me anyway. See, Lowrance really caters to the freshwater game. I prefer a company that focuses on big water.

When I think sounders only two names are the clear choice: Furnuo (fcv620 or 585 in particular) Or Raymarine...they make the dsx500 which is really an awesome machine despite fogging problems in earlier models. Affordable too.

When I think plotters, I think #1 Northstar, with Garmin being the affordable alternative.


I also DO NOT like the idea of combo units. Buy the best plotter and buy the best sounder. Also with a combo unit, If it goes down...you are S.O.L

 

[nates]

I replaced my Furuno 582L with the 585 & & love it. I was able to use the same thru hull transducer, maybe you can do the same.
Incidently my 10in. lowrance gps works great.

 

[624397]

For seperate units, it's pretty easy: a Garmin chartplotter and a Furuno sounder, and for a combo unit go Raymarine. With the Raymarine, your budget dictates which model head unit and how big it is. My current boat has a Garmin 498 plotter and a Furuno 620 sounder... I am more then happy. The next boat is getting twin Raymarine E80 heads with all the goodies.

I wouldn't consider Lowrance in the top tier by any means.

 

[boloranks]

i dont think the lowrance unit are garbage, to each there own, learn how to fine tune your unit to get the best out of it, fishing jamaica bay out to the rockaway reef sandy hook reef and 17 fathom i have a lowrance x107 and lcx18 .garmin 182 c for gps, they all perform great. amazing how as soon as the next expensive bran of unit hit the market the older unit is not good anymore, most of the newer units is just a bunch of features that you will not even use

if you planing on fishing way way ofshore thats a diffrent ball game, i seen guys here in my marina who owns high end unit cost over a grand on very small boat 18 19 footers not like they r planning to go off shore in thise.

just for show off most times and follow what there rich friend has on there 40 42 foot fishing boat.

get you a good unit for the area you are planning to fish, end of story, lowrance or furuno for sounder garmin for gps,

 

[MakoMike]

I agree with Mike, I've never een a lowarance unti that I think would do the job for me. As far as combo units go, don't forget that if you are going to use both features at the same time you'll only have half the screen size for each, so a 12 inch screen translates to a 6 inch depthfinder. Not my cup of tea, I want the biggest screen I can afford and fir on the boat. Also for combo units if one goes down, most likely they both go down. I prefer redunancy in my electronics, which is why I carry two lorans, and two GPS units.

 

[GoodChance]

Sonar - Go with Furuno or Raymarine digital sounder
GPS - Furuno or Garmin.

Get stand-alone units.

 

[dunkin580]

Check out the si-tex 106.Good price,color,reads bottom and fish real good.Had lowrance,no good.

 

[BreezyGuy]

I have Raymarine and its a combo and its great. I have had my sounder go out , but my GPS was fine. The C120 is a great unit combo. But no matter, you should always have a back up, like i do.

 

[boloranks]

can someone explain to me and many others why lowranc sounders is no good??

1 dosent give a great bottom reading

2 lost bottom at speed

3 cant mark fish
i realy wants to know, i never own a high end furuno, but i did own the ls6100 model , and i have to give it props, i could drop down a lure to the bottom and i could see it falls. i even hook a live bunked and drop it to the bottom and sees it clearly.

 

[leftjammer]

If your Lowrance:
1 dosent give a great bottom reading
2 lost bottom at speed
3 cant mark fish

It means your transducer is mounted wrong. I used a Sitex 106 for a decade (granted it was a CRT). My new Lowrance Color x500(LCD) is better by 100%.....and then some.

btw- I was never a Lowrance guy, but for my 20ftGW it was a perfect match

 

[Mad Mahi]

boloranks wrote:
can someone explain to me and many others why lowranc sounders is no good??

1 dosent give a great bottom reading

2 lost bottom at speed

3 cant mark fish
i realy wants to know, i never own a high end furuno, but i did own the ls6100 model , and i have to give it props, i could drop down a lure to the bottom and i could see it falls. i even hook a live bunked and drop it to the bottom and sees it clearly.

Not that the sounders are "no good', but the reliability and customer service at Lowrance stinks like a 2 week old bunker!

They are actually quite good performance and function wise, IF AND WHEN THEY WORK!. Many dissatisfied customers have had them not work well right out of the box, or were even DOA. I'm sure 'serfrat' has some stories to tell as a retailer.

Then try to get Customer Service to pitch in! Sometimes real easy and works out fine. Most times it is 2 different reps giving you 2 different answers or solutions to identical problems. IF YOU GET THROUGH AT ALL !

Reliability of the units is lacking as well. The GPS units are known to fail on satellite signal acquisition. Sounders have had issues with main power boards and displays failing prematurely. Their transducers have a history of horror stories.

Then, LOWRANCE, in their progressive R&D and marketing strategies ("cu$tomer i$ fool: fool and hi$ money is $oon $eparated")forgets to keep older parts in inventory like FURUNO and RAYMARINE do. Two and three year old models (even popular ones) are often discontinued, forcing the user to upgrade (buy new). There goes the fool and his money again!

Here is a typical case scenario.

This post edited by Mad Mahi 10:25 AM 08/18/2008

 

[boloranks]

i see, well mines r working great so far, you r right on the gps loosing signals often, thats why i only use my garmin 182c for gps. never realy rely on the lowrance gps. thanks.

 

[macattack]

Thanks guys

Thank yo so much for the advice, that is why this board is so great... I understand the issues with a combo unit, but with the budget and all, it seems to make sense to me. I would really like a faster processor then the Garmin 182 that I have. It takes way too long to update and even with the chip in it, the detail is not all that great. That being said, I intend to keep the garmin GPS, it is the fishfinder that is the real issue since it is officially dead. I loved the furuno, aside from the washing out in sunlight, but I could watch a 2 oz sinker all the way to the bottom and it was phenominal. I am just sick of the washout in the sun, but at the same time, I am tempted to just get it fixed if I can not find a good unit to replace it with(obviously I want something at least comparable, if not better, I do not want to downgrade).

I would love to get an LCD Furuno, color ofcourse. Is there such a thing that anyone has used and been happy with? The other issue is mounting space. I only have a 20' Grady and the electronics box is very limited. I am not opposed to mounting something outside it, but would prefer to keep everythig inside to keep things neat and tidy.

I like the idea of being able to keep the same transducer with the furuno units. Any suggestions on what I should look at to replace my fcv-667 that is not TOO large? (and will take the same transducer).

Also, If I were to go raymarine, any advice on what models I should be looking at? I really wish my furuno did not go down, but things happen(especially at the time of Wicc) but it is definitely time for something to be done considering I am fishing blind without the sounder. I have heard good things about raymarine and would def. consider one if someone has some good experience with it.

I am supprised to hear the negative remarks about the Lowarance, although I do appreciate it so I do not buy something I am not happy with. I definitely aim more towards deeper water fishing(over 100ft) and take a shark trip/ stellwagen/ coxes trip every now and then, so power is nice to have.

I know I am throwing a lot out there but does anyone have any specific models I should look at? Perhaps I should say screw a new plotter, although I would really like a new one( it is the sounder that is the issue, I just figured maybe I will replace them both with one purchase) I always have a handheld onboard as well, so redundancy is always there minus the sounder, which can be lived without for a short while whereas the plotter is more important.

Thanks again guys. I really appreciate it. Any model numbers, etc, would be greatly appreciated. I am open to an 800-1000 sounder if it is going to be really good and fit in the small box on my grady, so I am open to just a sounder as well or even a quick fix on the furuno I already have(if possible). My ideal situation is a combo unit, but I am open to whatever you experts have to say as your advice is priceless and much appreciated.

Take care and tight lines fellas!

 

[Mad Mahi]

FURUNO 620 should match up to most other transducers used with the earlier FURUNO models.
It is the smaller version of the 585.
Digital color and won't washout. The 2 best fishfinders for a recreational angler!

It's in your budget range. Remember, you get what you pay for!

Earlier Thread

 

[624397]

Look at the Furuno 620:
Check it out here

It's within your budget, it would probably fit in your electronics box, and it works well. I have no complaints with mine. And you can probably use your transducer, depending which model it is.

 

[boloranks]

i will say yes to the furuno 620 also almost every forum talks great about it. good luck