Fish Finder

[big reel]

I've got a Simrad all in one in the cabin and a Lowrance combo on the deck. The sonar/fishfinder on the Simrad isn't the greatest but the rest works fine. I think I'd like to get a nice fishfinder/depth sounder for the cabin as a stand alone unit. I don't need another GPS necessarily. I'm not looking for a "cheapie" unit either. Any suggestions here? I fish Alaska salt water 40 to 500 feet.

[bornfishing]

Furuno.

[Nozzlehog]

Hey Big Reel! Nice to see another Alaska on this East Coast Board.

With Jim's help over at BOE Marine (see the main page) I settled on a Furuno FCV-585 1000W depthfinder teamed with a 1000W transducer. From everything I have read and seen, you need 1000W Unit x 1000W transducer if you want to get deep.My little Garmin would lose the bottom just when I was setting my shrimp pots at 500 - 600 feet. I am also upgrading to a Garmin 4208, completely separating the GPS and Depthfinder units.

I have the Furuno unit installed but am waiting on Aimar to release their transome mount 260 ( TM260) based on their excellent BM260 ducer. I have an aluminum 22' Weldcraft, so I am going with the transome mount even though it is less than ideal.

See you on the ramp in WHittier!!

The Nozzlehog

[1talltails1]

If your Simrad is hooked up and set correctly with a combi tranducer (orange 1k), it will blow the socks off a Furuno machine. Those transducers are second to none. I guide in FL and out to 1200 ft I can use my 200kz. When swordfishing in 2500' the 38kz reads to the bottom clean. These are flush mounted and faired in the keel of the boat. Reads small bait schools 30kt+. The EQ series is just the fishfinder. Good luck

[CaptWill]

I agree with 1talltails. I had a Simrad CE32 CP/FF on my Blackfin, and the FF capabilities was awesome. The thing I didn't like was the screen size too small, and not bright enough for me. But that sucker would show you everything and never lose bottom.