Fishfinder for Dummy's

[wgr270]

I've been torn between the Furuno 6100 and the Garmin 320C.<br />Sounds like the Furuno gets better reviews as far as the product itself BUT from what I've read it sounds like the Garmin is much user friendly and easier to navigate and since I'm not always driving I'd like the easiest user friendly model.<br /><br />Also, I've noticed Garmin is coming out with a 250C unit this spring and to be honest it seems pretty comparable to the 320C but half the cost.<br /><br />Anybody have any input on these? Thom?<br /><br />Thanks!!!

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

I have no experience with the Garmin fish finder's so I can't comment on them. I also don't own a LS6100 and have only used 2 of them. I do, however have years of experience with other Furuno models, just about all of them at one time or another either as the owner or using them on the boat's of others. For me there really wouldn't even be a choice, I'd just buy the Furuno and never look back.<br /><br />I used to tell folks that when they were in the market for a fish finder that there was one guaranteed way to get the very best possible unit available from all the ones in the world they might consider. I still believe this is a viable method. Here it is. Get yourself a list of all of the current models made by Furuno. List them beginning with the least expensive and going all the way up to the most expensive. Leave out the scientific models. Now, starting from the bottom of the list just go up untile the price made you choke. Move back down the list one model and buy it. You will have just bought the very best fish finder made anywhere in the world within the budget you had available. Lots of folks thought I was kidding. I wasn't.<br /><br />In terms of the complexity of operation, well, that's really just not a valid issue with a fish finder. First off all you really have to do with any of the modern ones to get a very good and useful representation of the water column is to simply put them into "Automatic." If you don't choose to do that, and want to run it manually, you really have to realize that a fish finder isn't all that complicated. In the vast majority of the time you simply set the range and adjust the gain for the best picture you can get under the circumstance and let it go at that. All of the complicated stuff on a fish finder is back in the setup and you make changes there rarely and usually at the dock. On top of that most of them have factory defaults that suit the vast majority of circumstance.<br /><br />So for me the thought of the operating system ease of use is really sort of a non-issue. They got a knob or a button that says Gain, they got one that says Range, that's all I need to know for now. I'll figure out the rest of it at my leisure by putting the manual in the bookstand next to the toilet.<br /><br />Thom

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

WGR270 – In general, sounding is very solid technology. Btw, you are comparing a Furuno monochromatic display with a Garmin color display.<br /><br />This should help confuse you. <br /><br />For power, Garmin over Furuno.<br />For transducers options, Furuno way over Garmin.<br />For display, Garmin over Furuno.<br />For features, Furuno over Garmin.<br />For support, Garmin way over Furuno.<br />For networking, Furuno over Garmin.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

That's a good list and with one exception I'd agree with it. The exception is in the area of service. Its not that Garmin's service is better than Furuno's but its provided differently, that's for sure. <br /><br />In my experience, and I've certainly dealt with the service departments of both companys a lot more than once, the Furuno people don't particularly want to hold a discussion with you. Just send it in and they will fix it. ICOM is like that as well. Garmin will to to a lot more trouble to first make sure that its not something that you are doing or causing. In either case I have never had service denied but in the case of Garmin I have had to pay for repairs of older equipment, and that's something that's never happened to me with Furuno. Anyway that's just an observation. I think the way Garmin takes care of folks is friendlier, and by a couple of days its also a little faster, but as far as the actual service goes they are probably in a dead heat with maybe Furuno being just a little bit more responsive to actual problems of defect of material or craftsmanship.<br /><br />Thom

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Garmin has equipment in the panels of multi-million dollar jets flying above your head right now. They are a company that produces much more than just depthfinders, more than just marine. They produce electronics used in everything from boats to aircraft.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

When I buy my multi-million dollar jet, I’m definitely putting a Garmin fishfinder in it! … maybe even two … one on each wing! <br /><br />But on my boat ...

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

<br /><br />Thanks, we needed that around here!<br /><br />Garmin makes fine equipment, and you'll find plenty of it in private planes, boats, trucks, cars, and in the hands of campers and hikers everywhere. No question about that. If you want a very good GPS made by a company who is at the top of the class in customer service, that can be had at a reasonably price anywhere in the country it is the one for you.<br /><br />Furuno makes the best fish finders in the world. They make them for virtually every type of craft on the water, from scientific survey instruments to the puny little fish finders we use. Their Radars are as good as their fish finders too. If you want the best fish finder made for the money, in any class, just pick the model by Furuno that matches your budget. Its really that simple.<br /><br />Thom

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Ok ok I had a good laugh at your replys but my point was Garmin is a well respected name in many areas of recreation. If a Citation X owner can trust it to navigate him across the country at 52000 feet and 92% the speed of sound, you can probably trust it to show you the depth of water under your boat.

 

[SeaDawg]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

WGR270, I'm going to be making the same kind of decision you are facing, later this summer. My approach is going to be to get the features I want in a unit, and compare Garmin's price to Furuno, and the best price will win.<br /><br />I truly believe you cannot go wrong with either company's products, as long as you get the features that are important to you.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

The price of the Garmin fish finder will be close, but less, than the Furuno every time. The Garmin's are good machines, but you get what you pay for. If you are going to select on price alone you are going to get a second rate machine every time. If it suits your needs then you did well. If there is another one that would worked better for you, well, you know the answer there. As for me, I get to fish far to infrequently to skimp on equipment for the times I do get to go. That's how I view it.<br /><br />Thom

 

[wgr270]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Thanks everybody!!!<br /><br />One more thing...Is color really that much different/better. Everything says color is good in direct sunlight but my gps isn't color and I have no problems with it. I've never seen a color unit except in stores. Is color worth the extra cash?

 

[Troy_from _Oz]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

I think that there has been some research conducted that indicates that colour in a sonar display can have a similar effect as increasing the signal to noise ratio by a couple of dB. <br /><br />This may or may not be significant depending on the application.<br /><br />Colour displays also allow the intensity of the return to be displayed. This can help most in a cluttered environment when the return is almost indistinguishable from the background noise - for example if you have the gain turned up - you might be able to see features with colour that you wouldnt be able to with black and white. I'd guess that this is why it is of more interest to sonar than to GPS.<br /><br />Cheers<br />Troy

 

[Troy_from _Oz]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

sorry Wgr - i guess my last post didnt answer your question about whether or not colour is worth the extra $$$... Im not sure - I guess it depends on lots of other things, but thought i'd help with why they might be better.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Color in a fish finder gives you additional information, it doesn't do that with a GPS. With a GPS it makes it look pretty and in unfamiliar waters I'll buy the argument that it allows you to distinguish bouys at a glance. <br /><br />So, and this is just my opnion, the extra money for color in a fish finder is worth every single dime. In a chartplotter its pretty, but its quite expensive, and so I don't think its worth the money. I think you are far better off taking the additional money you might have spent on a color screen in the plotter and put it into a high performance transducer for the fish finder. Its a way way better bang for your buck choice.<br /><br />Thom

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Here's a good review of $300-$400 units.<br /><br />Note the Furuno wins..... <br /><br /> web page

 

[Boatist]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Wgr270<br />I think all the units you are looking at are very good. To know what is better unit for you need to know what you expect the unit to do and how your will use it. Saltwater or Fresh, shallow under 50 feet or deep over 300 saltwater.<br /><br />As far as color or mono both units have the same sonar. The color unit does not have more gain in fact the sounder part is the same unit. What is different is how the echo is displayed. In the black and white you have shades of gray. The color unit has 16 colors. The 16 colors allows unit to give you easier to see difference between strong returns and weak returns. It is eaiser to tell a hard rock from soft mud. a bigger fish form a small one.<br /><br />For me my next unit will be color because so much eaiser to see. The mono units are fine if your at your helm and unit and unit is tilted just right for your viewing. Ask your first mate if what you see is a big fish and you will find they can not see it at all until they get right in front of unit. Newer mono are a little better but color not only can your first mait see it but the crew in the back. Just plain eaiser to see and interupte what you see. The Garmin 250C Looks to be better than then the 320C to me. Cheaper and 320 x 320 pixels instead of 234 x 320 pixels. It has the same power. I suspect it has a cheaper processor and cheaper display but probably just as good or better. Still before I would buy I would go to a shop that has both set up or a boat show and check both out. Also you need to deside if you want the dual frequency unit 50/200 or the cheaper 200khz unit is right for you. In general if you fish deep water or Saltwater get the dual frequency.<br /><br />Good Luck and let us all know what you pick and how you like it.

 

[wgr270]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!!!<br /><br />We have a boat show this month so I will be checking them out.<br /><br />At least its already narrowed down and I'll "probably" go with the Furuno. <br /><br />Thanks again !!!!

 

[jbh350]

Re: Fishfinder for Dummy's

Hello all,<br /><br />Many of you seem to have a great knowledge on fishfinders. I too am looking at purchasing a new one this year. My question is, will the Garmin 250C be alot better than the Eagle 480? I was actually thinking about the Garmin 176C GPS and the Eagle 480 Fishfinder, but after reading these posts, it sounds like a color fishfinder is more important than a color GPS. Cant afford to buy two color units. What should I do? <br />Thanks<br />John