Electronics???

[Eric McNiff]

CM - I have always had good luck with Furuno for FF. I had a 8" Furuno CRT machine that I just replaced with a FCV1100L 10" machine last year. It is large powerful machine - I use it for tuna fishing and need the power to blast out the other boats in the fleet.

If you are tuna fishing the boat - go with at least a 600 watt machine minumum - it will pick up chum better and will not get "confused" when other boats are around. If you are bass fishing or just bottom fishing the 600L should work fine for you - it is a really nice machine. The next step up is the FCV582L which is a 600 watt machine with a slightly large display.

Sitex makes some nice machines....but they are a little clunky and not as user friendly - the higher end ones work well though.

Check out JRC as well - they compete with Furuno -a little cheaper - I have a JRC CRT radar that works great.

I don't know much about Garmin FF - didn't know they made them - I have never seen anyone use them.

I do have a 182 and a 182C that I love. not as expensive as some other machines and does the job well.

[Mark]

I've had good luck with Garmin fish finders in the past and have ordered the 320C - only time will tell, but they stand behind their products nicely.

[Scott]

heres some recent talk about the fishfinders ......

[FELLOW-SHIP]

I HAVE THE 600 FURUNO AND THE GARMIN 182 NOT THE C ON MY 23 CC. I LOVE THE COMPO BIG ENOUGH AND STRONG ENOUGH BUT NOT TO COSTLY. IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN TODAY I WOULD STILL GO WITH THE 600 FURUNO AND GARMIN 182C NOW THAT THERE ARE AVAILABLE.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[ocuyler]

CMB,

I just ordered the Lowrance LCX-19c http://www.lowrance.com/Marine/Products/LCX-19C.asp for my 23'. At $2,000 for the combo unit (111-84), I felt it not only combines the GPS and fishfinder functions, but offers color and high resolution. I like it's programable PC link card functions. It comes with all that PC stuff and I'm installing a USB connector in the new dash to connect my laptop for downloads.

It also includes a dual freq. transom mount transducer and GPS antenna. The wide area Navionic XT chips are $189, with room for 2 chips.

I also went with the Standard Horizon Eclipse + VHF cause it's cheap and dependable. DSC too.

I have Garmin on the Carver and Sea Ray and enjoy the III+ as back-up and for the road. But, their 2006 is priced too high as a combo after you buy all the accessories that should be included as a combo package.

The room was limited to flush mount everything in the 23 console, so a combo is what made sense. My .02 cents, anyway.

Otto

[Scott]

Eric ...with that machine , nice one by the way, is it the power or is it the variable frequency to help avoid the interference....I would guess both help a lot

[Eric McNiff]

Scott - I think you're right - Furuno offers the machine in slightly different frequency scales which helps isolate the signal and differentiate yours from the other signals in the water. The power also helps - I got the 1000 watt, but they offer 2000 and 3000 - but with those machines, the beam gets really narrow. I have been 800+ feet away from boats that are using 300w machines that I blow out.

[fishbote]

CM - Have you thought about Raymarine HSB2 or Furuno Navnet? Both give you the ability to switch between displays. I went with the Raymarine HSB2. I have one color display and one monocrome display. Unfortuneately, they are still in the boxes as my boat is not ready for them yet. I like the idea of heading out with a color plotter and have monocrome radar and when I arrive change the color display to my fish finder and split the other screen to have radar and gps. I just wish I could give you real world feedback. Anyway, good luck and if you want to stay with a standalone ff then I would recommend the 582L.

[John R]

I know a reputable guy that sells marine electronics the 402 leaks / condensates - get the 502 or a comparable model

Fishbote - can you do that? Switch between screens so I'd get color from the monochrome FF by cross decking to a color screen? Anyone know if possible to output to PC [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ? Assuming I have a boat of course [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[CMBarnes]

I am starting to restore my 23' cc this week and am also going to be putting some new electronics on her. So far I am leaning towards Furuno FCV 600L for the ff and Garmin's 182c for the gps. What do people think about these units? I know Garmin has a new color ff (320c) coming out in April.....is it worth waiting? I have always heard good things about Furuno's ff. I am also thinking of the Icom 402 for the radio. There is already a Standard but it is old and would be a backup. Any ideas or opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks, CMB