Fishfinders

[Hunter34]

Decided to get myself a fishfinder, mainly to determine what the bottom is made up of and to get a better idea where the flat bits are and mabey even to find the odd fish (towed a lure 1500miles around the Med this summer and hooked 1 Tuna and that got away).
Any recomendations of which model and the best place to get it.

Thanks in advance

Andrew

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[philip_stevens]

I've recently bought a Navman 4380 Fish colour fish-finder. Excellent resolution, and with the NMEA output, can be read on my Navman 5500 Plotter on the data screen. With this fishfinder, it will show (as well as depth!) water temp and water speed. This is good as a comparison with GPS speed to find out tidal flow - ebb or flood - and compare water speed with speed over the ground.

I previously had a B&W fishfinder, but the colour screen leaves it standing.

I bought both of mine (plotter and fishfinder) over the internet from Florida. Look at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.starmarinedepot.com>http://www.starmarinedepot.com</A> to compare prices. The Navman is warranted worldwide, and I got my plotter software updated via Plastimo/Navimo UK.

<hr width=100% size=1>regards,
Philip

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Out of interest, is there more power consumption required to run the colour screen and what extra information does it give over a black and white, or at at least many shades of grey.

I have the lowrance X51 which I will always recommend, works well, uses teeny amounts of power, easy to read off depth, even functions as a straight forward sounder when or if you want it to.

Don't know about colour sets to recommend, but will say try to get the a screen with more pixels for clarity. This is not necessarily bigger, the X51 is not a large unit but has more pixels than some sets with screens twice the size.

Temperature is really handy, but will not work properly unless the TXducer is in the water, depends if you want another hole. Mine is in the water and I like being able to see the temp, but I guess it is personal preference on that one.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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[gjeffery]

Interesting to know how the water speed function works. Is there a paddle wheel? Is the echo transducer a through-hull type?

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[philip_stevens]

Quoting the manufacturers figures, the 4200xx B&W set consumes 225mA with backling on, and the 4380 Colour set consumes 225mA with backlight on.

Another B&W set, 4100xx, on consumes 150mA, while the 4500 Colour consumes 600mA.

You can see all the comparisons here <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.navman.com/marine/products/fishfinders/spec.html>http://www.navman.com/marine/products/fishfinders/spec.html</A>

<hr width=100% size=1>regards,
Philip

 

[philip_stevens]

On the transom mount transducer (tx) there is a paddle wheel on the same unit as the depth tx. The sensor for temp is also on it.

On my arrangement, it is through hull with two transducers that went into the same two holes as the log and echo sounder tx's that it replaced. There is a Y junction to connnect both tx's into the display head. The speed tx has a paddle wheel as well as the sensor for temp, while the depth tx is separate. The log tx is removable - with care and a spurt of water!! - to de-barnacle it.

<hr width=100% size=1>regards,
Philip

 

[Steve_Bentley]

October PBO compares cheap ones.

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[whisper]

I think he was meaning speed through the water which for example, if going against a current, will be higher than the speed shown by the GPS. This can therefore give you the approximate speed of the current if you need it.

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[whisper]

I've never had a depth sounder in my previous four boats, always a fishfinder. They give a so much more helpful view of what is/was under you than does a normal depth sounder.

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