Thread: Advice sought for 2nd sonar/GPS unit to add to boat

I have a Lowrance LMS-320 sonar/GPS unit on my center console which is of course impossible to see while fishing out of my bow seat. I want to add another sonar/GPS unit up there on the bow and looking for model recommendations for anybody else who has made a recent purchase.

Lowrance has been alright but I'm no brand snob. New unit will require mounting a transducer to the bow mount trolling motor - no problems there. Probably looking for a mid-range unit, color display not a big deal to me, keeping it under $600 is where I want to be.

Not completely sure I need the GPS - could possibly get by without it if it meant a significantly cheaper unit. I have GPS on the other unit. Nowhere to see the units in person where I live - gonna be an online purchase wherever it comes from. I think I want a screen size of at least 480 - many of the smaller units are too small for me.

Anybody have a recommendation?

I'm considering getting something for transportable use & have started looking at used units on EBAY. Humminbird has free downloadable user manuals for everything it sells and has sold, so if there's a question about a unit's features or specs, it's there. My problem is too much choice.

There are lots of choices. First, the 480 is a pixel count and not always an indication of screen dimensions. Althought, the larger the pixel count the more resolution/clearer/cleaner looking picture.

I don't know about GPS on the new things. If it was me, I would buy one without it and save some money, then buy a cheap handheld GPS for the purpose. That way you can take it with you on someone elses boat or the canoe/kayak etc.

If color don't matter to you, skip it and save some money. But one you have one with color, it is kinda cool to look at. Doesn't show anything that a grey scale unit won't show, just a cool factor and maybe even a bit easier for aging eyes to see.

Most all units from $99 to $600 all have the same 20° cone angle transducers. So, you are looking at a bottom area that is equal to 1/3 of the water depth. Meaning, in 10' of water you are seeing a 3' circle. 20' deep and you see 7' of the bottom. A few units have dual beams, generally a 20° and 60° for more bottom coverage. Humminbird does have 2 units that have "qaud beam" and will cover up to a 90° beam. And you get to see a bottom area equal to the depth of the water. These two units also show which side of the boat an object is on when it is in the outside two beams. You run a 3 way split screen. Short of getting a side imaging unit, the quad beam is kinda handy. When you come across a brush pile, the split screen will show which side of the boat the largest part of the pile is on. Same with suspended objects (be they fish or leaves or sticks or old condoms or dead bodies)

If you want to go cheap, but still have everything you need, you can get an Eagle 320 for $139. Or an Eagle 480 for under $200.

You really need to see them in person to judge screen size. The new BPS opens on Oct. 4. Come to Richmond then and visit BPS, Gander mountain and Greentop.

I have the cheaper of the 2 Quad beam Humminbirds. I don't use it now that I have the SI. You will see it is for sale above in the classifieds. I also have a portable bracket/clamp that let you temporarily install a transducer just about anywhere. I just don't have a power cord for the unit. I used it on my pontoon to power the SI when I switch from boat to boat. You are more than welcome to take the unit and the bracket and play with it. No commitment. Try it. If nothing else it will give you some idea of exactly where you might mount the unit up front for best viewing. I know Gander and Greentop have a power cord for it. Get it, and if you don't like the unit I will pay you for it when I get it back.

Seriously, the stuff is sitting here in the box. Get it and try it. The quad beam is a small step forward.

Now, eventually, you need a SI unit on the console and a lesser unit on the bow. If you decide on a Humminbird 797SI, what a couple months until the new ones come out with 2 SD slots.

Dayton

Corker, same offer for you. The bracket thingy works will for portability. You are welcome to take it all and play with it.

Dayton

You can play with an emulator to see if you like a unit. Here's

Lowrance's emulator page. You can do a search and find Eagles emulator page as well.

Both my fish finders are in color and I will never go back to black and grey. For me, the white background is much much better than a grey background. I have a Lowrance x510c on the bow of my boat and love it.