In my opinion, the best Sounder/Plotter is:
Submitted by Swompa on Wed, 2014-07-02 13:07
Howdy All,
Looking to put a new unit on my boat as my Hummingbird black and white unit is a bit long in the tooth.
I have had a look at a few sites (overtons.com, bias and whitworths) but with so many options, I am not sure.
My fishing, with, this boat, will be limited to on or around 5 fathom bank, so nothing really for deep drop stuff so please answer this question:
In my opinion, the best unit under $700 is:
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
The Raymarine Dragonfly. Has
The Raymarine Dragonfly. Has CHIRP, downscan and also works as a GPS plotter (but you need to pay extra for the maps). The 5 inch version is $700 at Whitworths ($850 with maps).
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
If you want a plotter and
If you want a plotter and sounder, this unit is serious value. Better sounder than most costing twice as much (for just a sounder).
I have a humminbird 598CI though and I love it. The dragonfly prob has a better sounder but the sounders still good enough as I can detect whiting on it and baitschools look awesome (still up there and better than low range IMO). Though the incredibly useful thing is having the side scan and scroll back on the 2D match up to the plot. So you can mark a spot off on the sidescan and it'll put it on your chart and give you a heading and a dist. Very useful for very quickly finding a spot or ground. The SI makes it so much easier to find small specific lumps or dive sites. Been to one site with other board and just cannot locate the lump (or if I do it'll take 20min instead of 1 min)
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
I was looking at them at bias
I was looking at them at bias the other day. Wasn't quite sure if it would work as a plotter also as I was in a rush.
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Raymarine-Dragonfly-Chartplotter-Fishfinder-Combo-w/Navionics-Silver-Cartography&i=731281
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
Be careful when buying a GPS
Be careful when buying a GPS plotter from overseas. The maps will be of the US and not Australia. Also some of them are geo-locked so they won't accept Australian maps. Sounders are fine to import, but the GPS/chartplotter part could have issues.
Also when buying a sounder make sure the transducer is included, or else you will have to pay extra to buy one.
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Thanks for the heads up Dan,
Thanks for the heads up Dan, though I have never heard of a Geolocked GPS.
treefrog
Posts: 50
Date Joined: 17/12/12
furuno TZ14
furuno TZ14
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
hey love to know where you
hey love to know where you can get this for under $700
;)
treefrog
Posts: 50
Date Joined: 17/12/12
doesnt exist ive got a
doesnt exist. didnt read the Q properly!
ive got a dragonfly in the runabout. good kit for that price
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
lol ...just joke very nice
lol ...just joke
very nice unit though
dan1
Posts: 379
Date Joined: 11/07/07
furuno
fcv 627
furuno cant be beat
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Furuno-Fcv627-5-7-Fishfinder-Color-50-200Khz-Fcv627-/231210226076?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d534119c
fcv627 only takes a 600kw transducer
better option
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Furuno-GP1670F-5-7-Color-GPS-Chartplotter-Fishfinder-Combo-GP1670F-/131189512919?pt=GPS_Devices&hash=item1e8b811ad7#ht_1946wt_1124
same sounder as the fcv587 but with the gps mapas well
can handle 1kw transducer as well and cheaper
Fisheagle
Posts: 349
Date Joined: 04/02/12
Raymarine Dragonfly
I bought my boat with a Navman and recently installed the Dragonfly - chalk and cheese. Dragonfly has amazing resolution at a very affordable price. Also plug and play makes it ready to use straight after installation.
Fisheagle Ed
https://www.youtube.com/user/fisheagleed/videos
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Howdy. What Navman did you
Howdy.
What Navman did you have onboard? I am a fan of the Tracker 5500. The old managed to pick up a new one (yes brand new) in a box from Cash Converters a few years back, marked as a fish finder, for $150.