gps combo units

[jdss57]

Hi all, this is my first post. i have just bought a new makocraft canyon runner and want to fit it up with a gps, sounder combo unit. any tips on which brands/ models are good/bad. also the boat has been fitted with a 115 mercury optimax with "smartcraft" gauges. i was told that navman??? units connect in to give engine data. can anyone confirm this. only looking to spend up to 1500.
thanks james

[jeffrey_h]

Hi James

Try doing a search on this, on this site, like 'gps sounder combo' and you should get heaps of past infomation that should help. Then try search for the brand name too.

I got a Lowrance 339i combo which works fine, not sure if they are still sold.
I chose to get what I wanted not what I could afford or justify.

Good luck

Jeffrey

[big dan]

what kind of fishing is it for???

[honda900]

jdss57,

Mate the navman stuff seems to get a bit of a bad rap for reliability, search the sight and you will find the posts.

Most guys seem to be going for the mid to high range gear in the lowrance and garmin that seem to be pretty reliable, or go the high end stuff in the furuno.

You should find get something pretty decent with your budget. Maybe ask around for a few pics of the Garmin sounder, the sticky at the top of the electronics chat area has plenty of the lowrance pics.

Regards
Honda

[tunaticer]

G'day mate, I have a Garmin and I am impressed with the useability and performance of the machine. Best advice I can give however is get stand along machines side by side rather than a combo. If you have to go combo get AT LEAST a 5" screen with good resolution. The bigger the better and try and stay within budget. I recently bought a superseded 178c for less than half price and it is excellent for a smaller boat.

Jack.

[poundalead]

Mate,

You can buy a Raymarine A60 from Fishon in the states with a card, tranducer and postage for $1550AU. Its a heaps better combo than Navman. Lowrance would be your next best bet

Cheers Benny

[Malcolm W]

James, I have the navman 6600 combo ( 7 inch screen 600 watt sounder ) That came in my boat when I bought it. I am happy with the performance of the chart plotter and sounder. But I would prefer 2 stand alone units as the display is a bit small for both and you can only control the active screen. If it fits in your boat and you can afford it go 2 stand alone units. Have a look at the Standard horizon chart plotters ( 180 ) and the furuno 620 on fishonmarines website.
Mal.

[20vwestie]

Hi,

The Navman units will interface with the Smartcraft, however you will need to buy an interface unit. I don't know if you get it from Mercury or Navman though.

Cheers

Rob

[kingtin]

My feelings on the smartcraft gauges is that they're a suss bit of marketing. merc and nav tying up together for what? What info can possibly be worth tying into, and paying for with a system that you may use rarely? I would think that after your first trip they would have told you all you need to know?

If you have a full tank, and you top it up after a trip, do your maths via distance covered, then you know your MPG/KPL without gauges. You can hear the "sweet" spot on most engines, telling you that you're "cruising" and not burning juice needlessly, can't you?

Not knocking the guys with them, or saying that the system is useless, it's just that either I'm not informed enough about it and am missing something, or else I'm just "old fashioned". Am I missing something that they can offer over plain common sense?

To get back to the question. I've just bought the furuno 7000 combo and I think it's the bees knees. A lot faster than previous models.

kev

[Lucky_Phill]

IMO.... I would never have a combo unit.

Lose one and both are gone.

In every application I have always had separate units.

Just my opinion and in saying that , combo units are great as far as technology goes............ but !

Latest pair on the little tinnie is a Lowrance X51 and Garmin 126.

On the big rig it's Furuno 668 and garmin 172C

Cheers

[kingtin]

IMO.... I would never have a combo unit.

Cheers

Yeah, I agree Phill. I wanted separate but I also wanted big screen. Unfortunately, on the new rig, the side console wasn't big enough to house the two so I had to opt for a combo. I just went with furuno because my previous 6500 model, had never faltered in more than 4 yrs.

kev

[Steve B]

IMO.... I would never have a combo unit.

Lose one and both are gone.

In every application I have always had separate units.

Just my opinion and in saying that , combo units are great as far as technology goes............ but !

Latest pair on the little tinnie is a Lowrance X51 and Garmin 126.

On the big rig it's Furuno 668 and garmin 172C

Cheers

Phil, I agree, thats why I bought 2 combo units!!!!! I use one as a sounder and one as a GPS/Plotter. I use the Garmin 178c as a plotter. I just unplugged the the tranducuer. (but its all wired up if required) and an Eagle 640c as a sounder.

If one shits it self you always have the other that still has both functions.

cheer steve

[Greg P]

I think the top end combos are fine. Bit like the need for twin engines for outside work is not as great with the new tech engines. Bottom to mid range (where most of us are) seperate is the go but I wouldnt hesitate on one of the high end e series rays or new 3D Navnets

[Sniper]

Seeing as no one has mentioned Humminbirds yet, I will. They have quite a few combo models, depending on budget. I myself have the 797 side imaging unit, which can also run Navionics Gold card. Great unit what I have found. Each to their own though. I know guys who won't touch such and such a brand, even though they have never used them before. Its the old Holden V's Ford thing. Have a look around, with an open mind, at different brands and models that are in your price range and hopefully you'll find a salesperson who knows what they are talking about and not biased towards certain brands, which may be hard. Then purchase what suits your Personal needs, not the salesmans quota.
Bill

[Lucky_Phill]

Great idea Steve B ,

I suppose it all comes down to available space ( Kev ) and budget.

Without going into brands etc... I would look for:-

high pixel count
watts
least amount of menus in screen .. user friendly
screen materials


I also like the thru hull transducers....

always check the fuse holders as there are very few units that have " waterproof " holders, they may simply be weatherproof, which IMO, is not good enough. Buy a surge protector and away you go.... good luck.

phill