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  • SimmoT
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2009
    • 357
    • Wyndham, WA

    Which sounder??

    G'day All,

    I know this is a big one on a lot of the fishing forums, but as most of us here I appreciate the genuine advice so here goes....

    Looking at sounders/plotters combos. Fishing varies from brown water gulfs and creeks to blue water (not excessive depths at this stage).

    Would like something the 5-7" range, but one of the most important features is a screen that can be easily seen in the middle of the day!!!

    Price range reasonable but by no means anywhere near that $2k mark or higher!!!!

    I'm starting to treat the topic a bit like tyres - all the big brands will serve you well, a lot comes to preference so just go for one and stick with it. If that's the general feeling/advice then give me your suggested models and I'll have a look. Similarly if there are just some that you'd absolutely stay clear of I'd like to hear that too.

    Cheers

    Simmo
    2010 NT RX DiD Manual, Cooper ST-Maxx 265/70/R17LT, Tow Bar, TJM T13 Steel Bar, Airtec Snorkel, X-Ray Spotties, HD Kings, RAW Shocks, ARB Alloy Roof Rack, Outback Rear Drawers, Icom IC-440 UHF, TJM DBS Dual Battery System, 60L LRA Aux Tank, BushSkinz Bashplates and Sliders, Polyairs, 2.5m TJM Awning, OX 9500lb Winch.
  • 4WDID-32T
    Junior Member
    • Nov 2012
    • 26
    • Mt Druitt

    #2
    i recently upgraded my boats to lowrance elite 7x fishfinder dual imageing come with down scan imaging for 299 extra i got gps antena for gps and gps data marking waypoints all up i think just under 1000 bucks very happy still trying to work it out but works great on my 5.8mtr

    Comment

    • Paj People 2009
      Valued Member
      • Oct 2009
      • 2237
      • Sunny Gold Coast, QLD

      #3
      HI,

      Have the Lowrance HDS 8 Gen 2 (not the touchscreen) in our boat. You can now get the HDS 7 for about $1300. They are a great unit, esp coupled with the Structurescan unit.

      Also heard good reports re the Garmin 750 (I think that's the model). It sells for about the same price and Signature use them in their boats. Lowrance Elite units are meant to be pretty good for the money.

      Unfortunately, all units are hard to read in direct sunlight! We use a sunshield (like for the GPS units) on ours, which helps a lot.

      Cheers,
      Sally
      SOLD 2009 NT PAJERO PLATINUM & 2015 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

      RUNVA XP11 11,000lb Winch in MM ALLOY Bar, 2.75" S/S exhaust, ARB Air Locker, BLACK WIDOW Drawer Sys, ABBER Water Tank, GREAT WHITE & IRONMAN LED LightbarS, ARB OME 2 inch lift, POLYAIRs, BUSHSKINZs, Airtech SNORKEL, IRONMAN Awning, PIONEER Platform, REDARC Tow Pro, Provent , D697 LT's, ALPINE Stereo, Amp & Sub, DP CHIP, DRLs, Torque App, SPV EGR MOD Mk3

      2015 LOTUS FREELANDER & CRUISECRAFT EXPLORER 575

      Comment

      • Wrex
        Valued Member
        • Aug 2007
        • 789
        • Perth

        #4
        Simmo get back to work. you shouldn't have any time for fishing.

        Comment

        • Nik
          Valued Member
          • Sep 2010
          • 753
          • Perth

          #5
          I've got a Garmin 750 in my boat. Bought it for $1600 with transducer and Navionics gold card about 2-3 years ago. They are actually now discontinued and there seems to be two models that have replaced it. I think it's a 700 and a 751. I'm not sure on the differences between them and the 750 but the 751 is about the same price I paid and the 700 is quite a bit cheaper.

          I've been really pleased with the 750. I can see the screen in pretty much all light that I've used it in. My boat now has a cuddy cabin but it was originally on my smaller boat which is a centre console with no cover. I like the touch screen - makes it very easy to use. The

          I've been researching a new sounder recently. Some people rate the Furuno as the best sounder. Others say Furuno have rested on the laurels a bit lately and other brands have caught up now, whilst Furuno's are still the most expensive. From what I can tell even the Furuno fanboys say there isn't much difference unless you're fishing 50m+.
          2005 NP Platinum 3.2 DID Auto, Lovells HD springs, Bilstein shocks, Firestone Airbags, ARB bar, Warn XD 9000 winch, IPF 900 Xtreme Sport lights, Bushskinz intercooler & sump guards, Outback Accessories rock sliders, GME 3200 UHF, CTEK Dc to Dc Dual Battery system, 265/75/16 General Grabber AT2 tyres, Torque Converter lock-up kit, Safari snorkel, Taipan high performance exhaust, LRA 66lt long range fuel tank.

          Comment

          • Alex86
            Valued Member
            • Jul 2007
            • 2415
            • Here and there

            #6
            Got a lowrance elite 4 on my boat, seems to do the job, i don't really know yet what I'm looking at!! Sounder imaging is all quite new to me.
            havnt had any troubles in the sunlight but it isn't often in direct sun as i have a canopy, cant be without shade up here!!

            i got the combo chartplotter version, very happy with it. I recommend having charts as well as a sounder, whether in one or two units. Having it in one unit means looking at one screen.

            bigger is better, definitely. My mech said id want a bigger one and yes, whilst i would, the space on my boat doesn't really permit the nice 7+ inch displays easily.

            definitely get a colour screen.

            navionics gold cards are expensive. Depends where you fish. In some regions they just have the local area, and the card is cheaper.

            anything should last and do the job these days, just get it installed properly and look after it (ie don't drop it) and it should last a long time.
            '99 NL Escape, Manual - Bullbar, roofrack, cargo barrier, D697LT, Tough Dogs, dual batts, rear draws, Narva 225 HID, UHF, led bar etc
            Towing: 4.8m Savage Centurion half-cab w/75hp Mariner

            '99 NL GLS SWB, Auto - Bullbar, D697LT, spotties, UHF, Koni adjustables & King springs.

            Wanted: Adventure.

            Comment

            • SimmoT
              Senior Member
              • Jun 2009
              • 357
              • Wyndham, WA

              #7
              Thanks for your replies eceryone! Research so far has been pushing me towards Lowrance - either the Elite or HDS Gen2.

              Hopefully the price will drop a fraction before the boat arrives!!

              Wrex - you'll keep......

              Cheers

              Simmo
              2010 NT RX DiD Manual, Cooper ST-Maxx 265/70/R17LT, Tow Bar, TJM T13 Steel Bar, Airtec Snorkel, X-Ray Spotties, HD Kings, RAW Shocks, ARB Alloy Roof Rack, Outback Rear Drawers, Icom IC-440 UHF, TJM DBS Dual Battery System, 60L LRA Aux Tank, BushSkinz Bashplates and Sliders, Polyairs, 2.5m TJM Awning, OX 9500lb Winch.

              Comment

              • markc
                Senior Member
                • Oct 2007
                • 344
                • Brisbane Sth East

                #8
                I had the Furuno 620 now the 627 model and loved it, they are also doing great deals on the combo units if you buy ex the usa. Have a look at the GP1870F for around US$830, 1st rate and close to $2k here in Oz.

                ALEXISTOGEL adalah situs slot gacor gampang menang yang menyediakan layanan slot deposit ovo online 24 jam dengan transaksi tercepat dan aman.


                Starmarine are good to deal with

                Cheers Mark

                Comment

                • Paj man
                  Valued Member
                  • Mar 2010
                  • 858
                  • Perth

                  #9
                  Furuno is where it's at - I'd go them for sure. I have a Lowrance and I do rate it, just not as much as the Furuno's.
                  1997 NK - Quad cam goodness turning 33 Duratrac's and 4.9 diffs, 2inch lift, steel front/sides/rear, front locker and a winch

                  Now pending: Nothing

                  Comment

                  • NoWorries
                    Member
                    • May 2014
                    • 105
                    • Perth

                    #10
                    Tick for Furuno

                    I owned a WA fishing website for 3 years and this question always comes up.
                    Furuno for the Sounder (not for the GPS)
                    Lowerance or Raymarine for the GPS

                    It really comes down to how keen at fishing you are.
                    Best advice I can give is go as bigger screen as your budget allows you will never regret a bigger screen but you will always curse a small screen especially if it is a combo unit.

                    My setup is a Furuno 587 ($2500 with 1K tranny)
                    and a Raymarine E7D for a GPS Map ($1700)
                    This is the ducks nuts to 100 mtrs depth and probably a bit deeper as well.

                    If you want a all in one (ok if your not really trying to hit a small lump every time) the Raymarine E7D or Any of the Lowrances would be fine.
                    The Garmins in my opinion are hard to use and the pins at the back are a bit flimsy
                    I know a couple of pro Bream fisherman who swear by the Lowrance side scan for the Creeks and rivers and shallow ocean water (up to 40mtrs)
                    so in your case then this may suit you well.
                    Personal note touch screens are pretty much useless with wet bait slimy hands.
                    Have a Great Day

                    __________________
                    NW MY2014 VRX 3.2 Diesel Auto, White, DRL's, Nudge Bar, SPV Mod, Dynamatted

                    Comment

                    • rotare
                      Valued Member
                      • Nov 2007
                      • 923

                      #11
                      It does some what come down to personal choice, as already seen by the responses so far

                      However, considering the rough guide you've given us on what you're requiring and willing to spend, the Lowrance HDS range is hard to beat for value for money. They are easy to use and basically once they are set up they really are "plug n play" scenario, ie, you can have them operating in fully automatic mode and get great results, or if you are so inclined you can switch them over the full manual mode and play around and adjust as you see fit every conceivable function of the sounder.

                      Personally, I'd rather concentrate on fishing than spend my time fluffing around with different settings, trying to get the sounder to give a good picture.

                      In a nutshell are there better sounders than a Lowrance HDS? Most likely, but at the same time expect to pay 3-5 times more for something that will give you marginally better "performance", and in fact in my experience most average fishermen wouldn't be able to maximise the benefits of more expensive and complicated units anyway.
                      Last edited by rotare; 25-06-14, 11:08 AM.
                      2013 NW VRX

                      Comment

                      • achjimmy
                        Valued Member
                        • Nov 2009
                        • 1378
                        • Blue Mtns

                        #12
                        Originally posted by NoWorries View Post
                        I owned a WA fishing website for 3 years and this question always comes up.
                        Furuno for the Sounder (not for the GPS)
                        Lowerance or Raymarine for the GPS

                        It really comes down to how keen at fishing you are.
                        Best advice I can give is go as bigger screen as your budget allows you will never regret a bigger screen but you will always curse a small screen especially if it is a combo unit.

                        My setup is a Furuno 587 ($2500 with 1K tranny)
                        and a Raymarine E7D for a GPS Map ($1700)
                        This is the ducks nuts to 100 mtrs depth and probably a bit deeper as well.

                        If you want a all in one (ok if your not really trying to hit a small lump every time) the Raymarine E7D or Any of the Lowrances would be fine.
                        The Garmins in my opinion are hard to use and the pins at the back are a bit flimsy
                        I know a couple of pro Bream fisherman who swear by the Lowrance side scan for the Creeks and rivers and shallow ocean water (up to 40mtrs)
                        so in your case then this may suit you well.
                        Personal note touch screens are pretty much useless with wet bait slimy hands.

                        I reckon this is on the money. Had many Lowrances until I discovered Furuno. They just work so much better as a sounder. So now have Lowrance plotter, Furuno sounder. A dealer once said to me look in the wheel house of the pro boats and what do you see? Sounders are Furuno, Kodan etc and the plotters are lowerance, Raymarine etc.
                        Travel safe

                        Jim

                        MY13 Landcrusier VX
                        MY10 Pajero Platnium with bits now sold to Spiderpig.
                        99 Rodeo TD dual cab.

                        Comment

                        • supazuk
                          Senior Member
                          • Jun 2014
                          • 272
                          • Katherine

                          #13
                          It depends on what type of fishing you do as to what sounder/plotter is best.

                          I have a HDS 10 with side scan and for fresh and estuary fishing it is brilliant,
                          can hold bottom at 75kph and side scan is almost cheating when billabong
                          fishing. The sea is very flat where I live, I safely go 100km out to sea with my
                          Hornet punt and the HDS still works fine however in anything but glass
                          conditions the sounder starts to struggle a bit.
                          2014 PC Challenger, TJM winch bar, RUNVA 9500 winch, MMA tow bar, $0.09 EGR resister mod, 114L fuel tank, narva 225 HID driving lights, scan gauge 2, uniden UHF, TAIT VHF, TJM battery tray, bush skins , dobinsons lift and plenty more to still do

                          Comment

                          • supazuk
                            Senior Member
                            • Jun 2014
                            • 272
                            • Katherine

                            #14
                            Also worth mentioning the back up provided by lowrance is great, I originally had a hds8 and for some reason it wouldn't do a software update so they replaced it with a hds10. Awesome customer service.
                            2014 PC Challenger, TJM winch bar, RUNVA 9500 winch, MMA tow bar, $0.09 EGR resister mod, 114L fuel tank, narva 225 HID driving lights, scan gauge 2, uniden UHF, TAIT VHF, TJM battery tray, bush skins , dobinsons lift and plenty more to still do

                            Comment

                            • markc
                              Senior Member
                              • Oct 2007
                              • 344
                              • Brisbane Sth East

                              #15
                              Originally posted by markc View Post
                              I had the Furuno 620 now the 627 model and loved it, they are also doing great deals on the combo units if you buy ex the usa. Have a look at the GP1870F for around US$830, 1st rate and close to $2k here in Oz.

                              ALEXISTOGEL adalah situs slot gacor gampang menang yang menyediakan layanan slot deposit ovo online 24 jam dengan transaksi tercepat dan aman.


                              Starmarine are good to deal with

                              Cheers Mark
                              x2 with you on this one, I had the 620 and it was the best sounder I have ever had. Doesn't have 200+ options but is great as a sounder. I agree with above, buy ex USA and save 40% compared to Australian prices

                              Comment

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