ON-THE-CHEW
29-12-2007, 04:41 PM
I have just ordered my new boat a Galeforce 5.5m, but now I have come to a bigger problem then deciding what boat to buy. What Gps and what sounder to buy.
The biggest problem is the market for these items are heading to combo units for everything, but I am yet to find a combo that has the best of both gps and sounding.
So far I think I have narrowed down the gps unit to the Garmin GPSMAP 550 with a BlueChart g2 Vision card. I am yet to find any other brand gps unit that comes with the detail that the new g2 cards come with. For example an area like the sevens/flat rock, even with cards in most other units show the area as one circle contour line and that is about the extent of the detail, where as the g2 map shows heaps of contour lines, even individual pinacles. Just having a quick look at a unit with the card in I saw heaps of new fishing areas just due to the detail of the map. Its not cheap at $1875 for the unit plus chart but I haven't found anything that comes any where near it.
Now the sounder is where my biggest problem lies. I have been keen on the Humminbird range with the new side imaging system. Originally I was put off by them because this system originally only worked to 25m then reverting to the original 2D for anything deaper than this. Now the new models have extended the working depth of the side imaging to 45m and this now covers about 95 percent of my fishing. The only problem is these sounders with the side imaging only come in combos when I would only need it as a sounder.
With these two systems running I could find new locations using the extra detail of the gps unit, scan the sea floor with the side imaging and basically be able to map out all new fishing locations, with out having to driving directly over a spot like normal. The Humminbird I am looking at is the 797c2x si, I have priced them at $1999.
Third and final option is the Furno 620 or 585, these have the advantages over the Humminbird, are able to use in hull transducer, are a better 2d sounder and are cheaper $1150/$1850 respectively but don't have the side imaging which I think would be of a huge advantage.
If anyone has any coments of the above units or any other suggestions of any other units would be welcome. I know it would be cheaper to buy a combo unit with a good sounder and an alright gps but until you have seen the Garmin with the g2 card nothing comes close. Please help needed, the boat takes 12 weeks to make and I don't want to wait on my boat because they haven't fitted the electronics yet because I cant make my mind up.
Andrew
The biggest problem is the market for these items are heading to combo units for everything, but I am yet to find a combo that has the best of both gps and sounding.
So far I think I have narrowed down the gps unit to the Garmin GPSMAP 550 with a BlueChart g2 Vision card. I am yet to find any other brand gps unit that comes with the detail that the new g2 cards come with. For example an area like the sevens/flat rock, even with cards in most other units show the area as one circle contour line and that is about the extent of the detail, where as the g2 map shows heaps of contour lines, even individual pinacles. Just having a quick look at a unit with the card in I saw heaps of new fishing areas just due to the detail of the map. Its not cheap at $1875 for the unit plus chart but I haven't found anything that comes any where near it.
Now the sounder is where my biggest problem lies. I have been keen on the Humminbird range with the new side imaging system. Originally I was put off by them because this system originally only worked to 25m then reverting to the original 2D for anything deaper than this. Now the new models have extended the working depth of the side imaging to 45m and this now covers about 95 percent of my fishing. The only problem is these sounders with the side imaging only come in combos when I would only need it as a sounder.
With these two systems running I could find new locations using the extra detail of the gps unit, scan the sea floor with the side imaging and basically be able to map out all new fishing locations, with out having to driving directly over a spot like normal. The Humminbird I am looking at is the 797c2x si, I have priced them at $1999.
Third and final option is the Furno 620 or 585, these have the advantages over the Humminbird, are able to use in hull transducer, are a better 2d sounder and are cheaper $1150/$1850 respectively but don't have the side imaging which I think would be of a huge advantage.
If anyone has any coments of the above units or any other suggestions of any other units would be welcome. I know it would be cheaper to buy a combo unit with a good sounder and an alright gps but until you have seen the Garmin with the g2 card nothing comes close. Please help needed, the boat takes 12 weeks to make and I don't want to wait on my boat because they haven't fitted the electronics yet because I cant make my mind up.
Andrew