Marine Electronics Forum - Time for new electronics....

Currently have a Furuno FCV-600L and Garmin GPSMAP 225, the Furuno has to go back in to the shop..she's lost her A** and can't pickup anything anymore. And the GPS is old, so I've been thinking about getting a newer combo. So after reading here and talking to buddy Batikiller, I'm under the impression that Furuno seems to be king of the hill of fish machines and Garmin king of GPS and not so good fish finders, Lowrance makes good stuff but customer service stinks.

Living in the SWF I need a good bottom machine to find those needle in the haystacks, but we enjoy going to the Keys....trying to learn dolphin fishing and all those other species we have to travel forever to get to.

So nothing better to waste a few hours with the kids and go to Bass Pro shops, and look at the electronics. Nice guy behind the counter, but when asked abotu wattage he gave me frequency ;? specs. So while the kids terrorized the store with airsoft guns, I tried to learn what I could and did get to see the side scan technology on the Hummingbirds and the platinum Lowrance chips. The Lowrance's seem to have the best price point and are soon to have the side scan technology.

I like the Garmins, I particularly like the new models that plan a safe course from point A to point B...that seems like it would be very handy coming into new waters. But I hear their fish finders leave a lot to be desired, I can't even figure out what wattage the Intelliducers are. The plan would be to move the Garmin 225 backup to the radio box and have the new combo box flush on the console. It would probably be used more as a GPS, unless the it turns out to be a better bottom machine than the old Furuno 600L.

Sorry if I'm asking some previously asked questions, but I've reviewed...and still have doubts. Budget < $1500. Looking for suggestions.:thumbsup:

Thanks!

for a sounder thinkk about the furuno FCV585...will take a big a$$ ducer with the sonar guts inside and nothing paints the bottom better. PM Topend here about his.

The new Garmin 546 chartplotter/sounder will come in at about 1100 with a transom mount ducer included for backup

the combo would be a killer system..

Hi Glen,

Thanks for the input...seems to be the choice of pros.

I was hoping to get the 600 repaired, and the getting a combo like the Garmin 4208. This would give me redundant GPS, and bottom machines. I bought a new 525ST-MSD (mistake) 'ducer for the 600, but she can't even mark consistent bottom hanging the dang thing off the side of the boat...much less mounted. The Lowrance HDS-7 Looked nice....

You think I ought to trash the 600 and go new?

dunno - but until Navico gets their act together on support, I can't recommend a Lowrance product...

the 4208 is a nice all purpose machine until you get past 800 feet or so......

I hear ya, but the way you can go back in history and mark the structure as a waypoint on this system just seems too cool.

http://www.lowrance.com/en/StructureScan/

Does anyone know if Furuno or Garmin has plans for this?

Is there anyway to overclock my 600L to get 1000W? Are there parts to fix your own?

Thanks gain.

Total budget of $1500. Ok Buy a leftover or reman(don't be scared about reman) Garmin 540. That's about $450. Then start looking for a Furuno 620 machine it's not as big as the 585 but will work very very good. http://www.boemarine.com/products/category.aspx?ID=dca0a748-734b-4cc2-a4cf-6fd7852862c3&ManufacturerID=33d09931-2a93-401a-8957-2b4981d5a91a. there you are right around your budget. This combo will last you at least 6 years but I guess closer to 8 years.

Was thinking 1500 budget for single new FF/GPS combo and fixing current Furuno FCV-600L

But you guys have me rethinking my budget and time line for pieces...I gotta repair or replace the Furuno no matter what.

The feature that I see that I like the best in that Lowrance is marking structure and moving your cursor over the history and making a way point to go get back on top of it.

For $1500 I would get the Garmin 3210 Combo, an adapter cable to use your existing Furuno ducer and be done. Ths would get you a sweet 10" display with a FF that is better than what you have but not what the FCV-585 is.

What 1000 watt thru hull transducer do you recommend for the 585?

What 1000 watt thru hull transducer do you recommend for the 585?

for overall ease of installation and solid performance, I wold pick the B164. The inhull M260 and the thru hull b260 require more precise installs but are tops in performance too.

A man deserves some credit when its due, after looking at Glenn's site the man deserves around of applause.:thumbsup: Outstanding work!

I like Jim's suggestion, seems like a suitable solution while I work up a path to a FCV-585 & B164. But I'm also thinking go for the FCV-585 and B164, use current GPS and wait for GPS "History Marker" on a Furuno or Garmin. I really like that mark your history and turn it into a way point. Does anyone know if Garmin or Furuno have something similar and plans for the future for it? Would I be able to add that GPS as a networked item to the FCV-585 and B164 combo? That side scan / structure scan sure seems interesting too.

Is there anything interesting that the FCV-585 and the 3210 could do together network wise?

That said is the only significant difference in the 3210 and the 4210 screen dimensions? Does meat and potatoes functionality remain the same? Seems like the networking component pieces are used by the current models as well. Will Garmin put out future software updates for the 3210, and are their chip packages that would make great upgrades.

I also want to thank Jim and Glen for taking the time to respond, they are obviously pros and valued advice.

Thank you for the compliments - but like Jim . our company is a team of a lot of people that make things happen. We have about 45 employees doing installs, servicing and in general, making boats better electronically.....

Is Mapsource Free? I can't seem to find a download link on Garmin's site.

I saw an update link, but it said it would work without the original Licensed version.

I was hoping to demo the software, before buying a unit.

For $1500 I would get the Garmin 3210 Combo, an adapter cable to use your existing Furuno ducer and be done. Ths would get you a sweet 10" display with a FF that is better than what you have but not what the FCV-585 is.

X2!

mapsource is on it's last legs - don't invest in that - Garmin is readying an all new program that will allow you to get your maps already bought off your machine and into your computer...

mapsource is on it's last legs - don't invest in that - Garmin is readying an all new program that will allow you to get your maps already bought off your machine and into your computer...

OK thanks for the heads up, wasn't sure if it came with the units or was a separate purchase.

I had something to work with my old GPS 225, but it must have gone bye-bye with an old laptop...

Most all Raymarine units C/E and A? let you pull a waypoint from the sounder screen. I use it all the time. They have a great sounder, and I don't see whats wrong with the GPS...
I've been on boats with the Furuno FF paired with Garmin GPS, and I think twin Ray C Wide or E screens is a much slicker setup.

Cowdog,

So if you run over your structure, you can move the cursor back over the history to the structure and hit way point?

Currently we have to go back over and throw out a marker with a weight on it before we line up to determine the drift.

How accurate is this way point?

Thanks for the info.


FYI I pulled the trigger on the 3210 combo and sent the 600L in for repairs.

Package Contains:

GPSMAP 3210
Preloaded U.S. marine detailed maps (g2 technology)
GPS 17 WAAS-enabled sensor
Power/data cable
GSD 22 Digital Remote Sounder Module
GDL 30A XM Satellite Receiver
GMS 10 Network Port Expander
Bail mount
Protective cover
Template for flush mounting
Owner's manual
Quick reference guide
Installation guide

For less than $1500 seemed like a good deal. After I try the FF on local waters I may sell the 600L and look at the 585 and 1K later.

Cowdog,

So if you run over your structure, you can move the cursor back over the history to the structure and hit way point?

Currently we have to go back over and throw out a marker with a weight on it before we line up to determine the drift.

How accurate is this way point?


I find it to be very accurate. On my e-series I have marked points 30 seconds to 1 minute after passing over them, and it seems to work every time.

The screen is scrolling, so I have to "time" the waypoint, though I suppose I could pause the screen and just grab the point. Anyway, I move the cursor a little ahead of the structure, and then I grab the waypoint "at cursor" just as the stucture passes under/through the cursor. The unit will draw a line from top to bottom showing your waypoint, and if the line crosses through the structure you wanted then you have it.

It is tricky when the water is deep, and the structure is small because of the scope of the sounder can be 100+ feet in any direction.