GPS / FF Separate units & what to get.

[Fin-S]

Hi All,
After 8 years my old LCX 112 has given up. I am considering replacing with 2 x 5" units. I liked the large screen of the LCX, but it was in dual display most of the time, hence I am looking at 2 individual units.
For the GPS, I do not think 3d mapping etc is necessary, basically I need a course on a map and simple information displayed. I considered the handheld, but a map is non-negotiable, and as my fishing partner has poor vision, a 5" screen is a minimum.
The FF will be used for bottom fishing in 5-50m and needs to be quite accurate (pick up chokka etc), whilst at the same time it needs to be used for tuna, where although we are in deep water, we are only looking at the top 60m or so. Colour is a necessity.
Questions: Why would a combo unit be better except for less wiring.
Is it worth spending more on structure scan / down imaging / side scan / imaging? (or whatever the terms are!) and why.
Why is the Furuno 620 more expensive than the similar Lowrance?
Should I stick with OEM transducer or plug in an Airmar.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Fishton]

The Navionics charts at under R1800 is certainly worth while.

Also, you should remember that your 112 was 10.4" diagonal, therefore it is equal to FOUR 5' units, not 2.

SideScan is very handy when following bait and you don't want to waste time.  As you can see here, the ball is moving to the right, so that's the way you would turn to keep your crew in the baitball for as long as possible.

If you do go for the HDS, I strongly suggest going for the Airmar P66 transducer, the couple of hundred more is well worth it.

Please don't hesitate to contact me should you have any further questions. (John - 0825582719)

 

[miles]

Hiya

Combo unit takes up less space on the dashboard, so it all depends on how much space you have available.

Good combo for us here in the Cape, Furuno GP7000F. AWESOME fishfinder, but rather average plotter. If you want to spend a bit more, look at the Navnet range in the 8-10" size, with the newer Navnet 3D offering AWESOME plotters!! The VX range however also offers rather average plotters but GREAT fish finders. The beauty of these multifunction systems is that you can simply plug your radar dome into the unit and you have radar!! With the radar overlay, which almost all the manufacturers have, you can use only ONE big screen which will show BOTH the radar ON your plotters chart!! No need to split the screen into 2 smaller screens.

Individual units, Furuno 5.6" FCV620 fishfinder with 600w transducer or if you want something better, the 8.4" FVC585 with 1kw transducer. For the plotter side of things, look at the Garmin 500 series. They offer a 5" screen and you can choose between the QVGA or VGA screens. Really easy to use and GREAT plotters!! If you want a bit more bling, the 7" Gpsmap 720 touch screen chart plotter is AWESOME!!

Here's my set-up on my 18' Buttcat:
Furuno FCV620
Garmin 526 VGA screen with G2 Vision Chart.
The photo's quality is rather poor as we were doing 20knts+ when i took the pic!!

 

[Fin-S]

Thanks Gents, much obliged.
The more I see the HDS, the more I like it, and having looked at the LSS videos, it is impressive. However having spent time with the Furuno 585 and the Garmin maps with radar overlay, I am torn! Miles, I am almost convinced to go Furuno 620 and Garmin 525, but may I ask:
Miles, do you know of anyone running the HDS with LSS or Hummingbird side imaging / structure scan. I'm thinking of potential benefits whilst pulling plastic, marking fish off to one side or the other, and whether anyone is achieving this in reality?
John, how far will the LSS scan in deep water? Will it pick up a shoal say 20m away to the left at 10m deep in 500m of water?
Thanks again!

 

[Fishton]

The LSS-1 will cover 180ft on 455kHz with no worries whatsoever.

DownScan works great, even in very choppy conditions, but SideScan becomes a bit problematic with dark bands reducing the image quality.  This is not so much due to the rising and dropping of swell, but rather the side to side rocking.

This can be drastically reduced by making up a device such as this ...

 

[miles]

Miles, do you know of anyone running the HDS with LSS or Hummingbird side imaging / structure scan. I'm thinking of potential benefits whilst pulling plastic, marking fish off to one side or the other, and whether anyone is achieving this in reality?

I've spoken to two boat owners at the yacht club who ran the Lowrance units and both couldn't pick up any tuna marks in the deep. I know the one boater sent his unit back and now runs a Furuno FCV620 on his boat and now he see's tuna marking.

Other than that, i have ZERO experience with the Lowrance HDS products. None of the commercials i know use them, neither does any of my fellow boaters that i know/fish. So, unfortunately, i can't comment on them......... I would however first try and contact a reputable boater here in the Cape who has the HDS system and regularly fishes tuna, so that you can confirm whether it does show tuna marks.............

The bigger commercial deck boats are using side scan units with DEVASTATING effects. These are R200 000 units, not really affordable or practical for the recreational boater. They VERY successfully chase down schools of longfin.

For side scan to be effective on smaller class boats, one would need to be able to pick up fish 40-50m+ on either side of your boat. Fish closer than 20m from your boat, will in any case be drawn to your spread..........


Fishton, the problem with many of the other brands is that they work brilliantly inshore but will NOT work offshore. Speaking to most of the tuna guys and you'll find that the vast majority uses Furuno because of this. I'd be keen to test a Lowrance HDS unit for you!! So, if you've got a demo unit, i'd happily make some video clips of it working out in the deep. Just a thought........

 

[Fishton]

If you are a member of The Hull Truth you will find lots of info there on Tuna fishing with the Lowrance HDS SideScan and DownScan as well as Broadband sonar.

The problem with 90% of the local Lowrance guys is that they are running standard HST-WSBL transducers.

It's not their fault, the boat manufacturers recommend it.

That's why I don't build boats.

 

[Fin-S]

Gentlemen, thank you both. John, yes I am also on THT, but we fish in a slightly different manner, hence I wanted some local feedback. My last unit was (IMHO) better inshore than others, and would pick up jigs and hooked tuna offshore. Unfortunately I struggled to pick up free swimming fish offshore. As you say, perhaps a transducer issue.
Either way, thanks to both of you.

 

[Fishton]

Pleasure Fin-S