Best sounder for my needs

[sporty1]

Hi Guys

Looking at upgrading my sounder. I have a 4m hornet tournament and fish maninly estuary and SEQ Dams. I am looking at some of the following, any ideas on what is the best sounder for my needs price range to $1200. I am looking at the best quality unit I can afford. Perhaps not the combo units due to size etc. I fish mainly lures, Deep fly, plastics etc

Hummindird 787c, 737.

Lowrance 515c 510c, lms 522c, 525c,

Furuno 620

any other I shoul or should not consider?

Many thanks

[sik008]

get the furuno. We found that furuno reads the best bottom when cruising along. Personally i would get the furuno or the lowrance. Humminbird are a good sounder but i dont think they are as good as furuno and lowrance. We just got a new furuno 7000f and it reads it perfect bottom going 35 knots..

cheers alex

[Steven78]

I have just got a 787c2i so far it works a treat.

[TheSaint]

I would go with a humminbird myself i've got 2 lower range ones & they work a treat..

[snelly1971]

Furuno 620....Great quality gear.,..


Cheers Mick

[Piscatory Pursuit]

Sounds like you are fishing relatively shallow water. That being the case, one thing you should look at is the cone angle of the transducer. In a dual beam or dual frequency unit, the main beam you will use in shallow water is the 200khz beam because it has the best detail and it will track bottom well in water to about 40 meters. Deeper than 40 meters is where you 50 or 83khz beam comes into play tracking bottom.

Most Furuno and Airmar transducers have a 12 degree 200khz beam and a 45 degree 50 khz beam.

Most Lowrance units come with a 12 degree 200khz beam and a 36 degree 50khz beam.

Here is where I think the Humminbirds out perform the Lowrance. The 787C2 has a 20 degree 200 khz beam and a 60 degree 83 khz beam. In shallow water the 20 degree beam gives you a much larger view of the bottom and water column than the others. In shallow water you pretty much have to be directly over a fish to mark it with a 12 degree beam. You could go with a single frequency Lowrance and get the 20 degree beam but then you lose bottom tracking if you do go deep and you sacrifice sonar power so I wouldn't recommend it.

The beauty of the Furuno is it's digital processor which filters out virtually all unwanted noise and digitally enhances what you do want to see which is bottom and fish. With the 12 degree beam you don't get as large a view of the bottom but the view you do get is vastly superior to the Humminbird and Lowrance. Another advantage with Furuno is you can buy it in the US and save a bunch of money and still get warranty and service in OZ. You cannot do that with Lowrance or Humminbird.

Another unit you may want to consider is the Garmin 400C fishfinder or the 440s combo or similar. This unit will be more comparable price wise with the Humminbird and Lowrance and the Garmin does use digital filtering in its sounder. I have read several reviews that are very favorable with the new Garmin products. Also Garmin is another brand that you can buy in the US and still get warranty and service in OZ. Feel free to PM me if you need anymore details.

Good Luck!

[polky]

Sporty -1 Ive got a garmin 340c, and found it to be good in depths from 5mtrs to 45mtrs. also user freindly. Polky.

[Tube_Worm]

The Furuno 620 is the best out of any of those sounders by an absolute mile. The Raymarine digital sounders are also very good !

[flyfisho]

That price range is really a lowrance/humminbird market so it pays to do your homework and not to get baffeled by the hype .
find out what the techno speak does and relate it to your situation , I think you may be suprised how little you would have to spend

[Tube_Worm]

$1200 would easily put you in the range of a Furuno FCV 620 or Raymarine DS500X (both digital units), if you bought from the US through Bon zer Imports. Bon zer is currently doing the Raymarine Ds500X for AU$770 with Transducer and that includes shipping wilst the Furuno FCV 620 comes in at around AU $1150. Both Units from what I understand have a worldwide warranty so there should be no problem with warranty issues if they arise, here in Australia.

Cheers

Cheers

[snelly1971]

As Tube Worm said...called David at B...Imports...He is great to deal with...


Cheers Mick

[Greg P]

I am certainly not pushing Lowrance as I think the Furuno would be the go but Lowrance products purchased from the US are covered by warranty here in OZ for 1 year instead of 2. You can also purchase extended warranty.


Cheers

Greg

[bayfisher]

As Tube Worm said...called David at B...Imports...He is great to deal with...

I second that, i just bought a refurbished raymarine ds500x through him (bon zer imports) and am wrapped with it ... and the price i paid

Cheers Chris