Fish Finder: Which one: Furuno 600L or Garmin 320C

[HDGWJOE]

I may be about to buy new electronics. I currently have a 600L which has a pretty good fan club on this forum. I also have an older Garmin 160 (gray/white) finder. The 160 is great...turn it on and leave it alone...with the 600L I'm constantly tuning it...running inauto mode never seems to work right. I'm really tempted to stick with and learn how to use the 600L based on reports from you guys...but I'm also tempted to move over to the Garmin320C based solely on my experience with the 160. I'd appreciate all the comments you want to throw at me...

p.s. the 600l has a thru-hull trimar bronze triducer
the 160 has a "in-hull" ducer...not sure of make.
Both are in the same boat.

Thanks,
Joe

[WEEKEND HONEYMOON]

Creepy Joe...I was getting ready to post almost the same topic...and we have the same boat.

I would also appreciate info, as my Transducer died and I am without. I am going color and think I have in narowed down to the same units (Powerboat reports did not like the sitex or the Lowrance). I would also like to know if the FCV-582 is worth the extra 500 bucks? And, how much adjusting will I need to do on the 600?

Tim

[HDGWJOE]

You're right Tim.... maybe its the boat
That's an opening for the Grady bashers!!

And I also considered the 582 but eliminated it based on cost and the fear that the more expensive they get the more complicated they get to operate. I definitely wouldn't want to get one thats more complicated. I'm a firm believer that the more you spend the easier it should be to use...but it doesn't seem to work that way.

Joe

[GoblinShark]

HDGW, I would stick with the 600L if I were you. The Furuno is a much better unit than the Garmin. I know what you mean about it being a bit complicated and I understand why you'd like the Garmin better for because of ease of use but things like the gain on your 600L could be very beneficial. I am either going to get a 600L or a 582L when I have the funds. I like the 582L better than the 600L because not only because it is a much more powerful unit with a larger display but I also like the knobs for the gain and such much better than the buttons on the 600L. Much easier to use if you ask me.
HTH

<*((((>{ GoblinShark <*((((>{

[marti]

Guy's as I read the furuno website,what I understand of it is that the 582 is much more automatic than the 600 ,so the 582 is easier to use. Am I right about this or did I read wrong, it's hard for me to read those manuels.
thanks

greetings from holland
marti

[Bertram]

I Have used the Furuno 600L the LS-6100 ,the Garmin 160 & 240 blue and Currently using the 320c must say these are all top units you can easily say #1 and # 2 products, "the order is up to you", as far as ease of use the garmin wins hands down as for sonar capabilities the sonar features of the 320c & 600L are relativley the same with the Garmin edging the furuno in screen readability, much easier to see in extreme sunlight works flawleely in auto or manual mode lot less tweeking than any of the furuno's Ive come across also again the garmin edges the furuno in power 400watts 200khz 500 200/50khz
both units offer A-scope feature the garmin also has the unique feature of marking points from the sounder menu this is a plus marking spots wrecks structure ect.
I stated out purchasing a furuno ls 6100 for a project boat I had after using it for about a month sent it back because screen clutter was terrible the screen resolution of 320x 240 looked more like 160 x 120 and tweeking it for different conditions became a total pain in the a-- sent it back and got the 240blue to replace it major difference , more power excellent readability screen reso supperb and set it and forget it !
loved it so much ended up selling it to buy the new introduced 320c ,which will give any Furuno a run for its money. Set it and forget it if you get the 320 c you wont be sorry
Set it and firget it
Bertram

Cant get enough Vitamin Sea

[MrPat]

Powerboat Reports just tested sonars under $1000. the Furuno 600L beat the Garmin.

http://www.powerboat-reports.com

[HDGWJOE]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Bertram what kind of transducer are you using and how do you hav eit mounted?

Joe

[nodoubt]

kinda crap is that to have to pay for a friggin report on a fishfinder.... .. ....geezzz...

[marti]

nodoubt your right.

greetings from holland
marti

[HDGWJOE]

yeh...I tried it too...

[Bertram]

thats a bummer not its a shame We dont get Power Boat reviews in my home town By the way last year they rated the Furuno Ls 6100 the best mono sounder under 400 bucks ? I bet if you do a search at any Forum you'll get a different point of view !
Dont get me wrong my father has a 600L on his boat ands it's awesome but it takes getting use too like anything else "I suggest buying a video" if your in question
As to your question HDGWJOE if your 160 is aBlue unit not just the 160 any transducer you have will work> 200khz or >200/50khz
You can Check your transducer here for compatability Airmar

Cant get enough Vitamin Sea

[HDGWJOE]

Bertram...thanks...what I was really wondering is what you are using and how its mounted ... you seem pretty satisfied with your 320C and that is a critical part.

Joe

[FastBob]

I don't know about the Garmin but I have a 600L and have also used the 582. If you can swing the extra bucks the 582 has a larger screen, is more powerful and is also easier to use.

[WEEKEND HONEYMOON]

Went to boaters world tonight and "played" with the 600 and 320. The Garmin seemed MUCH easier to use and the color seemed better. However, the reading of the structure on the simulator mode appeared better on the Furuno. Damn..this is not making the decision any easier. Boaters World did not have the thru-hull transducer for either.

I have read the power boat report mentioned earlier and the 320 was a close second.

Tim

[timing]

h...joe,

I looked over many depth finders this past spring. And I'm now a satisfied owner of a 320C.

Color presentation for wreck fishing is awesome. Significant color advantage: the ability to view the unit
at the helm's e.box from the cockpit of
my 24 walkaround while drifting over/through
wrecks / artificial reefs.
Reads clean from the bays 2.5 > 80 ft wreck depths,
noting the unit specifies much deeper, I just haven't taken it deeper.

I even used the existing garmin xducer
from the gps168 - epoxied in the bilge for
shoot thru (200 khz). Works fine.
Also used my existing seperate garmin temp sending unit - again, works fine.

The 320C is easy to use, as noted no/minimal tweaking,
and about the only doen side is just the occasional lost reading at high speed due to turbulance - for which the unit
will automatically regain clean reading.
Overall I think it's a very good unit for the money.

I did a custom flush mount of my electronics this year. In the e.box, black starboard faceplate, 320C/gps168/icom flushed - sweet!

Timing

[WEEKEND HONEYMOON]

Is the thru-hull available for the 320? Boaters world on line does not have them in stock either????

Tim

[HDGWJOE]

You guys are really pushing me towards the 320. I know the Furuno is a very good unit...but I'm lazy and I hate the tuning aspect of it. I'll bet if I gavce it a chance and got fully versed in how to use it I'd love it and be glad I have it. But I only use the boat on weekends and I find myself pulling out the manual...or printoffs from discussions on the 600L on THT.

Tim....buy both...not worth getting ulcers over it(then tell me what you think) :-)

Timing: you mentioned a seperate garmin temp guage...does it plug into the 320 or does it have its own display? Can the 320 take a triducer and display speed and temp?

thanks,
joe

[nodoubt]

man my 600 works flawlessly on auto mode...im lost on all this tweaking talk...all i do is turn up the sensitivity depending on the depth and clarity of water im in....never take mine out of auto mode .......marks fish and bottom perfectly to 200 ft in the water i fish....unbelievable target seperation...nodoubt....

[Basenjib123]

I use my 600L on "auto" all the time...works great!