If I'm spending $5,000 on GPS/sounder what's your choice

[Mad Fish]

Looking at electronics for my new boat want to spend around $5,000 on sounder GPS. Maybe a combo or separate units?
I'll find another $1,000 ish for the1klw transducer.
Fishing offshore to 150m
Thanks in advance for your advise.
John

[patrol50]

if i was doing what you want it for then a furuno fcv 295 for about 4.5 k ( not sure if it is splash proof thou ) or if yu can afford it a fcv 1150 for about 7 K or maybe a fcv 588 at about 2.5 k plus a decent separate chart plotter as well - do use lowrance 2 x HDS units for in the bay etc and that does the job - but imho furuno leaves them all for dead when off shore
cheers

[chocolatemoose]

world is your oyster a little bit!

thoughts... well

the new S2016 simrad sounder is pretty dam good. leaving a few dollars for a transducer and gps unit

or perhaps a garmin 7410 with a serious piece of transducer kit and mapping and walk away with change

my money.7410xsv + tm265lh + maps +gt20 transducer

or....7410xsv + gt51m-tm + maps

or simrad s2009 +b175hw+nss7e2+network cable

[goona]

Im with Patrol 50 I run a 587 so 588 would be great and I also run a separate separate chart plotter which is the lowrance HDS2 touch so if one fails you still have one. I also carry a separate hand held Garmin unit just in case it all goes haywire

[scottar]

Being based in Brissie - drop in and see the guy's at Trymax Marine. They can show you actual on water comparison shots from a range of sounders in the sort of depths you are talking about - both chirp, Furuno and some other options. They have a range of gear on the shelf so you can push a few buttons and get a feel for which operational software/menu system is a fit for you in both sounders and GPS systems. In the spirit of full disclosure - I used to work there.

[Mad Fish]

All great advise thanks. A guy at the Brissie boat show last year showed me a Simrad for about $5k a combo unit that looked the goods. Friend of mine has a Furuno 587 and a Lowrance HDS12 that seems to work well.

[perko]

Furuno 588, pick the best transducer to suit your type of fishing, and with whatever money is left, get the largest Garmin plotter you can get.

[blue_rogue]

I just installed the Furuno TZT - 2 12inch touch screen. $4900 with maps. Ring Dick from SEQ Fishing.

Awesome. I had a 1K transducer already in the boat, so ripped out the 585, and plugged it straight in.
Rezboost is brilliant (Assuming you are all over this). Leaves the 585 for dead. Fine pixels really make a difference.

I have a Garmin 5012, now back up. The GPS on the Furuno is really good, very fine detail and very easy to use.
I debated over the Garmin 7412, but the rezboost function pushed me over the line. Great purchase.

[Mad Fish]

Thanks Blue
I'm definitely sold on the TZT 2 going to take 5 months to build the new boat so maybe the slush fund might stretch to the 15" by then.

[Almako]

Blue, is the rez boost better than the chirp in your opinion or was it also to do with the existing tranny on board?

I'm deliberating over going all out with Garmin chirp etc, or just getting a 588 and 1kw tranny

[blue_rogue]

Hi Almako,

I also deliberated about getting the Garmin Chirp, but went with the Furuno because I didn't need to change the transducer.

I haven't had much to do with Chirp technology, but from what I have seen, I can't see the benefit in definition. Could get a spray for that comment. Happy for a chirp user to post a photo.

What I have noticed with the Rezboost and higher resolution on the screen is fish are definitely easier to see then the old 585. I was fishing on Sunday, sounding around till we could find fish, and every time they showed up on the sounder, we caught snapper. This is all I can ask for.

I will try and get some photots next time I am fishing.

Cheers,
Dom

[chocolatemoose]

ive seen very good sounder set ups produce rubbish results and visa versa. its a bit like engines and that its hard to buy a "bad" engine these days. all the top brands have such fierce compitition that the end user "us" tends to get a pretty good product as a result

the difference in electronic brands come down to factors other than sonar results. such as build quality. or familiarity or features , cost etc.
Moose

[scottar]

Blue, is the rez boost better than the chirp in your opinion or was it also to do with the existing tranny on board?

I'm deliberating over going all out with Garmin chirp etc, or just getting a 588 and 1kw tranny

If you go the 588 I wouldn't bother with the 1kw initially. See how it goes with what you have and an adapter. Unless you are wanting to make a habit of deep dropping there is a real chance you can save the coin or spend it on other toys. With the 627 (half way between 585 and 588 current series but only the 6 inch display) and the 600 watt through hull I have no issue seeing fish in 150 metres on 200KHz and in the depths we fish regularly - 60 - 80m, the higher resolution over the earlier unit even without resboost aids in target separation - you just need to have the shift and range adjusted appropriately.

[juggernaut]

My brother uses a 588 and tm260 on his dingy since last December. Has caught his bag limit of demersals every time he has gone out. Mind you he has about 35 years using sounders as an ex commercial cray fisherman. He still thinks his other sounder, a fcv1150 is the best sounder around though.