Buying a new sounder
Submitted by cocokye on Thu, 2011-02-24 22:51
Looking at updating the sounder and looking at getting a Furuno 620 . Is there any better sounder on the market for trailer boats???
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CB
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
only thing better is a Furuno
only thing better is a Furuno FCV 585 or a Furuno FCV295
Best entry level small sport fishing sounder in the market, spend a little extra on 1kw transducer and you will be shocked how well it performs compared to the standard 600W one.
I'd recommend them 100% for fishing up to 200m deep.
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
snappermiles
Posts: 2102
Date Joined: 05/11/10
i agree tony
but if you want to go the one kw you will have to buy the 585 as the 620 only puts out 600w!
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
funny thing is the 620 when
funny thing is the 620 when running a 1kw tranny even with 600w input power gives a huge increse in performance.
http://www.furunousa.com/Learning%20Center%20Documents/FurunoTransducerGuide-LR.pdf
download and read, it has huge information in it for the average joe fisherman. See page 8 on what happens when you just upgrade the transducer on a FCV620....
it's abit like HiFi systems, better the speakers, the better the sound, same goes for you transducer..
I would buy a CA50-200-1T commercial 1kw tranducer with a matching MB1100 box on a FCV620, before I got a FCV585 on a standard transom mount tranny if I was fishing in waters less than 200m...
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
snappermiles
Posts: 2102
Date Joined: 05/11/10
i had heard that tony but i was a little sceptical
but when you put it that way it does sound right! but if your going to spend the money paying for a 1kw trans you may as well get the bigger screen and more power output!
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
if you can afford it
and fit it in your boat, go for the 585 - purely for the bigger screen.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
out wide
Posts: 1535
Date Joined: 30/12/08
Sounders
I,m going to the HDS-7 with B 60 tranny and structure scan. Check them out on You Tube. You will be amazed.
The_Wanderer
Posts: 735
Date Joined: 24/09/08
Outwide there is a reason why
Outwide there is a reason why commercial operators use the likes of Furnuno, Raymarine, Koden, JVC over Lowercne, and other brands....
out wide
Posts: 1535
Date Joined: 30/12/08
I do understand why to pro's
I do understand why to pro's use Furuno but you wont find any useing the 620 and not many will use the 585's these days. The FCV's are the go but do you need to spend 5 to 8 grand on a finder for a trailer boat I think not.
The 585 was voted best in its class back in 2009 i wonder how it will go this year.
Do they [620] come in combo [GPS/ SOUNDER] ?
Do you still need to stuff around all day to get them to zoom in. ?
Do they still have tiny little pins on the plugs that are easy to damage. ?
Cococke just do a simple search Furuno 620 vs Lowrance HDS 7 and then you can make up your own mind. I think they are about the same price.
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
a lot of big game marlin
a lot of big game marlin boats on the east coast and in the usa used FCV585's till the new FCV295 came out.
In fact it's the prefer sounder in many tuna towers to find bait schools.
my view is go out with a well set up unit of each and make your own mind up....
I'm on my third Furuno product now ( sounder wise) and first GPS and will never go back to Lowrance, Hummingbird ( both of wich I have had ) or others.
As for combo's well for me it's big screen deals mate, I have had combo's before and will never go that route again unless space is absolutely minimal in the dash.
If I was setting up a trailer boat again in the under 17 foot class, I'd have a FCV620 with a 1kw commercial tranny and a Garmin GPS.
If it's a bigf rig on the 18~22 foot and doing deep water fishing up to 300m I'd go FCV585 with a 1kw commercial tranny again and a Furuno GP7000
if you got the cash and the space you upgrade to the FCV295 and 2kw trannies ( two of them / one for ech freq)
If you a pro, then you running the new FCV1150 with 3 or 5 kw trannies ( size of tanks those trannies) and a computer based GPS system or full Nav net 3 D ....
Furuno do not make their money from the rec fishing game, it's less than a few % of their sales, 90%+ of their products are for commercial fishing, commercial fishing, ferries and even marine warfare.
Ray Marine, Furuno, Koden, Suzuki are in a different league to the rec fishing gear. Also Furuno gear is not designed for fresh water work, then modded in the software for sea water, like Hummingbird, Garmin, even Lowrance, all of which make their bread and butter money from the rec fishing market and mostly the huge USA fresh water and shallow delta flats market.
Simple rules I have learnt over the years,
1, you want manual gain and auto gain, but on a knob, not some menu option.
2,you want bottom lock, and multiple screen modes for different set ups,
3,You want quick change menu's or best a knob again for going from 50 to 200khz or dual freq etc
4, you want access to more transducer ranges than the standard transom mounted option that comes in the box. If a unit can not be coupled to wide range of suitable trannies, then it's limited.
5, you want a local field and repair office, ie in your city or in the same state.
6, must be fully water proof, and have seen the test of time on boats.... many say the water resistant, but that means splash at your own risk...
7, will the brand still be around in a year or two??? ask the Navman boys about their back up these days...
8, must do the job I need it for, not bought for flash functions that I'll probally never use...ie a clear picture in both freq and noise filters with full synthesised freq loops.
ps here are the awards Furuno have had over the years....
http://www.furuno.com.au/posts/index/31
http://www.nmea.org/
http://www.nmea.org/Assets/2010nmeaproductawardwinners.pdf
FURUNO NMEA Awards in 2010
1. Best Navigation: NavNet 3D MFD 12
2. Best Radar (35th Consecutive Year): NavNet 3D DRS UHD Radar Series
3. Best Fish finder (39th Consecutive Year): FCV295 FDF Fish Finder
4. Manufacturer of the Year - Support
5. Specialty Product: SC30 Satellite Compass (Runner Up)
oh if you don't have your reading glasses on that says " 39TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR BEST FISH FINDER" AT THE NMEA AWARDS...
thats right they taken out that award for 39 straight years in the row,,, you I suspect the can howl Top Dog if they want to....
show me Lowrances now please???
they have never won Best Fish Finder at NMEA in 39 years...
they won NMMA in 2008
http://www.sandmanpr.com.au/newsroom/lowrance/lowrance_receives_nmma_innovation_honours.html
thats in a market ( USA) most focused on Fresh water small fish sport fishing, ie bass etc...
We not talking a Ford vs Holden fight here,
we talking a Holden vs Ferrari fight.
what do they AFL boys always say.... it's the silver ware in the trophy cabinet that speaks the loudest.
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
Bluetonic
Posts: 1147
Date Joined: 09/01/08
Hey mate! how are you? I got
Hey mate! how are you? I got the 585 with 1kw tranny and have never looked back. Took a bit for me to get used to after having a lowrance but would'nt be without it these days... and still learning. Ryan from Oceanside put some good stuff on this site a while ago re. 585's. Do a site search mate.
Blue Sky, Blue Water, Bluetonic!
Bluetonic
Posts: 1147
Date Joined: 09/01/08
Hope this might
Hope this might help,
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/furuno-585-interpretation
Blue Sky, Blue Water, Bluetonic!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18330
Date Joined: 11/03/08
i would say the 585 if you
i would say the 585 if you have room. even i can use them and when it comes to electrics i am hopeless. from what i have heard the 620 is the same just smaller screen . i have seen many reports about other sounders but i would go the furuno again
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
out wide
Posts: 1535
Date Joined: 30/12/08
Yeah Bluetonic
they are good but are they still about $2000 and no gps. Just thinking that is getting up there in $ terms.Ryans spots Hapuka's at 500mt or more that is scary however he runs a 2kw tanny which would help a bit. In most depths we fish say up to 200mt most of the good sounders [Hummingbirds, Garmin, Lowrance ect]work just as good for $800 less.
ATM i'm running a Lowrance LCX -27c 1 kw with a Lowrance 5 inch 3600 GPS side by side. Work great for me but nothing like a sea change imo and after seeing my mates HDS7 operating its has won me
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
my electronics gear on my
my electronics gear on my boat , thats Sounder, radio's GPS and PC based system is almost half the value of the boat!!!!
Whats the point of a $40k boat with a $1k sounder....
bit like a $600k house with an full entertaiment room and you using the cheapest TV you could get at the Dick Smiths half price sale...lol
or buying a HSV and putting cheap tires imported chinese specials.. get my drift,,,,
My advice is spend big on your eletronics, spend on quality.
in fact buy a cheaper rod and reel and less beer, if it means you can buy in the $2k to $5k range.... it's money well spent.
Get the best transducer you can afford and best sounder you can afford.
Then go for a good GPS to go next to it.
Hell a lot of guys like Sambo charters run on a small GPS and a big commercial sounder...why??? cause the GPS is only to get you to the spots rough area, the Sounder finds the fish....
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
wazzbat
Posts: 977
Date Joined: 19/01/10
Totally agree. If I was
Totally agree. If I was buying a boat, I'd set aside a few grand for the sounder and gps. There's no point spending any more time than you have to finding the fish right?
I fish for the future - Cause I can't bloody catch anything!
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
yip I made that mistake back
yip I made that mistake back 2004 when I bought my Trophy then put in a 4 & 1/2 inch Lowrance GPS/sounder combo.... and battled to find good fish!
I'd go as far as saying spend at least 5~10% of the cost of your boat on your electronics and transducer. Anything under $1000 is going to be basic entery level and the good gear WILL set back over $1600 for sounder and tranny alone.
You don't need that 200hp donk on the back of your boat in many cases, you can save $5k easily by going for the lower power option on a boat, say going for 140hp instead of a 175hp, take what you saved and put that straight into your sounder budget and you will never look back...
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18330
Date Joined: 11/03/08
gotta agree withTony. buy
gotta agree withTony. buy best first time . then you wont have to upgrade like many of us have done. i spent considerable $ on gear only to find i should have gone better to start with. would have meant more $ in the pocket in the end
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
yep I'm with the majority
yep I'm with the majority here, for a stand alone sounder you can't beat the Furuno's. If it is the ONLY option then a combo can work but only in big sizes ie HDS10, but you still get sick of flicking between pages and menus.
Some others similar to Furuno are JRC and Kodens but go the Furuno, you won't look back.
LuckyBoy
Posts: 41
Date Joined: 10/11/10
SideStructure (good for bream)
But almost useless in deep water
Stick with Furuno.
The 620 is a brilliant sounder even with 600w
Yes as most people say if you can push the budget spend the extra on a 585 and 1kw
Leave the lowrance to what they are good at and buy a plotter from them
rocky
Posts: 90
Date Joined: 07/06/10
just to throw another sounder
just to throw another sounder in there to make your decision even harder i use the JRC FF60 they are a great unit made in japan.
thanks rocky
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o92WvW1jOQ
good little youtube clip from BCF on the Furuno 585 vs 620
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3PWWiKaCFc&feature=related
50mphr with a FCV585 and an Airmar high performance tranny....
how many of your systesm can hold the bottom at over 40 knots ???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIFqh-ymYFI&feature=related
good vs bad transducer installation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd07PIkmnfI&feature=related
using a B164 tranny on a FCV585, in 30m at 30knots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWouJEC1il8&feature=related
another little video by a Furuno dealer on the FCV686
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)