New electronics

[joeglow]

About to upgrade electronics in my boat. I have always had just traditional 2d (recently got color) and for someone that has never used di or si they seem a little overwhelming.

What units are "more" user friendly?
Pros / Cons when comparing HB and lowrance?

[Cray]

Humminbird is way more user friendly. You will get a answers all over the board on this one. But that's the reason I went to Bird from Lowrance products when I upgraded.

[Boatbottom]

What cray said.

[BigRiverMarine]

Lowrance!!! Their built in insight is really nice up the rivers and showing old creek channels and other structure. User friendly just means run it in auto mode.

[SlabMeister]

Really depends on how much you want to spend. I have Humminbird Onix 10 c SI units with a transom mount 360 and I love the set up. Will be glad when more lakes get mapped so I can use the follow the contour feature with my Terrova trolling motor. They are very user friendly.

I can create my own lake contour maps with the Onix units. Finding time to make the maps is the problem. When I'm on the lake I'm fishing not making maps! It takes time making the criss crossing pattern on the lake to create the maps.

[clfarms1]

Just got it today from BBG
the bigger the better

[joeglow]

So with lowrance maps are built in and are decent. Humminbird I would have to purchase the map card? I'm wanting to run di up front and side from the console. The idea is Id like to make a waypoint based on what I see on the console unit then be able to go back to it from up front. Is the hb or lowrance (softer on pocket) to be able to do this. From everything I've seen the returns on both brands are comparable.

[BigRiverMarine]

I'm a Lowrance guy, but HB is nice also. I really like the built in Insight, and you can use Navionics and see both mapping programs side by side on the Lowrance. Insight for where the Navionics doesn't show up, and both for seeing contours and structure side by side when they both show up.

The Insigt shows you stuff the new programs don't and its like using a topographical map of the lake bed.

[joeglow]

Gotcha ....thanks for explaining it BRM. Could you pm me how much it would cost for install for one or both units if you do installs?

[SlabMeister]

BRM is a great guy to buy from and I'm sure Lowrance is top of the line also. I didn't mean to confuse the issue about maps. Humminbird also has maps you can also run Lakemaster chips which Johnson Marine also owns or Navionics chips. You can also run a two way or three way split screen with the map plus your choice of SI, DI or 360 or the combination that you choose displayed at the same time. You also have the ability to set your Terrova trolling motor to follow a set contour and all you do is fish. You can set your system to follow an 8', 10' etc... contour set your speed at whatever speed that you want to maintain and your boat is on auto steer. You can create your own track and follow it. The motor will speed up and slow down to keep you at desired speed and make adjustments to keep you on course. I can get up put a fish in the live well reel in a fish at the back of the boat and the boat is operating itself without me having to operate it. This is handy for pulling cranks and long line trolling especially when fishing alone. This is what sold me on Humminbird plus I like the 360 option. I can sit still and see what is around my boat in a 360 degree radius even in as shallow as 2' of water.

The mapping part that I was referring to is that I have the ability to make contour maps of lakes that are not on the chips and believe me they are not all mapped at this time. I can map one part of the lake or all of it. I can also overlay that on the Navionics or Lakemaster maps.

Good luck with your choice and once again BRM is a great guy to buy from just wanted to clear that up with the mapping.