Fishfinder

[SmilinEd]

back up GPS,


http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-V...pr_product_top

[ebijack]

the seal on the raymarine is fine. not sure how it gets moisture inside. the fog would NEVER clear up to where you could see the screen at all till I took it apart and drilled some vent holes in the bottom. now it take a good hour to clear up. been like this for 2 or 3 yrs. almost did a 6,000lb truck test on that sucker. from the day I got it. it has been like that. the factory said nothing wrong with it. won't be buying raymarine again. buddy has 2 of their top of the line units on his boat. he removed on and replaced with a lowrance. he won't be buy raymarine again either. he has other problems that they say aren't there/can't fix.
here's another spot to watch for electronic's.
http://www.jollyannsales.com/
and fishing stuff
http://www.ffo-tackle.com/

[pap]

I go on cabelas web sites go to boating, then electronics pick the the unit I think I want then read the products reports that other customers rite in, there not bashfull to tell you that the unit is junk or great. Then you have some kind of idea what decision you might want to make. Good luck PAP!!!

[SmilinEd]

I think the 2 separate unit gps/charts and fishfinder makes good sense.

After reading up on the different combo units for 2 wks i have to say it was a little confusing. Thought there were many good options.

I think right now I am leaning towards the Furuno 585 and the Standard Horizon CP190i 5" color chartplotter.

Going to give it few days to digest...

Talked with the boat shop today, should have boat home by next saturday.

Just want to say thanks to everyone for their help/advice in this.

Any other last minute thoughts are still welcome.


Thanks again

Ed

[mkalink]

I have always had seperate fishfinder and gps, I really never liked the thought of switching back and forth on the same screen. My brother had a fishfinder/gps and I didn't like it too much (I gave him my Garmin unit and bought a new furuno unit) I like to know where I am going and I also like to watch for fish and different structure as I am going. The best day walleye fishing I ever had on my own boat could have never been if I was switching screens. I was running from north west of rattlesnake and just came around about 1 mile south of South Bass and right in the middle of the Miller Ferry Line I marked a bunch of fish. I shut the boat down and we started casting, 1 hour 15 minutes and 38 walleyes later we were heading back to East Harbor. This was a few years back when the limit was still 10. I always tell this story when somebody asks me whether to buy a multi unit or buy 2 seperate units.
I have a fishing buddy in the marina that has a standard horizon gps with a 10 inch screen, it is a very nice unit and very easy to see and operate. He also has a furuno 620 fishfinder too.
The transducer I have for my furno 620 is the SS60-SLD. The boat wasn't mine 24 hous yet and I drilled a 2 3/8" hole in the bottom of it, but it work great at all speeds. This same transducer can be used with the 585 also.

[SmilinEd]

Boat is home,

Feel like a boat owner now. Bought it 2 months ago, had the upgrades done. brought it home friday night. Just cleared the 10ft door with an inch to spare. lol Told the wife I didnt know what we were going to do when we add the Furuno DRS4A NavNet 3D 3.5' 4kw digital Open Array Radar on the hardtop, lol

I'll post pics next week.

Best to all

Ed