GPS fishfinder combo???

looking to get a gps fishfinder combo. i need one that has a tranducer that mounts inside the boat and sends the sonar through the haul. I dont need the most detailed unit out there, just need something to safetly get me there and back, and be able to store the common fishing spots and marinas, and be able to be seen well at night. i dont want to spend a ton of money but dont want to be cheap either. I dont have a ton of space on my dash either so size is somewhat needed to be in the facture too. I know lots of ppl have used many models just wonder what some ppl might sujest me to look for as needed option or actual unit they use or have used that fits what i am looking for.

I have a Lowrance HDS5... It's a great combo.It does everything the average fisherman needs and the some.. I went out in the thick Fog a few weeks ago and literly drove my boat by the GPS...It's a great unit for around $550.. I took it to Bass Pro and got the update and the sales ppl showed me how to use it to the fullest potential..I love it and could not imagine not haveing it on my boat..Just my 2 cents..
LOWE LIFE

I have the HDS series but something new last year from Lowrance is the Elite series. Go to Cabelas and check out all the units on display. Most of them are on to check out the ease of use of the features. They can help you get everything you need for the thru hull.

I have lowrance and humminbird both on my boat. each are equally great gps and fish finders. i have 798 side imaging humminbird and love it. check to see what maps are pre loaded with each unit you look at and see if they are sd card compatible. also i like humminbird little better do to ease of removing the head unit for storage. push button and it pulls right off. lowrance you have to unsrcew 3 wires on my unit and unscrew wingnuts from mounting bracket. both are great units for the money.

I use the Hds10 with insight with the b260 transducer, I also use the furuno 585 with the b260 transducer but it is just a fishfinder. The hds with the b260 is a great combo. its a little costly but wow it is incredable. Dont buy the hds series without the insight maps built in the navonics chip is not as detailed as the insight. trust me. it must have insight maps built in. you will not regreat it.

First off what's your budget? Need to know that before making a recomendation.
Like said above Lowrance offers a more affordable line in their Elite series. The Elite 4 is around $300.00 but the screen is really small. The Elite 5 is around $550.00 and gives you a bigger screen. If you move up to the HDS series you are gonna be in the $700.00 range for a fishfinder/chartplotter combo. Again, need to know your budget.

Another option and what I myself like to do is shop around on Ebay/Craigslist and the used market for a good used deal. Alot of good deals out there from guys who upgrade and sell their old units. Example, I just sold a Lowrance LCX-27HD 7" combo unit for $400.00.

As for the shoot thru transducer, you will spend as much $$ on a good transducer as you will the entire unit. You can epoxy a regular transom mount transducer in your hull but you're not gonna have a very good signal. A good shoot thru ducer like the Airmar M260 transducer will cost you around $600.00. What is the reason that you can't use a transom mount transducer?

Myself I am currently running seperate fishfinder and chartplotter. I run the Lowrance HDS7M chartplotter and a Furuno FCV-585 fish finder. I find that running seperate units gives me more options and better viewing capabilities.

i would like to stay in the 300-500 range if possable. As far as the transducer goes....i have 2 issues 1 my boat is more a go fast style boat. It is a 241 four winns liberator. So when it comes up to running there is alot of the haul out of the water. the last one of these boats i had every time i got up on plane it would loss reading. I adjusted it to no end with no better result. I had just a regular humming bird first finder on it. When i would slow down i would get my reading back. My boat cruises about 32-35 mph at 3200rpm and does not stay on plane much below 20mph So it seems like once it comes up plane with 24 degree haul there is alot air bubbles and stuff going under the haul right where the trans. would be mounted.

My trailer is actualy a little larger for my boat. the front winch plate is welded to the trailer so no room to adjust it back and the bunks for the bottom are set up close together and there is 3 of them on each side and the extend out past the back of the boat by about 8 inches. They miss the outdrive and trim tab plates, but just barely on each. It has side bunk guides so it centers up everytime with no issues. With the bottom bunks the way they are a trans. mounted unit would break off each time i loaded it.

It has a built in depth finder that sends the signal through the the bottom of the boat that is glued in( not the drilled through hole ) and it seems to work good and not drop signal on plane. So i am assuming her that a trans would do about the same thing with the correct one. I know doing this i will loose some signal and all that....but i am weekend fisher and dont need the best of the best but dont want ot waste my money on things that wont do what i need.

I think a 4 or 5 inch screen would be plenty for me. I dont have much room to mount anything much bigger than this in the area that would be easy for me to see while driving without having to look down or way over to the side.

Speed is not an issue with the correct transom mount transducer set up properly. Here is a link to a thread showing an Airmar TM260 transom mounted transducer reading bottom at 50+ m.p.h. Scroll down to the video in post #10.
http://www.thehulltruth.com/marine-e...vid-added.html

Properly set up a transom mount transducer will work great. Now, your trailer clearance problem is another issue.

You can buy the factory Lowrance shoot thru transducer for around $60. You will have to make sure it is epoxied parallel to the water. If you don't have a spot in your bilge that is flat you may have to build a small wedge out of fiberglass and glass it to the hull so that your transducer is shooting straight down and not off on an angle.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lowra...h-All+Products

I would consider the Lowrance HDS-5. It will do everything you want it to at a decent price.

Here yu go. $629 plus you get a $200 factory rebate. Then buy the $60 ducer and you have $489 in a brand new HDS and shoot thru ducer.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lowra...h-All+Products

thanks for all the great info i know speed is not the issue......my boat will not outrun the sound way return in the waters here on Erie......the issue is not so much the speed but the disturbance of the water going under the boat.....if a lot of bubble of air get trapped under the haul it give my boat some lift but not a good water column for the sound wave to go through. on my last 241 if i turned right at speed it would drop the transducer down far enough in the column and the water flow did not have all the disturbances and it would start working till i went straight again. I think it is just a side effect of my haul, not the speed

Now the trailer issue i am stuck with. so even if i could get the first issue adjusted out and gt it to read....the trailer would still pose a problem

seems like alot of ppl who spend alot of time on the water are big fans of the hds series i will look into it

http://www.fishfinders.com/lowrance-...rtplotter.html

Here is one I ordered. Very similar to the HDS-5. Look on Cabelas, it was on sale for $599 with a $100 rebate (final price @ $499 from $650). It was my deciding factor is choosing it.