Fishfinder

Stemar

Stemar

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My depth sounder isn't always as reliable as I would like, and my log is non-existant.

It appears that Santa ( /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) may bring me a fishfinder with log if I specify the model, but my kids' budget is somewhat limited, so a quick nose around the net gave me a little list:

Navman: 4150 or 4431
The 4431's £20 extra. so what's the difference and is it worth it?)

Navman 4350
Twice the price, so Santa'll need some help. Advantages/disadvantages of this model? Is colour worth worth the extra for mostly Solent pottering?

Lowrance X58df & X59df (Much closer to the price of the 4350 than the 4150 & 4431, but a higher resolution screen, though lower than the 4350. Why should I get one of these when I can get the 4350 for about £30 more?

I have through-hull transducers for another system. (Cap Horn) Are these likely to work with any of the above?

Many thanks for your words of wisdom
 
I don't know about the specific models but I know a little about colour depth sounders as I use one on my fishing boat. Colour is useful if you are looking for specific features on the bottom such as a bit of rock and some bits of wreck amongst mud or sand, etc. For Solent pottering I'd say that it was overkill, unless of course you are a serious fisherman as well.
 
Last bit first - unlikely to be able to use the existing transducer

then

forget colour unless you have lots on money and are seriously into fishing. yes it can help to establish the type of bottom you are over but so can most BW units with very little experience.

forget DF units you are paying a lot extra for the ability to get a decent picture in 600ft of water............

pixels are important to fishing but not to bottom definition

power is usefull for shoot through hull transducer installation but also uses more battery..........again for up to 200ft most units will give you a good signal with the transducer stuck inside the hull with sikaflex, pointing down........however,

how important is the log element? this is where the tranducer instalation and unit selection all become much more complicated. Personally I would get a nice unit like this Eagle for £75 at that link, install transduer as above and use a handheld GPS for my SOG position etc - you will get both for the budget you are looking at for some of the units!

If you want to look at the unit in more detail then you can look at it under the 3D product viewer here
 
You need to check the specs carefully...

You need to check the specs carefully. Current Navman specs are here - note that the 4350 you mention doesn't have speed/log, you'd need to look at the £249 4380 to get the speed/log function. The 4150 isn't a current production unit, the newer 4431 is similar to the 4150 but doesn't have any NMEA output (which might not worry you anyway).

Don't rely on retailers' descriptions - they're often incorrect. Check with manufacturers' websites or literature before buying.
 
Re: You need to check the specs carefully...

Right, Not a fisherman, so I can forget the colour. I have a NMEA GPS which gives me SOG, but no plotter, and I don't need a repeater, so I assume NMEA is irrelevant. As for accurate readings below 600ft, under most normal conditions I'm not really interested until it goes down to 6ft /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I can't see paying extra for a new model with the same spec as the old one, so I think it's looking like the 4150 if I can still get it - unless anyone knows of a good reason why I shouldn't!

I would like the boat speed, because I think it'll help me with sail trim (Jissel & I both need all the help we can get!) The GPS is a bit slow reacting to my feeble efforts to sail efficiently to know if it's what I've done or a wind shift that just cost me half a knot!
 
4150...

The 4150 is listed at £109 inc courier delivery on the JG Technologies website. You'd need to check what sort of transducer is included (it may be a transom-mount).

I'm still confused as to why fishfinders seem much less expensive than conventional depth sounders. Is it simply volume of sales?
 
Re: 4150...

[ QUOTE ]
I'm still confused as to why fishfinders seem much less expensive than conventional depth sounders. Is it simply volume of sales?

[/ QUOTE ]

Depth sounders are yachty market so charge what they can get away with. Fish finders are for an all together much more cost critical market which is huge worldwide. It's more volume/price driven like everything to do with fishing.

If the depth sounder makers had gone for volume they would have sold cheaper to get a bigger market.

All INMO of course.
 
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