Fishfinder integration with 4208?

[Cuyose]

So I recently acquired a boat with a new Garmin 4208 chartplotter. Nothing else attached. The boat has separate depth finder currently. I see that there are "sounders" that integrate into this unit, but are these sounders also fishfinders in the classic sense, or do you almost always run a fishfinder separate from this unit and just integrate the radar, etc?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Fishfinder integration with 4208?

Good unit. I've had mine for 3 years

The 4208 is for the most part is just display unit for a network of options. Radar, fish finder, fuel flow, fuel level, etc. are all "black box" additions. You cannot even get an internal GPS antenna on the unit.

Do yourself a favor and get the GDS 22 black box. Make sure you do the SW updates on both units once you get it installed.

 

[Cuyose]

Re: Fishfinder integration with 4208?

So with the GDS 22 and transducer, it will act as a fishfinder?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Fishfinder integration with 4208?

So with the GDS 22 and transducer, it will act as a fishfinder?

Yep, and don't cheap out on the transdcuer. The GDS 22 will pump up to 2 kW of power.

 

[Cuyose]

Re: Fishfinder integration with 4208?

Thanks! That was my concern. Ide like to keep it all integrated, so I really only have one display unit to remove from the boat. I guess they refer to them more as SONAR than fishfinders when they are dinging you for $1000+