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We shelled out for a Lowrance 25c sounder chart plotter. First 2 weeks of daily use and I was in love. Sounder was fantastic and colour really makes a big difference to the seeability of the image in bright light conditions.
The map plotter is nothing short of sensational. After loading the topend maps and punching in hundreds of marks that we usually use, it was a dream to use and navigate to tricky spots in the shallow conditions up here. They are never to replace direct observation but are nontheless a fantastic tool. There is so much information available even down to local tide charts and sun and moon phases.
However, we were running out to Fenton patches about 30nm off Darwin when the gps went crazy and split into two screens, losing the sounder. No amount of fiddling could fix it and there was no point in going on without a sounder to locate the wrecks. We went straight to the dealer who replaced the set with a 17 Lowrance and sent ours to Melbourne. We were told it would all be a matter of air freight down and a new one air freighted back. Problem is that Lowrance Australia shuts down over the christmas break, which is precisely when most things are going to go wrong, when most use of this gear takes place. The 17 fits straight in and uses the same transducer, gps and maps but is bloody bl;ack and white, which is not what I paid $3000 for! Not to mention the fuel wasted in running 30nm, the bait and general mucking around wasting precious holiday time!
Shit happens, I know, but I expected immediate replacement of a sounder that was only 2 weeks old. Lowrance have advised that a new one is around 3 weeks minimum away. Yes, they have given me a substitute sounder, but the reason I had colour was so that I could see the thing better as tracks etc are in different colours. This makes it very difficult to read without my reading glasses which are a pain in the bum to wear in a boat in adverse weather.
Don't get me wrong, I am well pleased with the unit when it worked and I am sure that they will get around to replacing it - one day. I am disapointed that Lowrance don't have adequate backup spares and replacements to prevent down time like this.
I am disappointed that Lowrance shut down over the christmas break. Yep, have from Christmas to new year off, but several weeks where punters are left without service is just not on in this day and age of flexible working hours etc.
I came within an ace of buying a Humminbird again after years of good service from my Matrix 35 and buying a separte chart plotter so as not to switch between screens all the time, which is a pain in the arse. But settled on the L 25c. because it had both a sounder and a chart in one big split screen.
Problem- if something goes wrong you lose the sounder and the gps. I will now definately go for a furuno fuel management system and not wait for Lowrance to bring out their fuel system which will interface with the sounder/plotter.
I always wondered why the big Paspaley boats had 3 Lowrance radar units.
Mate, sorry to hear that your getting stuffed around! I have been told of similiar cases to yourself when I was looking at buying a GPS unit. Ended up buying Garmin and no probs. I hope you get satisfaction soon!
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