Chartplotter/Fishfinder/Radar

[Boss]

Hi
I'm looking at purchasing an electronics package for fishing Vancouver Island. It will be installed in a 20' fiberglass hardtop. The boat has no useable electronics so am going for the full load. At the boat show most vendors are pushing Lawrence units. I am looking at HDS 8 gen 2, transducer, 3g broadband radar, NMEA starter kit and fuel flow sensor. Price seems to be coming in at ~$3,500 plus tax.
Are all you Lawrence users happy with your purchase? Are there any other brands/packages out there (in the same price range) that you would recommend? (It seems some salesmen are saying the Garmin units are more suited for "cruising" and the Lawrence units are better for fishing due to superior fishfinder.)
While the card is out... does anyone have the Structure scan? Is it really that useful for salmon/halibut fishing?
Thanks

 

[searun]

Had a lowrance sounder/plotter and radar for years. Works fine for most part, although I do from time to time have issues with the GPS unit shutting down due to intermittent power - or at least that's what lowrance says is the problem. Other than that, unit is great. I don't have side scan, but do have a sounder booster and airmar transducer and it helps improve the sounder's capability. Would be very interested to hear from owners of side scan unit as to how it works in deeper water (ie. 200+ feet).

 

[casper5280]

I got the Lowrance HDS10 and Broadband Radar and Standard Horizon Matrix AIS VHF radio and am waiting on the fuel flow sensor as we speak. I am very happy with the unit so far the only negative I have on it is the refresh rate when you're scanning the gps screen, other than that it's been great starting my second season with it. If you are on the Island I would talk to Mike at Harbour Chandlers.

 

[casper5280]

If your looking at the full load check out Sculpin's thread on his new electronics he just installed. He should be a Lowrance Display model. LOL

 

[Saxe Point]

Some other forums are saying the new Simrad and Raymarine stuff is extremely good.

 

[Fish Assassin]

Raymarine stuff I find you need to go to school to learn how to use. Yes...It is rocket science

 

[Sculpin]

If you are on the Island I would talk to Mike at Harbour Chandlers.

X2 BIG TIME.

I spent the whole weekend on the water and I am getting more familiar with my new system. I LOVE it. The Lowrance HDS Gen2's are the way to go for sure.

Here is the link to my thread regarding the install of my new networked system.

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum...tart-of-a-electronic-s-upgrade-to-the-Sculpin

Talk to the folks at the Harbour Chandler and tell them what you want. They will set you up and go out of their way to save you money to boot.

Cheers,
John

 

[nedarb2]

i know lowrance is very popular locally (price?) but i also know there famous for some very poor customer service at times in some cases - no personal experience just from forum reading. Every lowrance thing i have had has been awesome.
Garmin - getting the repuation for the best chartplotters
furuno - best depthsounders
lowrance/raymarine - best radars

raymarine is very very nice too. for a one unit system, i think i would go raymarine or lowrance right now. all the big name boats - grady, boston whaler, etc. at the boat shows had raymarine

 

[Hookin'up]

Love my HDS10, with gx2150 AIS+ and EP60 fuel flow, and airmar TD, no radar yet (real soon, waiting for sculps to go 4g then I'll buy his 3g lol)
ya have to agree on the harbour chandler, when you got the guys at the lowrance booth recomending them above anyone else it speaks loudly
Tim

 

[albernifisher]

I have the lowrance hds in my boat and love it.Hummingbird just came out with a radar 2 weeks ago and a few of their sounders have structure scan built in so you don't need to go buy another module/transducer and I really like how you can controll your cannon downriggers with the hummingbird sounders.Checked out the cannon downriggers at the boat show,those things are BADASS!!!
Thats what will be going in my boat next

 

[reelfast]

using a fully integrated raymarine system since 2006, radar, MFD, sonar, VHF, digital compass, autopilot... the sonar does not show the little 'humps' of supposed fish but is fully functional down to the bottom of the strait. at the time i opted for this equipment, the display was the brightest and sharpest of the bunch. i am sure, given the pace of electronics, that that gap has closed and there are then lots of other choices available. the key here is can you easily network all of your equipment so data from one is shared with the other devices on the boat network. attending a major boat show is a great way to chat with all of the current providers and look at the simulations all of them having going in their booths. take your time, it has to do what you want it to do. lowarance has a great reputation in the shallow waters of the US as primarily a fish finder unit. i know nothing about their radar or other MDF features. after all of these years, i am still finding things my electronics can do the big instruction books are all piled up next to my reading chair.