Lowrance or humingbird??

[rsako]

I'm sure that there has been plenty o discussions on sounders and plotters in the past. looking for comments on these. I need a unit that is compatible with Navitronics digital maps and i have narrowed my search down to these brands.

The screen looks awesome on the HDS models. Anyone used these before? Service issues?

[chubbdarter]

which models?
one recomendation....buy from the Hole....they have the personel to explain everything to you and they back their sale like no one else.

[rsako]

Thinking HDS 8 and any similar sized screen on a Hummingbird. I haven't ruled out all the other makers neither...I just liked what i saw. So i'm still open to suggestions.

What are you running? happy with it?

And yes, i have always had great service with the Fishing Hole. :)

[Teamprotz]

I got my HDS 8 on Ebay from a Canadian seller for $1300 , new. With the dollar the way it is , if I can save $600 on something I don't really need , I'm all over it. Yes , the Hole isn't full of 16 year old kids that try to baffle you with bulls**t , they'll treat you right.

[rsako]

$1300 for an HDS 8 !! cad$

please tell me who?

[Mudslide]

It's the same thing wherever you go. If you're not talking to someone who actually owns and uses these units, Knows the specs, and knows what they mean, then you're getting nothing but regurgitated BS. If you go into any store, ask the guy: Who in this store owns and uses sonar and GPS units? Talk to that guy! If they can't turn em on and demonstrate the features of the unit for you, then you know you better move along.

That said; the Lowrance HDS series is the king of the hill right now but you pay a premium for that because the side imaging/down scan (Structure Scan) is an extra add on box that increases the cost significantly.

The all in one Huminbird 798ci HD SI Combo Power Output, for instance; is 500 Watts (RMS) 4000 Watts (Peak-to-Peak) It's rated for 1500 ft depth and the side imaging is Side Imaging/Down Imaging 455 kHz / (2) 86° @ -10db
Max Depth: 100 ft.
http://store.humminbird.com/products/409964/798ci_HD_SI_Combo

The Lowrance HDS-5 on the other hand has moved to a digital format which actually draws less power but is off the chart in output.

Max Max 250W Peak to Peak (31W RMS) actual; 30,000W Peak to Peak. analog equivalent W. Max 5000 ft \ 1524 m
http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Marine/HDS-High-Definition-System/HDS-5-FishfinderGPS-Chartplotter/Specifications/
The Lowrance Structurescan is rated Max Depth: 100 ft (800kHz); 300 ft (455kHz)
Sidescan Specifications:
Max Range: 455kHz (500ft — 250 per side) 800kHz (300ft —150 per side)
Max Speed: 35 mph (56 kmh)
Mark objects: 15 mph (24 kmh)
Optimum speed: 10 mph (16 kmh) or less
http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Marine/Broadband-Sounder-and-Ethernetworking/StructureScan/Specifications/

You can do the math yourself but clearly the Lowrance has superior stats.

For shallow water (Alberta type fishing) You can fly with the bird and save some money but if you want the best, then buy the best.

I paid $1700 in the States for my HDS-8 with insight and the sal****er 50/200 transducer Last year. There is a 150 dollar rebate on them now till the end of March. I'm getting the Structurescan box and maybe a HDS-7 for the boat this Spring.

[Teamprotz]

Can't remember his Ebay tag , but I thought it was a scam. Used the buy it now and never heard anything. Thought , ok , i"m covered under Paypal , then it shows up at a buddys work in Saskatoon , shipped to the wrong address. We've been using Lowrance on our boats for years and they've always been trouble free. Turn them on , they come on , and work like they should.

[Topwater]

Better do some research on your Navionics maps before you make desisions based on those. The ones that I had were about 20-30 meters off at Slave. Not impressed. They havent surveyed any lakes and only used the sh$tty govt maps for there software. There is the Canada hotmaps though which is topo only but its better then nothing.

The new Hummingbirds are Awsome and Lowrance has had some QC issues the last few years. I'm still running some of the older lowrances because they just wont die. I've got 2, Lcx 110's and a Lcx 25. I've had the one 110 and 25 since 2005 and the other 110 since 2006 so thats like 5 different boats I've mounted them on now. Only issues has been the transducers. I think if you get any more then 2 years on a transducer your on borrowed time.

If you have the money I would make sure to get units bigger than 5 inches. With a 5 inch unit on split sonar/gps screen, its just way to small. I had a 5inch lowrance on the bow of my boat in 05 and sold it at the end of the season.

I like high end/big screen electronics. Its kinda a gift from myself to myself. Plus all told I've maybe spent $350 on televisions for the house so I have my prioritys straight.
Steve

[-JR-]

Transducers are only good to minus 20 C
If you don't keep your boat in a heated garage ,you have to take them off in the winter months.
I wish they would make a transducer unplug at its end not at the other end .
Would make removeable much easyer. thats why they sell so many every year.

[chubbdarter]

Transducers are only good to minus 20 C
If you don't keep your boat in a heated garage ,you have to take them off in the winter months.
I wish they would make a transducer unplug at its end not at the other end .
Would make removeable much easyer. thats why they sell so many every year.

what about tranducers on flasher units?
or
transducers on modified fish finders?

[rsako]

[/QUOTE]maybe spent $350 on televisions for the house so I have my prioritys straight.
Steve[/QUOTE]

Hilarious :)

This thread has been a real learning experience from all. Jury is still out as I have a couple month to play around before the boat actually shows up...

Family settled on a new Lund Impact 1875 with the 150 Verado and 9.9 pro kicker :-) I cant wait to rig it out and enjoy every square inch of it :)

keep the comments coming folks...been a blast..taking notes...:test:

[AbProwler]

I bought the HDS7, great sonar....but in the middle of Cold Lake.the GPS shows my boat sitting downtown in a small town in OHIO.:mad0030:
I bought in in 2009, when they were up to $1499.00. Never used it last year at all, I will wait until I can afford a Raymarine!!!!!!!

[Kingfisher]

I have used both Lawrance and Hummingbird finders in the past. My last one was a Hummingbird. I switched about 2 years ago to the Lawrance HDS5 and never looked back. The resolution is fantastic, even in the bright sunlight. The screen is much improved over older units. If I were getting another one today I would get the larger HDS8 for a larger screen. But even with the HDS5 when I split the screen it is clear as a bell. The larger screen would be nice though.

I haven't had a chance to see the newest Hummingbird in action. I am sure you probably wouldn't go wrong with either one. But as Mudslide points out the power used to opperate the Hummingbird is significantly more over a full day's use. So that might be a factor when using the finder throughout a whole day.

For my money I would go with the Lawrance. You won't be dissapointed.

Rob

[AlbertaOutdoorsmen19]

I bought a new HDS 5 last spring and used it all summer for Pike and Lakers and it works like a dream. My vote would be Lowrance!

[rsako]

Thanks to all who replied to this thread.

It has been a real learning experience since i have been away from this techno fishing stuff for longer than one would wish...

All is good. I placed my order for a Lowrance HDS 8 today. It will serve us well on the new boat :)

[slipbobber]

I am looking for a new unit myself. Going with a Lorance unit. Not sure of the model yet. Will be the HDS5 or the Elite 5 DSI. Want the GPS for sure. Not sure about the DSI but it looks like it gives you a great view of whats under the boat.

[michaelmicallef]

I will never buy Hummingbird again. Had a problem with my portable unit in that it would go crazy in water deeper than 60 ft when it was at that depth for 20 minutes or longer. Sent it back to them twice. Both times they sent in back saying it was fine. Finally put it in the trash and bought a Lawrance. They know navigation electronics. Thats what you will see in commercial vessels.

[npauls]

Hey slipbobber just a heads up.

The hds5 is capable of the full structure scan while the DSI is only capable of downscan.

Also the hds5 can be networked to other hds units later on where as the DSI is a stand alone unit and can only run on its own.

Both are solid units from what I can tell. I run the HDS8 and love it so far. Just need to afford the LSS-1 so I can start running structure scan.

[Kokanee9]

I will never buy Hummingbird again. Had a problem with my portable unit in that it would go crazy in water deeper than 60 ft when it was at that depth for 20 minutes or longer. Sent it back to them twice. Both times they sent in back saying it was fine. Finally put it in the trash and bought a Lawrance. They know navigation electronics. Thats what you will see in commercial vessels.

I'm just wondering how long it took from the time of mailing to when you got it back was. I need another sonar and kind of still debating which one to go for.The one on the boat started acting up last august and by the end of sept, it was no good. Tried a new transducer with no luck. It was factory installed at lund and is not worth the money to have it fixed, so I am looking for a different one. I will just be using the portable flasher until I do get one.

[AK47]

http://i53.tinypic.com/35lgeis.gif

[SushiUnagi]

Hopefully you got it at the Fishin Hole! If you have any probs, just bring it back to them and they'll take care of everything for you.

I bought my portable humminbird from Bass Pro. It failed after a while and Bass Pro won't take care of it for me and I have to ship it back to the factory myself. Where's the factory? Alabama. $60 shipping across border at least and another $60 back. Might as well buy a new one.
I later learn there's a third party repair shop but in Abbotsford, BC. Still costs a fortune shipping it there.

[hihi962]

Can't comment on how the HDS lowrance units work yet.. give me a few months, but I too bought an HDS-10, also a 5, and with structure scan, all brand new from Ebay seller Shane7725, looks like he has others for sale too! but I gave him a package offer for $2700. u.s.
and got my dealer to install all the units, saved a ton as opposed to getting Lund to put them all in!
I was seaching for a while and that was the cheapest I could find.. plus, since I got two units I have an extra transducer too!

I bought another network cable, so now the two are connected and I have structure scan on both screens, even though the 5 inch uses the universal sonar from the kotta up front.

[bobalong]

Transducers are only good to minus 20 C
If you don't keep your boat in a heated garage ,you have to take them off in the winter months.
I wish they would make a transducer unplug at its end not at the other end .
Would make removeable much easyer. thats why they sell so many every year.

Buy a tranducer extension cable and run it from your unit to the back of the boat, then just connect your transducer at the back, easy to remove when you want to.

[slipbobber]

[QUOTE=-JR-;850186]Transducers are only good to minus 20 C
If you don't keep your boat in a heated garage ,you have to take them off in the winter months.

Wow I didn't know that. Never did anything special with my transducer but kept the fishfinder in the house for the winter. Never ever had a problem with it.