Reply With QuoteHDS5 Gen 1 @ 140m 50/200 ducerSounder shot.jpg. Just sayin
I gotta make my own decision but good to use you knowedagble blokes as a sounding board sometimes....
Took delivery of my new (Second hand) boat a couple of weeks ago, took it out for a spin to get to know it (Like!), but I didn't like the HDS10 at all(Not sure if gen1 or gen2 but its not the touch screen version). I'm coming from a Garmin GPSMAP 750 and old school Furuno 627 in the old boat, basic units but do their respective jobs very well indeed.
I didn't like the mapping or the sounding of the HDS10. The little Garmin leaves it for dead in terms of ease of use, mapping detail, re-fresh speed etc and of course the touch screen is much more user freindly, I have decieded to replace the HDS10 unit at some point but funds a bit tight until I sell the other boat - thinking something like NavNet TZ2 with 1KW through hull or similar but big $$ so it wil have to wait 4-6 months.
As for the sonar, it wouldn't work at anything but idle speed, not sure how the last owner put up with it! I received some great help from some top blokes on another forum who trouble shooted that the transducer was way too high up the transom and that lowering it should improve reading while under way. This thing also has structure scan, I was appalled that the transducer has been throwing water all over the motor for the past 5 years, the helpful blokes I mentioned before said this was pretty common and a shield would take care of that. I also suspect that the turbulence from the structure scan tranny might be interferring with the sonar reading? (We are talking more turbulence than any trolling teaser I've ever seen)
On the weekend I re-drilled and filled all the old screw holes in the transom on the port side as they looked like they had been filled by a 5 year old, I decided to redo the existing transducer screw holes while I was about it as they hadn't been done properly first time around either (Not enough sikaflex, rusty screws etc). I aslo pulled out the silicon from transom cable hole to get more cable length to lower the tranny, it was a little bit damp in there as hadn't been done properly either, (Jesus how hard is it to slap a bit of resin around a hole to seal it) so eventually I will want to pull the tranny cable out and clean up the hole and seal with resin before plugging back up with sikaflex.
Soooo currently I have a structure scan transducer and sonar transducer hanging out the back of the boat with no current screw holes as they have all been fixed. We got 1770 in a week and half....what to do from here...
Q1. Structure scan - I've never used it before, seems like a gimmick to me, the transducer acts more like a teaser and it might be interferring with the sonar (Due to turbulence), I only want to fish offshore in this rig, zero interest in rivers and estuary fishing, about the only thing I can think that this would be useful for is running alongside a reef looking to see if any fish holding but to me that seems a bit unnesessary. I'm thinking I pull it out and be done with it, the only reason to keep it would be if someone said "The structure scan would be perfect for fishing 1770". (It also has a hairline crack in it but seems to work anyway)
Q2. Sonar, bottom of the range 83/200 tranny, I have heard from some very knowlegable blokes on another forum that performance can be greatly improved by changing to a Lowrance 50/200 or even better Airmar P66, I have no doubt about it as I currently have a p66 and it works a treat.....my question is, should I reposition the existing tranny lower and hope for improved performance in time for 1770 or splash out for a new p66 given I have to re-fit (I.e. screw in) the tranny anyway, this would also give me the chance to clean up the transom cable hole as can't do it now with a cable running through it. I guess upgrading the tranny now would see me with probable improvement till upgrade time, they are only about $250....but conversely there is little point if the 83/200 will get me through till upgrade time....so the question is, keep the 83/200 it will do you in the meantime..... or go and get a P66 as you will regret not having a decent tranny at 1770.
Bit long winded but bugger all else happening on here so start advising!
Cheers
C
PS there are lots more questions coming, we got trim tabs next
PPS I guess there is another option, draw down some more mortage and go and get a TZ2 installed next week
HDS5 Gen 1 @ 140m 50/200 ducerSounder shot.jpg. Just sayin
Brent,
I have a P55 airmar which you can have... You'll need to visit trymax to get the connector changed to suit your application though...
My 2c - For offshore, structure scan in the Lowrance variant isn't worth a jatz cracker and whilst Unicorn's pic shows a good image, you may also note it is at displacement speed on a pretty speccy day. As you have found, the typical performance of a Lowrance in comparison to the Furuno in an offshore situation is lacking by direct comparison IMO. Yes, it will do the job but typically requires a lot more "driving". Start wanting to use "shift" or bottom lock and you will be pulling your hair out in no time and the screen filling with noise when at speed is pretty standard.
As a GPS they go ok - just markedly different in operation compared to what you are used to and the lack of a touchscreen can be frustrating after you have had one. The processor is slower than the 750 though meaning redraw is a bit painful. The charts won't be too dissimilar in detail as Garmin reportedly based their charting off Navionics but they do look different.
If you grab Julian's P66, you can cut the plug and a few feet of cable off your standard transducer and splice it onto the P66 but if you are ultimately going to go to a through hull, you are simply putting more holes into that freshly repaired transom. You could get the 1Kw thru-hull now and get the supplier to use your lowrance plug and a bit of cable, supply a Furuno Socket and fabricate an adapter as another option. From all reports they are a better beast on the 1Kw transducer but I have never used one personally. If you are wanting to ultimately keep the lowrance as a backup system with it's own transducer the P66 is probably as good an option as any if you don't mind drilling holes again.
As a side note, make sure you have a good play with the Furuno TZT before you shell out your hard earned. Nice bit of kit but also well different in operation to your Garmin. You may not be a fan in which case a 588 and a separate GPS may be a better option for you.
I was hoping you would see my post Scott, you are an absolute champ, that's exactly the kind of advice I needed. To be honest the TZ2 looks sexy with its schimck glass display but what I really want is no nonsense performance and seperate units has always been my MO so Garmin plotter and furuno sounder it is, deep down that's what makes me happy. Can I get these two brands to "talk"? (Haven't bothered trying with the other boat)
So looks like a day off on Thursday, finish cosmetic transom repairs, remove structure scan tranny and fill holes, put the gpsmap750 in new boat (some where) and either use the hds10 as a sounder for 1770 or track down a 588 and install that, oh and also got to install the new pie warmer.
The one feature of note that probably won't work (never tried so don't know for sure) is the ability to enter a waypoint into the GPS from a TLL (pressing the mark button and scrolling back) on the sounder. The GPS should talk to the sounder to supply lat/long and you can try hooking up the output from the sounder to see if it works. If it doesn't, you can still get the lat/long by scrolling back and entering a waypoint on the sounder but you will have to manually enter it into the GPS.............or you can just turn around and drive back over your track.
you can grab yourself a "Markfish" to felicitate the waypointing between the furuno and HDS rather easy. Attachment 114131.
imo however. the 558 is a bit of a sad face
There you go, learned something. Never seen the Markfish before Moose - cheers. Guess that's happens when you're out of the loop a bit. As for the sad face - yes and no. Sure it doesn't have all the features that some of the others do the various scans and chirp but it is easy to use and will hold its own or better in comparisons offshore in a bit of depth. Not to mention not having to go through menus for all the day to day stuff. It's like a Honda - It just works. That's what the add on telly said anyway - and the telly's in colour so it must be true.Originally Posted by chocolatemoose
you can grab yourself a "Markfish" to felicitate the waypointing between the furuno and HDS rather easy. Attachment 114131.
imo however. the 558 is a bit of a sad face
I'll take my time and research a bit more, CM thoughts on the NavNet TZ2??you can grab yourself a "Markfish" to felicitate the waypointing between the furuno and HDS rather easy. Attachment 114131.
imo however. the 558 is a bit of a sad face
simple is brilliant. it worked for google
i think the reason i have a sad face on the 588 is the hype the produced for it leading up to the launch. and then to have... basically the same thing as a 587 with Rezboost "which is pretty cool in all fairness". it reminds me of that simpsons episode where the designers of the malibu stacy doll stay up all night working on a new model. and come out with the same thing but with a new hat.
the TZT2 are a rather powerhouse and with a few toys here and tehre can become quite the system.
though........there are lots of things available now days that can make use of what you have . such as the Simrad pro S2009 9" vertical non touch sonar system chirp enabled . with the happyness of being able to ethernet to your HDS10. "depending on version"
Attachment 114132
the reason i mention this is not to take anything away from the 588. but to show that there are some good alternatives to the 588
588 - 8" screen. old design non chirp 1kw. $2600
s2009 9" screen new design 1kw chirp $1300
that leaves a lot of coin in your pocket to put towards a decent transducer.
At the end of the day you still won't catch any fish so it won't matter what you buy. Save your money and buy me some bourbon for Agnes!
The boat I bought last year has a HDS10 in it, with the side scan.
I wanted to utilise it for all its worth, but have been finding it pretty hard to operate in comparison to the other Lowrance combo that I have on my jetski.
I hope you don't ditch the Lowrance too early.
In the past, like early 90's, most conversations came down to transducer positioning and playing at length with the controls until you actually really learn to use that unit on your boat. As opposed to just changing brands.
For now I am going to persist with the Lowrance.
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