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Random Quote: No matter how hard you work, you can't fix dumb
I bought a Humminbird Matrix 97 and tried to use it for 3 days straight over Memorial weekend. I had to uninstall it and take it back. DO NOT buy Humminbird products.
I absolutely loved the head unit itself and was very reluctant to do it but it was no good. The connections in the back of the unit are the problem. The GPS antenna connection would not maintain contact. I got it to work 1/2 day out of 3 days on the water. Wiggle it and sometimes it would work for a moment. Most of the time it would not work. I splashed a little water over the bow and got the unit wet. The water temp went from 65 degrees to 102 degrees. The kids went wild but in actuality, I am not paying 1100 dollars (including x ducer, extension cable for antenna, and charts) for something like this. I e-mailed Humminbird customer service Monday evening at 7 pm and it is Friday evening at 10 pm and still have'nt received any response from them. Guess they dont care.
I took the unit back to West marine and they gave me a full refund. I am planning on a Standard Horizon CP-175 chartplotter and not sure what fishfinder/depth unit but it will probably be a sepaarate unit.
I don't want to see anyone else go through this with a Humminbird and am curious to hear opinions on the Standard Horizon plotter
I have a Matrix 37 and it works fine. I do know what you mean about the conectors though. I'm sure yours had the quick disconnect thingy. I had to bend the metal brace (where the connectors sit) up a bit because the head unit was pushing them down when attaching. Other than that it works as advertized.
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Boatless but searching frantically!
Contender 31FA (looking very likely........for now).
Pursuit 3070 Offshore (needs 300's), HS 2900 (Very possible. Good compromise.) , Intrepid 31WA (fish or cruise? Not ideal for either).
I've got a Humminbird 67--no problems in 2 years. Always works. Sorry to hear about your problems. You're not alone, many people on this board seem to have had negative experiences with Humminbird.
This is my second unit from them without a problem--maybe I'm just lucky, or maybe you just got a lemon.
Sure hate to hear that. They used to be at the top of the game, with some others at one point in time.
I have a Standard Horizon 175C and so far It's great. I'm also running the new MAX C-Map chips and think they did a very nice job with this chart upgrade. I'm waiting to see what the new fish finder from Standard Horizon will cost and how it will perform before buying one.
I would look at Garmin, Raymarine, or Furuno. Great vendors on this site (THT)that will have better prices and service than the 'ususal suspects'. Give them a call. Tell them what you looking for in a fishfinder; they have a lot of experience. Welcome aboard. The problem with West Marine...they will now sell it to someone else (without factory repair)!
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Boston Whaler, "MUMBLER", 24 Outrage, twin 175 HP Evinrude Ocean Pros
I had a Humminbird 'Wideview' on my GW for 10 years, I sent it back, for $149 they sent me a new unit.. No complaints here. Only problem I ever had with it was in the fall/winter I had to bring it inside at night as the LCD would freeze!
Well... just my luck I guess. Seems like I always get the bum equipment. Bought a 2000 dollar SOLO treadmill once. Its the kind they put in Hiltons. Guess what... Yep, wouldnt work. Dicks Sport Goods didnt have another to replace it with so they upgraded me to next best. Got lucky that time.
Kind of odd I still haven't received any response from Humminbird customer service yet. I received their autoreply that states they usually respond in three business days. it's been 5. Oh well. It doesn't matter. I bought the Standard Horizon CP175C and a separate fish finder- the Raymarine DS500X. I'll see how they do.
Thanks for the welcome.
TipTop3366- In response to your question about the Standard H. fishfinder, it will be about $250 and is "supposed" to begin shipping around the middle June. I know this because while at West Marine we (sales guy and I) called them to answer same question. Now, this doesnt include the transducer as far as I know.
I have a Humminbird 400TX bottom/fish finder. I also have the temp probe and speed wheel, so now I have a third speed gauge. (None agree, of course)
The unit is fine. Works great everytime. I find it behaves exactly like all other fish finders. "Fish on the screen--no fish on the hook. No fish on the screen--FISH ON!" Perfect!
WARNING THT bias anecdote. I was fishing the ledge last weekend. All the sudden my bottom finder "stops working." All I get is O for depth. Temp/speed still working, but no bottom. Because I read THT, and wish to think my Humminbird is crap, 'cause everyone else says so', I start berating my piece of crap Humminbird.
Then when we turned around and trolled back toward shore, and came to a bottom depth of 600' or less, it magically started "working" again. And then I looked up in the manual that my unit only works down to 600' depth. Bottom drops pretty fast off South Carolina continental shelf.
Damn that cheapo Humminbird. You'd have though they could have leasted lowered the ocean for me!
If I want to read bottom in depth greater than 600' I will have to either purchase a different recorder, or lower the boat or sea level.
I don't know if Humminbird is crap or not, but I do know to be wary of THT Bias!!!!!
I had the opposite view of humminbirds customer service. I bought a new 987c SI unit in April and had intermittentent electrical problems (would reboot itself about once a trip). I called humminbird customer service and they answered in about 30 seconds with a live person who knew the unit. I told her what happened and they said I had to send it in for service. I told them I didn't want to be without it for a few weeks, and asked if they could cross ship a rebuilt one. She said she would send me a new one and I could then send back the old one. Free for standard shipping, or I could pay to upgrade to overnight, which I did.. I had the new one the next day and no problems since! It was the most hassle-free exchange I ever did in my life. She went out of her way to make it easy.
Humminbird is garbage
The problem with West Marine...they will now sell it to someone else (without factory repair)! 
