Lowrance OR Simrad

[frankS]

Hi guys. Does anyone actually use side scan with their sounder ? I have never had a sounder with this feature and to day is the day that I will be buying my new sounder as Lowrance is 10% off for today only.

For just a few dollars more I can get a Simrad sounder but it does not have side scan feature and is just the basic type sounder /gps combo, however the Simrad does come with Cmap card where with the Lowrance it's extra $300 odd dollars. Both sounders are the 9" version.

Frank

[Smobaby]

Frank side scan/ down view are must have features for scanning structure. Traditional sonar is a cone therefore anything in that area will come up on the screen but could be 20 metres to the right or left of your position, side scan will show the structure  relative to to your boat position making boat positioning on top of something  much more accurate and quicker .  The higher the kHz better for shallow water, lower better for deeper water, once you have used it you will appreciate the benefits.

[Rebel]

Simrad are expensive, but all the top Pro's use them.

Cheers.

[frankS]

34 minutes ago, Smobaby said:

Frank side scan/ down view are must have features for scanning structure. Traditional sonar is a cone therefore anything in that area will come up on the screen but could be 20 metres to the right or left of your position, side scan will show the structure  relative to to your boat position making boat positioning on top of something  much more accurate and quicker .  The higher the kHz better for shallow water, lower better for deeper water, once you have used it you will appreciate the benefits.

Thanks for your quick reply. And I don't want to appear rude but  I do know what it does and the benefits it has BUT I want to know IF people actually take the extra time needed to use it often OR is it just a luxury that is there to use on the odd occasion.

I have heard some bad things being said about Lowrance of late and although Lowrance was my first choice and I am just about convinced to buy one, the Simrad sounds like a good alternative.

Frank

[Rebel]

You are right about the Lowrance. There have been complaints about them and the warranty. Don't know why ?

Never heard a complint about Simrad.

Frank do your research it pays off in the long run.

Cheers.

[yella king]

Hi Frank

I would go with the side scan, I think it would be something that you would  use a lot as it is great for positioning the boat with in casting distance from hidden structure. It`s also easier to find fish around structure rather then wasting time prospect fishing on structure you think holds fish.

 

cheers

[Tunastrike11]

I have owned both Simrad and Lowrance sounders over the years cant complain about either both are good.

[frankS]

Bought the Lowrance.

Went to the shop that advertised them at 10% off waited at the counter for 15 odd minutes while the salesman talked to another customer about a life jacket, the customer walked out without buying anything.

I asked the salesman for a 9" lowrance sounder/gps, the reply was haven't got one, just what you see on display, I said don't you have any in stock in the warehouse or another shop, he repeated abruptly with a nasty voice Just what you see there.

I walked out and went to the orange snake and paid full price. I will not be going to that store again.

I should have asked to see the manager who I have had good conversations with in the past and reported on the salesman's bad attitude, but as it was very busy I just walked out.

Frank

[big Neil]

4 hours ago, frankS said:

Bought the Lowrance.

Went to the shop that advertised them at 10% off waited at the counter for 15 odd minutes while the salesman talked to another customer about a life jacket, the customer walked out without buying anything.

I asked the salesman for a 9" lowrance sounder/gps, the reply was haven't got one, just what you see on display, I said don't you have any in stock in the warehouse or another shop, he repeated abruptly with a nasty voice Just what you see there.

I walked out and went to the orange snake and paid full price. I will not be going to that store again.

I should have asked to see the manager who I have had good conversations with in the past and reported on the salesman's bad attitude, but as it was very busy I just walked out.

Frank

Hard getting good service in some places Frank. General attitude is that the customer isn't important. Some sales personnel need to understand NO SALES= NO JOB. bn

[frankS]

9 hours ago, big Neil said:

Hard getting good service in some places Frank. General attitude is that the customer isn't important. Some sales personnel need to understand NO SALES= NO JOB. bn

Neil. Just out of curiosity I checked for myself online and both Wetherill Park and Minchinbury stores have stock and could have delivered the items. I also bought a Epirb and some other smaller items, so the store missed a $1500 + sale.

And the orange snake gave me free delivery where the major retail store would have charged delivery.

Frank

[Rebel]

What goes around, comes around.

You did ok Frank.

Cheers.

[JonD]

Not quite sure on that comment that all the pro's use Simrad as the top chapter operators down here have all moved to Garmin.

I used lowrance products for over 20yrs but replaced them about every three years or when some sort of worthwhile improvement had been made. The last few years I found Lowrance to be dishonest in regards to their warranties and have moved away from them for good, however I would pick a lowrance over simrad if I had too. Lowrance don't repair their units in this country and the last times Ive spoken with the tec team I wasn't able to understand the people from their side which seemed to always be Indian accents. 

A hds12 unit I owned constantly kept freezing up as well as kept sounding the 1m shallow water alarm while offshore beyond the shelf. Lowrance told me there was a firmware issue for that model that would be addressed, however on my next call three months later they claimed to of never stated such a problem. This went on until the warranty ran out when they offered me a brand new discounted unit with 3 months warranty which was the same discount price of whitworths new. Never got it fixed and moved to Garmin.

The commercial abalone boat I sometimes skipper had a new 16ins simrad which constantly shut down as soon as you hit any waves (not pounding daring waves) however the lowrance backup worked faultlessly. That was replaced after just three months for another 16 simrad  which did exactly the same. A friend recently took possession of a brand new Edencraft with again a 16in simrad which again shuts down when you hit heavy seas and also struggles to respond with touch screen (inside cab area in the dry) and has now been replaced with another 16 but not yet tested.

My latest little boat has both simrad evo3 and Garmin 8410 with the simrad being used for charts. Just like the bigger units my simrad shuts down as soon as I start hitting any rough conditions, so I wondering if its some sort of protection within the head unit that does this. It really doesn't take much for it to shut down and I now don't even bother turning it on and will remove it from the boat when I can get round to it.

Whats also disappointing is the Simrad, Lowrance reveal charts are nowhere near as good as the G3 vision charts put out by Garmin. For inshore charts they are both good but offshore the Navionics are rubbish.

An image from side scan from my old lowrance, which was good but having to do three restarts every time I turned it on became frustrating.

Depths in metres.

[Rebel]

Scanners are like motor cars. Sometimes a bad model is made.

Never had a problem with a simrad.

Lowrance have lost the plot.

Cheers.

[noelm]

I have found Lowrance to be a bit hit and miss these days too, everything I have is Garmin now, seems to be fair enough quality for the price. Frank, if the store you had the bad experience with was the big three letter one, I have had similar experience with them too, spoken to the manager and got a voucher, but I said to him to keep his voucher, but fix the staff issues.

Edited December 27, 2021 by noelm

[frankS]

Noel. Yes mate it was. turnes out the 10% discount was all BS as well as sounders were already on sale, If you give them your phone number that gives you an automatic special price and no more discounts are applicable. So like so many other retail stores the so called Boxing day sales are nothing but words, no real discounts, there are some items that they have been having trouble getting rid of that go cheaper but anything worth buying is the regular price.

Come in sucker !!.

Frank

[sixtysix]

Hi All.

Have been looking at Fishraider now and then for a couple years now but today is first contact.I need some advice please.

Two years ago I bought an echomap plus 95sv with a Gt51TM.Seems 95sv now discontinued.Downvu  and Sidevu work great but after 40 odd metres Sonar has trouble marking individual fish.

Opotion are;

Was thinking of keeping the GT51 and upgrading head unit to 8410xsv(if I can find one)With Pixs at 1920x1200 sounds good.

Or upgrading to 1Kw thru hull (if necessary)as well as the GT51.Will these two work together on the 8410xsv?

I usually like to fish ocean 40 to 90 metres and the Fads when weather allows.Kiama,Shoalhaven,Narooma 

My boat,1999 Seafarer Viking (and not for sale)

Open to ideas in the Garmin range and would be good to see anyone’s screen shots.

Thanks in advance.

SS

[noelm]

The transducer makes a huge difference when in deeper water, though your depths it should be OK with what you have.

[frankS]

1 hour ago, sixtysix said:

Hi All.

Have been looking at Fishraider now and then for a couple years now but today is first contact.I need some advice please.

Two years ago I bought an echomap plus 95sv with a Gt51TM.Seems 95sv now discontinued.Downvu  and Sidevu work great but after 40 odd metres Sonar has trouble marking individual fish.

Opotion are;

Was thinking of keeping the GT51 and upgrading head unit to 8410xsv(if I can find one)With Pixs at 1920x1200 sounds good.

Or upgrading to 1Kw thru hull (if necessary)as well as the GT51.Will these two work together on the 8410xsv?

I usually like to fish ocean 40 to 90 metres and the Fads when weather allows.Kiama,Shoalhaven,Narooma 

My boat,1999 Seafarer Viking (and not for sale)

Open to ideas in the Garmin range and would be good to see anyone’s screen shots.

Thanks in advance.

SS

Hi and welcome to the site. You would be better off making a new post with your question, many more readers will read it .

Placing it here within another thread will only allow members that are reading My post to read it.

Maybe the Moderators would be kind enough to re-locate it into a thread by itself.

Frank

Edited December 28, 2021 by frankS

[sixtysix]

Thanks Frank

I just put it in a new topic in Tech Support,i hope that was the right thing to do.

SS

[JonD]

5 hours ago, sixtysix said:

Hi All.

Have been looking at Fishraider now and then for a couple years now but today is first contact.I need some advice please.

Two years ago I bought an echomap plus 95sv with a Gt51TM.Seems 95sv now discontinued.Downvu  and Sidevu work great but after 40 odd metres Sonar has trouble marking individual fish.

Opotion are;

Was thinking of keeping the GT51 and upgrading head unit to 8410xsv(if I can find one)With Pixs at 1920x1200 sounds good.

Or upgrading to 1Kw thru hull (if necessary)as well as the GT51.Will these two work together on the 8410xsv?

I usually like to fish ocean 40 to 90 metres and the Fads when weather allows.Kiama,Shoalhaven,Narooma 

My boat,1999 Seafarer Viking (and not for sale)

Open to ideas in the Garmin range and would be good to see anyone’s screen shots.

Thanks in advance.

SS

 

Posted in your other thread😉  

Yes those transducers will work together but I had to change the plug on my 175 airmar, a 185 you dont need to change anything but dont have the option of chirp.

Edited December 28, 2021 by JonD