What GPS/FF/Depthfinder combo do you like?

[akulamd]

I have bought a used 19 ft Sea Pro. Now I am trying to outfit it for diving and some fishing. What GPS/Fishfinder combination do people like? What are the pro's and con's?
Thank you in advance for your opinion.

 

[boydski]

For divers, its hard to beat the Humminbird Side Scan units for locating wrecks and dive sites. I used one to locate more than 150 wrecks in our area (and even wrote a book on Northwest Wreck Dives). We've had good success locating wrecks down to 200'.

Just this weekend, we located a nice wall dive in a previously unexplored area.

The best "bang for you buck" is probably the Lowrance units. Lots of features, excellent sonar and maps, but they frequently have reported very poor customer service.

Furuno has the best customer service and is used by most of the commercial boats in our area, but is pricey.

The other manufacturers (like Garmin) fall somewhere in between.

Good Luck,

 

[Nemrod]

Humminbird sidescan. I would get the 99X model with Navionics loaded if you have the money. The larger 1100 series is still a bit buggy I understand. I would also get the external antenna model.

I dive from a 19 footer also, in this case my BW Nantucket. I find a 19 foot boat quite a good compromise for diving and long distance towing. If I did not have to tow I would go bigger. That said, you should have room in your console to accommodate the Humminbird and if not look at their smaller 79X series side scan sonars.

Some people think the side scan is a joke or gimmick but they are wrong, it does not always work, transom mounted transducers are an issue since they move with the boat vs a tow fish--- BUT--- much of the time you will get decent results and see things you did not know were there. N

 

[Underwater Ogre]

Lowrance...easy too use, nice imaging and reliability

Good luck,
U/O

 

[Nemrod]

When you call Humminbird on the phone, there is someone there to talk to and they don't sound like they are in India. N

 

[DwayneJ]

I use Garmin 5212 as I needed Radar - I do like the sidescan capabilities of the Hummingbird.

 

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[cdoyal]

Boydski- Which Humminbird did you guys use to locate your wrecks?

 

[Nemrod]

There are actually two Humminbird forums, this is the "unofficial" one. It might help your research and some of the tips like those who run the current generation units with the previous generation transducers in saltwater.

Unofficial Humminbird Side Image Forums www.sideimageforums.com :: Index

N

 

[cdoyal]

Awesome link! Thanks!