Echo Sounder
Submitted by HondaHoncho on Thu, 2012-03-22 10:34
Missus has promised me a fish finder for my birthday, but the limit's $900.00. (Yes, I'm on a short leash! 
)
Needs to be suitable for a 3.9m Quintrex. GPS isn't a must, but I'd prefer colour.
Any advice on a unit which has worked well for you, on a dinghy?
Any advice on modifying the mounting to slip into a rail-mounted rod-holder socket?
Would appreciate any / all feedback!~
Cheers,
HH
hlokk
Posts: 4293
Date Joined: 04/04/08
If you dont need a plotter,
If you dont need a plotter, and you're lucky, you could pick up a furuno 620 for about that much on sale. You'd probably need a sale one to get under a grand with a transducer though. Would be the best sounder despite the low res screen.
For $950 (or possibly less) you can get a lowrance HDS5 DSI which will be a sounder and a chart plotter.
Humminbird also do a combo unit as well. I personally prefer both the sounder and the chartplotter on the humminbirds to the lowrances. The only thing is that on my unit moving the cursor is slow, but everything else is snappy, which has been the opposite to what the HDS units I have used are like (though maybe they fixed it on the DSI version?).
So a few options, and they're all good sounders for a tinny (limited by the transducer for most part).
snappermiles
Posts: 2100
Date Joined: 05/11/10
furuno 620
only way too go!
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
scotto
Posts: 2474
Date Joined: 21/04/08
or
the raymarine A50D was on sale at whitworths for $750 with a free transducer a few months ago. better than the HDS5 IMHO, and even more so at that price
you dont need a 620 on a 3.9m dinghy dude.
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
agree ScottoI reckon a 5 inch
agree Scotto
I reckon a 5 inch combo unit is perfect for that size boat. doubt you'll be fishing much deeper than 30 meters and there's not much space onboard.
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
scotto
Posts: 2474
Date Joined: 21/04/08
here ya go champ
these are combo units, and you can have a 50/50 split screen, or 75/25.
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=46176&intAbsolutePage=1
or for an extra $50 on your budget, go the A57D:
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=46180&intAbsolutePage=1
I have the A50D on my dinghy, and it has very low power draw from the battery, and is way more than adequate for the 4.2 that its in. highly recomended.
HondaHoncho
Posts: 49
Date Joined: 18/03/12
Thanks, Fellas...
All the suggestions much appreciated.
Missus has loosened my chain... and says I can go to $1K.
Now looking into the larger Raymarine. Had never heard of the brand before, but the reviews are pretty good.
Cheers,
HH
PS: Herring off the beaches down south are stripping paint of small minnow lures at present.
Caught 20 in around forty minutes tonight. Canned catfood + pollard has 'em in a frenzy...
sea-kem
Posts: 15109
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Hav a scout on Ebay as well.
Hav a scout on Ebay as well. There's plenty on there.
Love the West!
reef-raider
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 04/10/10
i bought the
A57D from whiteworths after speaking to a pro fisherman who loves his. i was waiting for the new furuno but for the price a having the chartplotter and free transducer i thought the money saved can be spent elsewhere.
spooled79
Posts: 105
Date Joined: 03/06/09
hey guys the a57d looks
hey guys the a57d looks pretty good value and am quite interested.my question is most of my fishing will not be in any deeper than 60 mtrs of water so would i get away with the free transducer that there offering or will i have to upgrade to 1kw for optimum performance
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Lol, a 1kW tranny would be
Lol, a 1kW tranny would be worth more than that whole sounder. Could be seen as overcapitalising.
spooled79
Posts: 105
Date Joined: 03/06/09
well what then
well what then
Tomcat
Posts: 614
Date Joined: 24/02/11
Tranni
I have a tm260 1 kl for raymarine used only a few times as new for 550$
Tomcat
Posts: 614
Date Joined: 24/02/11
Sorry
Did not see it was for tinny it would be over kill
HondaHoncho
Posts: 49
Date Joined: 18/03/12
Echo Sounder
Bought the A50D Raymarine, fellas:
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=46176&intAbsolutePage=1
As some of you commented, the A57D would have been overkill on a 3.9 m Quinnie.
Phil at Whitworths Leederville was a great help...