Any comments on Navman/Northstar combos?

[Lovey80]

Hi, guys I'm just doing some research on upgrading to a Chartplotter/Fishfinder combo. Before I go any further I should comment that I know bugger all about chartplotters or Fishfinders. I have found a site that I can import from. I like the Navman/Northstar Combos as I like the split screen being horizontal. I am aware that Navman and Northstar are the same and will put the corresponding units together/

I'm considering either:

A Navman 6600/Northstar Explorer 660 at $1450

Combo Fish Finder / Chart plotter, 7" diagonal, 800 x 480 pixels TFT color display, dual frequency transom mount transducer, 600W RMS output power.

or depending on budget

A Navman 6507/Northstar Explorer 657 at $950
Combo FishFinder / Chartplotter, 5" diagonal, 640 x 480 pixels TFT color display resolution, dual frequency transom mount transducer, 600W RMS output power.

Would love to hear any comments on these units. Also if you beleive there is an equivalent unit that is better for some reason please feel free to comment and why.

Any help greatly appreciated and thanks in advance.

Cheers Chris

[2rods]

Mate I would look at the Lowrance LMS527cDF from the same site

They seem to give a better picture and are more reliable IMHO (I have owned both)


Or look at the Furuno GP7000F. You can get them for around $2199.00 and they are one of the best sounder combos around. Have a look at them here

w w w. efrontier.com.au/estore/product_info.php?products_id=173

[-spiro-]

Here's a tip for you -----open the navman box when you buy it and make sure there is a transducer with it! BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE RETAILER....this way they can't say it was in there when it left the shop. Amazzing when the security tabs on the box hadn't been opend before i touched it.........

[Dan5]

Mate i would be looking at other brand's the navman's have quality issue's.Dan...

[Lovey80]

Thanks for the imput guys I may search around for a Furuno on special.

Cheers Chris

[Wyoming]

Chris - I recently had my Navman 5600 and my Navman 4600 knocked off from my boat in Raby Bay and I am about to buy the exact same Nothstar equivalent instruments. They are great and I have had no issues at all with mine. They are used just about every weekend and I have the fuel transducer (fantastic and dead accurate) and it drives my autopilot.

No problem at all in recommending them. I wouldn't go for the combo 660 unit - rather, go for 2 seperate screens.

Neil

[Mindi]

Thanks for the imput guys I may search around for a Furuno on special.

Cheers Chris

Yeah me too....way to go... currently looking at Mr Boats from Sydney who should be about as cheap as you can get in Aust. Let me know if you find better..?

[John Buoy]

Gday Chris i have owned a Navman 6600 and rate them very well.
The sonar on em are ideal and almost comparible to the FVC 620.
being a combo it's simple to use and had no issues.
They were on special in the US for $1015 aus delivered


Regards Frank

[TheRealAndy]

I have used furuno, lowrance and navman stuff. I have lowrance on my boat currently, yacht club has navman. I hate the navman, its useless and hard to drive compared to the furuno and lowrance.

[rosco1974]

i have 2 northstar 660 combos fitted to my boat use them as separate units eg 1 sounder the other gps...the are great had no problems with them as yet...both bought from the states both come with transducers.....got both units sent out here for about $200 more than if i bought 1 unit here in australia
cheers rosco

[Teabag73]

Have a look at the Lowrance HDS units. I just upgraded from my Navman GPS and Sounder and the Navionics maps are more detailed than the C-Maps for Navman IMO...........

[OWorld]

I guys, I thought I'd chime in here to say that over the past 20 years I have owned a great variety of electronics, including Koden, Simrad, Lowrance, Navionics, Seiwa, etc. I have currently replaced a variety of units in the above mentioned brands with a Navman 8120 (now Northstar M121) and I absolutely love this unit! It has been rock solid and very powerful and simple to use. I have even removed all my 2 engines gauges and I am now using this unit to monitor my 2 engines via a dual Smartcraft Gateway. I would highly recommend these units to anyone that has smartcraft compatible engines, as this will allow saving roughly $1000 of gauges alone!

Opti