Best easy to use sounder chart plotter
Submitted by Superfish on Sun, 2018-10-21 09:02
I currently have an old Navman and looking to upgrade if i can get a simple to use well priced unit.
Any help appreciated .
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Jewskip
Devocean
Posts: 48
Date Joined: 06/09/09
Lowrance for easiest to use
Lowrance for easiest to use mate. I have a HDS7 with navionics gold card (Australia wide) that I’m about to advertise. $500 pm me if interested
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Why
Why upgrade, the Navman sets are about the easiest to use by far. All you need in a gps is how to get to your spots, tracks, routes and to read whatever map you have installed. Can never see why people spend big money for something that a cheaper unit does exactly the same job.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8144
Date Joined: 07/05/12
I upgraded from HDS7 gen 2
I upgraded from HDS7 gen 2 non touch to HDS7 gen 3 and wish I'd just gone straight for the gen3. The difference was like going from a walkman to an ipod.
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
Devocean
Posts: 48
Date Joined: 06/09/09
Your living in the past
Your living in the past carnarvonite. Technology changes a lot , quickly. For all we know superfishs Navman may be older than your Mitchell reels
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
im with carnarvonite, you
im with carnarvonite, you dont need anything flash with the gps all you need is a good chart and easy to use. im using a 15 yo hummingbird and still run an 18 yo navman 510 from time to time.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Plotters
Over the years as a pro fisherman, I have used nearly all the top brands of GPS, furuno, Sinrad, Raymarine and Koden and have found that your comments on living in the past doesn't count for shit.
Here in Shark Bay we have recently installed the latest Sinrad gear and IMO its far too complicated than what is needed, the Navman stuff does exactly the same job, gets you to the same spots just as quick without the need for something that looks pretty [keeps up with the Joneses] and costs hundreds if not thousands more.
As for Mitchel reels,[which you brought up conveniently] sure I have a heap but haven't used them for some time but like my old GPS , they can still the job I ask them to do
Silver Fox
Posts: 1111
Date Joined: 19/06/14
Navman
My Trackfish 6600 is ancient by today’s standards . However it still works every time I ask it to , the plotter is great and shows an accurate bottom picture . Even I can drive it with my eyes closed . I could go out and spend a bomb on a new setup but I’d still be catching fuck all .... :) . The price of a new combo would keep me in fuel and oil for a good year .
My wife understands why I clean my rods n reels in the shower....
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Been using lowrance plotters
Been using lowrance plotters for years. Easy to use.
Will be looking to upgrade soon as the Lowrance gen 1s processor is so slow lm over it.
Seeing the latest simrad gear in action is impressive.
Devocean
Posts: 48
Date Joined: 06/09/09
Haha wondered how long it
Haha wondered how long it was gunna take till I got a nibble on that one
each to their own mate. I too have used many brands over the years (started with Navman ) and for ease of use IMO that’s what worked for me
Superfish
Posts: 101
Date Joined: 27/05/12
Might stay with the Navman
I must admit i have struggled to workout the plotter at times mabe i need to practice more.
Jewskip
Deleted
Posts: 6265
Date Joined: 26/04/14
simrad
simrad
SeperateKnob
Posts: 668
Date Joined: 28/11/16
Garmin
Garmin
little johnny
Posts: 5359
Date Joined: 04/12/11
I still run Navman easy to use
Plus bought lawrance. Never read manual they are simple to use. Transferring plots was a prick but I did notice plots bang on.
SEAFORCE CORAL BAY
Posts: 150
Date Joined: 09/12/13
Main difference I have found
Main difference I have found with new gps is the speed of start up and resolution. I run a old (still sold today) Furuno GP32 that feeds my computer at helm and a new small Garmin echoMAP on the flybridge. The GP32 takes a couple of minutes to get a fix and updates about every second or two, where the Garmin is almost live, updating 10 times a second. Might not sound like much but when trying to anchor on small shows the GP32 can seem a little too slow some times. Other than that I think the accuracy is about the same and these units have about 15 years difference in them. It is handy to have tides and current info and ability to turn screen to compass on the Garmin though.
50ft Westcoaster "Valiant" - Coral Bay - Exmouth - Gnaraloo - Botton - Game - Sport - Deep Drop - Swordfish
2017 EGFC Billfish Bonanza - Campion Team Marlin - Campion Team Combined - 8/8/5 - 4 Billfish Species
0429 034 540 / / www.seaforcecharters.com.au
Rob H
Posts: 5796
Date Joined: 18/01/12
The GP32s have been around
The GP32s have been around since maybe 2000 and you still see them on off shore supply boats-because they are so reliable.
My ONLY beef with Furuno gear, is the alarm buzzers on all the equipment seem to be the same sound, and difficult to pinpoint in a large wheelhouse.
Especially one that has 10 or more pieces of Furuno equipment like AIS, radar, GPS, GMDSS, plotter, sounder etc etc
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
rodfishsa
Posts: 82
Date Joined: 29/03/13
G'dayI've had lowrance touch
G'day
I've had lowrance touch combo and garmin non touch units in recent times. Garmin much easier to use particularly the sounder side. I like technology but found the lowrance very tedious requiring frequent tweeking for effective funtion and took me a lot of research and talk to lowrance techs to get good reasonable results. Also had the common issues with lowrance not showing bottom and speed, any sort of speed. After initial setup with garmin, I enjoy the fishing and boating and leave the tech fiddling to computers etc onshore, you just have to turn it on and away you go even at high speed. Much much better. Also been helping my neighbour with his new lowrance, hmm, never again for me
Cheers
Rod
Superfish
Posts: 101
Date Joined: 27/05/12
Maybe a Garmin?
Hi Guys rodfishsa has got me interest i just want the most simple and efective unit. How much is good one?
Jewskip
Stevo81
Posts: 1278
Date Joined: 16/04/12
I agree with Rod. If your
I agree with Rod. If your looking at a MFD to use as both a plotter and a sonar Garmin is a much better sounder than the Lowrance. Both are great plotters although Garmin is limited to their own charts so if you want to run Navionics charts you will need to go Lowrance or Simrad.
New Raymarine Axioms are getting good reports too.
What transducer do you want to run of the MFD?
All manufacturers have a range of units at different price range. How much do you want to spend?
For what its worth Im running 2x 10" Garmins and love em.
•••••••• Electrical Contractor NOR ••••••••
Superfish
Posts: 101
Date Joined: 27/05/12
Garmin?
Thanks for your interest in this guys just had a look at he garmins online and i think i should get a pretty good one for about $1000. The ones that about $1300 looks even better but that starting to stretch the budget. Feedback on the garmin models anyone has one would be interesting.
Jewskip
Stevo81
Posts: 1278
Date Joined: 16/04/12
If you can stretch a bit more
If you can stretch a bit more you can get a 9” MFD combo inc a transducer. Will give you traditional chirp, side view and down view. Would be a great system for fishing under 60m for for the money IMO
bcf has on special
https://www.bcf.com.au/p/garmin-echomap-plus-95sv-combo-fish-finder/551396.html
•••••••• Electrical Contractor NOR ••••••••
bouttime
Posts: 703
Date Joined: 27/07/06
Lowrance HDS 7 Carbon
I am biased as I only run Lowrance and Simrad. I have just put a new 7 inch Carbon on the tinny hooked up to an old 50/200 600 watt Tranny. Clear picture on auto running at 24knts. Have an Evo 3 on my other boat and used Gen 3 previously. Very easy to use put it in auto and will do everything you want. Only need to play with adjustments if your fishing deeper then 50mtrs. The processors in these units are designed to run on auto and do all the work for you. There is also a new transducer coming out that is in between the total scan and 3d transducers that will be compatible.
All depends how deep you will be fishing. The totalscan is only good out to about 50mtrs although the HDI transducer will find fish out to 150mtrs. They are also 1kw dual frequency units if you want to upgrade later.
Lowrance have just released the new HDS Live units so the 7 inch Carbons should be below $1k with transducer as they try and clear old stock.
JohnF
Posts: 2836
Date Joined: 07/07/10
If budget no
If budget no issue.....
tinypic.com/r/2dqr2md/9
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
Doooma
Posts: 791
Date Joined: 05/12/09
I always thought the old
I always thought the old Northstar models were very easy to use like the M84 models etc besides the screen getting that bubbling around outside, still one of my all time no frills favs
backlash
Posts: 335
Date Joined: 12/10/10
Bcf midland
Have some ex display units that were well discounted.