Re: Fishfinder suggestions
Having owned a Humminbird product now for several years, I can say without a doubt that I will never touch another one. In the first year I had it, it was back for warranty repairs twice, both times for faulty screens, and it has been the least waterproof boating item I have ever owned. Not only that, but when I bought a Garmin for my next boat, the difference in the weight and durability of them items was obvious right away.
The Humminbird I have is the Matrix 97, and the Garmin is a 188C. The Garmin has a big heavy heat sink on the back, a very sturdy wiring connection, and a good seal on the door that the chart chip goes in. The Humminbird's chip door seal was a thin little piece of foam that disintegrated after about 18 months, and then let enough moisture in to kill the chip. The Humminbird's wiring connections are small, with multiple plugs that are super fiddly to deal with, especially since I have it in an open skiff that spends some time tied up in public and I take it on and off the boat every day.
When the Humminbird was back for repairs for the second time, I asked if they made a cover that would snap over the front of the unit when not in use. They sent me the flimsiest little bit of plastic you've ever seen, with no way for it to stay on. I rigged up a little bungee net to hold it on. The Garmin came with a heavy duty cover that fits snugly, and still fits snugly years later. The Humminbird's cover has long since cracked and been thrown away.
I recently was in the market for a new hand held VHF for my kayaking kit, and I looked up a review of several models. Guess whose VHF did not stay dry inside during the tests? Humminbird's.
There you go, my consumer review of Humminbird electronics. I can say that their customer service department was fast, efficient and very friendly. No complaints there!
