Which Sounder/GPS combo are you using

[Dreamfish]

Just wondering what systems people have been using and how they measure up in use on the water. Just talking about the more entry level colour ones by lowrance, humminbird, garmin etc. Any help would be much appreciated.

[davo]

As far as entry level colour goes you don't need colour in a sounder. It's no different than grey scale except a bit nicer to read. I'd rather a better grey sounder than a cheaper colour unit. Actually I think colour in a chart plotter is more important because of the ease of reading beacons and depth contours.
I run a Garmin 240 sounder and a Garmin 172C colour chart plotter. Both are excellent. The plotter is brand new but I've used them on other boats. I have Garmin stuff on both the boats an dthey have been very good. Next year I'm upgrading the sounder to a colour unit. Maybe a Garmin 250C

[dugong]

ah this is where you need to be sneeky ;), the boss wanted a car gps as she can't read a road map to save her life and won't drive in the big smoke,so i gotta drive and navagate as well >:( >:(
ooh look at that ;) a nice gpsmap 276C garmin does the car and the boat, it came with all the brackets,wires, adaptor speaker ect so it can be mounted in the boat and the car
we both love it
its way over kill for my tinnie ;D but the boss does not need to know that ;D and at only a couple of hundred bucks dearer than the car only one great value for money
cheers

[bassfanatic5]

Dreamfish i am running two humminbird gps/sounders in my hornet,a matrix 27 (casting deck) and a matrix 37 for the console,i was looking at a colour one but the 37 won because of the quadra beam and three way split screen, a great way to see which way the schools of fish are going. Allthough if i could scratch together $4000 i would put the new top of the line humminbird on with out a thought.

[bidkev]

Hardly entry level (3 grand) but I'm running a Furuno 1650 WF. It can spot a shovelly or catty in 500 metres........what more could a man ask for ;D

cheers

kev

[scuttlebutt]

Garmin 178C. I find it easy to use, plenty of features and pretty to look at. Would recommend one to anyone.

cheers,

steve

[bidkev]

Now got a LowranceX52 sounder for the tinny. Rather a high res b&w than a low res colour.

kev

[SundownMarine]

Dreamfish,

It depends on what you need to do.
We see this question a fair bit and the units that are most popular for this are the matrix units in color i.e. 87 & 97 ,the matrix 77 also good but not mapable.The huge advantage of the Matrix is that they are integrated and not just a GPS and sounder that just happens to be in the same box,the stop scroll and mark function is a great asset on the water.
The Garmin units mentioned here are also very good.
As a stand alone colour GPS/Chartplotter the 172C wins the race hands down,not a sounder but a very good chartplotter.



Bassfanatic5

Why not just run a quad beam transducer from a Matrix 87 or 97,they both take the quad beam 'ducer and then you have a chartplotter / colour sounder with quad beam.



SundownMarine

[bazzacuda]

Lowrance 330C, it works well for me with a Navionics card.
Wouldn't mind the new model 332C because it has the higher resolution but the 330C is so good I won't be updating.

regards

Barry

[Mick_the_Fish]

Dreamfish, I'm with Scuttlebutt, I have a Garmin GPSMAP 178CDI. This is a colour sonar and map unit using Bluechart mapping. Dual Freq transducer and internal antenna. Used Eagle before, but certainly prefer this Garmin unit. Can pick them up for about $1500.

Mick 8-)

[ShaneJ]

Can pick them up for about $1500.
About $1250 from me :D

[Mick_the_Fish]

Thats a damn good price shane, anyone would be happy with that 8-)

[ShaneJ]

I try my best to please the people :)

[HOOKLINEnSINKER]

hey shanej what about the garmin 178c....you got a hot deal on that one?? email me on dboltz@bigpond.net.au
daniel