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SherKahn
16-05-2003, 08:38 AM
Hi Guy's i'm new here and a very green around the gills fisherman as i have really started fishing more often than about twice a Year. And i'm really starting to enjoy. My brother has recently baught a secound hand 18.5 ft centre console boat with arather old sounder on it. I would like to buy a new sounder amd gps for this boat so we can enjoy it more as we want to do some outside fishing in it as well. So i would like to get him a GPS as well.

I was thinking of a navman 4500 fish sounder amd a Navman colour Gps 5100 could you give your opinions please as i have very limited knowledge on sounders and gps. This will be my contribution to the boat. I was l;ooking at getting this for him in the next 3 weeks. As we are planning a trip to Mackay with experienced friends in August and would like it by then.

The warranty seems very good with a full 2 yrs warranty and a further 5 yrs if original owners with a max repair charge of $169 regardless in that 5 yrs.

Any Help would be much appreciated :)

I have a budget of about $4000 if you think something else would be better please let me know.

whiteman
16-05-2003, 11:10 AM
I have the 450 Sounder and it works a treat. The new 4500 looks even better with the full colour screen. I spent a day on a boat a couple of weeks back with the 5500 Chartplotter. Very impressive (it'd want to be for the price!). I think the 5100 is black and white - I'd go for colour if the price difference wasn't ridiculous.

Navman service is excellent.

banshee
16-05-2003, 04:01 PM
If you are willing to part with the bucks the Furuno FCV 582 L is arguably the best recreational sounder on the market today,600 watts,16 colours,high pixel count,duel frequency, and the ability to interface with a GPS.Match this to a Furuno GP 32 and you should come in just under your budget.If you can't find any one to set you up with these units for four grand PM me and I'll put you on to some one who can.Furuno warranty is twelve months,I haven't heard of any one having any trouble with their products.

SherKahn
16-05-2003, 06:12 PM
Thanks for the replies.I have a couple of questions.

The Lowrance range i have been told that after the two years warranty is up your pretty much buggered unless you send it to the U.S.A. as there isn't anywhere that can repair them in Australia. Is this true?

Furuno FCV 582 L has 1 Yr warranty wouldn't i be better off getting the Navman that has you covered for like 7 Yrs if something goes wrong? Or are they just not worth it?

SherKahn
16-05-2003, 06:18 PM
I would also like to correct myself as it was the Navman 5500 i was looking at not the 5100 as i hate the screen it is very hard to see.

This boat is the only boat we have and will get used in Dams around home eg: Maroon. So it must be suitable for the shallow depths as well as deeper.

Again any help would be appreciated :)

banshee
16-05-2003, 06:52 PM
Do your self a favour,the following places have various makes/models on display in demostrater mode.Glasscraft Marine(Valley)-Furuno,TMQ -JRC ff 50,Springwood Marine- Lowrance,Humminbird,Navman.Glasscraft only have the smaller 600 L on display not the 582.Once you compare all the above units the quality of the Furuno will stand out.

SherKahn
17-05-2003, 04:56 AM
Thanks Banshee i will head over to the valley to look at the Furuno on Monday as i haven't seen them yet. I have already been to Sringwood marine twice already that's where i saw the Navman's.