Boat Electronics

Recently purchased a boat and am looking to upgrade the electronics. Pretty new to the new technology, so I was looking for some recommendations without completely breaking the bank. I also want to be able to sidescan.

Thanks!

I feel Hummingbird is about the most user friendly unit out there, free updates to your units from their website, and I have had great customer service on my older units when they have needed repair(10 + years old and still would service them!) I use to run Lowrance for many many years, until I had one that was 2 years old and it started giving me problems, called them for service and was told, that unit is obsolete, we can’t fix it, that was the last Lowerance I ever owned. I can’t say how their customer service is now.

I have a Hummingbird Helix and it is very nice but the Garmin with touch screen might be less expensive and easier to use. I didn’t think that I would like a touch screen until I was on a friends boat with one.

Birds are probably the best option especially if you want to link up with your Minn Kota trolling motor/i pilot. I’m a Lowrance guy myself but only because I’ve been using them since 2001 and I’m very familiar with their operating system.

I have had both Garmin Echo Maps and HB Helix 7s. I like my Helix 7s better than the EchoMaps but there’s no doubt the EchoMaps easier to learn.

I had a helix 7 and it was so so. Now I run 3 garmin 93 sv on my boat and I love them. I personally like the garmin better then the hummingbird

Bearcat89 wrote:

I had a helix 7 and it was so so. Now I run 3 garmin 93 sv on my boat and I love them. I personally like the garmin better then the hummingbird

This. I went from Helix to Garmin and I couldn’t be happier. Super easy to use and the auto settings for down and side imaging are almost always spot on.

Plus, livescope. I run a 73 and 93 with livescope. I think the SI with garmin is better than humminbird. The DI is unquestionably better imho.

This is a little bit of a ford/Chevy debate for many though.

Garmin

I am surprised you like the Garmin SI better than the Humminbird. I had the garmin HD SI and fished with a friend that has a Humminbird Mega SI unit. I felt it was so much clearer than the Garmin, so much so I added a humminbird mega for their SI and the lakemaster mapping. I sold the HD SI box and use the garmin for the panoptix, and livescope. For me it seems to be the best setup for the way I like to fish.

Matt Moen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
I had a helix 7 and it was so so. Now I run 3 garmin 93 sv on my boat and I love them. I personally like the garmin better then the hummingbird

This. I went from Helix to Garmin and I couldn’t be happier. Super easy to use and the auto settings for down and side imaging are almost always spot on.

Plus, livescope. I run a 73 and 93 with livescope. I think the SI with garmin is better than humminbird. The DI is unquestionably better imho.

This is a little bit of a ford/Chevy debate for many though.

Bearcat89 wrote:

I had a helix 7 and it was so so. Now I run 3 garmin 93 sv on my boat and I love them. I personally like the garmin better then the hummingbird

Did you replace it with a Garmin of the same screen size?, I have found the larger the screen the better picture, I recommend any units from 9 and up for the best images.

Beast wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
I had a helix 7 and it was so so. Now I run 3 garmin 93 sv on my boat and I love them. I personally like the garmin better then the hummingbird

Did you replace it with a Garmin of the same screen size?, I have found the larger the screen the better picture, I recommend any units from 9 and up for the best images.

I started with a 73 cv, and sv. Now have upgraded to the 93s.

if I were redoing my electronics, I would choose a unit to use in both the Summer and Winter, budget is everything, but a Garmin 9 series Livescope setup would be sweet.

Interesting thread. Looking to revamp the proguide with Garmin, and looking at the 93sv UHD very hard. Will either go with a 7 and a 9, or two 9’s. From the little bit I’ve gotten to play with a 73sv they seemed really intuitive and I don’t think they would take more than an outing or two to really figure out.

I’m amazed there’s no love for Lowrance. I have been very pleased with my HDS Carbon. I also think it’s a lot easier to navigate the menus compared to my friends birds. I suppose it’s what ever you get used to… On a side note the giant transducer is the perfect size trim tab for my boat!

Karl, depending on the type of fishing you do, the suggestions might change. As always commented by others, go with the largest screen you can afford. Are you looking for one unit, multiple units, linking to trolling motor, etc?
I have been with HB for a long time as I require my electronics including the trolling motor to all be linked together.
In regards to SI, I think the general consensus though is that HB has the best SI currently available.
A really good site to visit for all electronics is http://www.bbcboards.net/forum.php. You can spend days here reading up on the different products.

waldo9190 wrote:

Interesting thread. Looking to revamp the proguide with Garmin, and looking at the 93sv UHD very hard. Will either go with a 7 and a 9, or two 9’s. From the little bit I’ve gotten to play with a 73sv they seemed really intuitive and I don’t think they would take more than an outing or two to really figure out.

I have 2 or the 93 uhd and 1 or the 93 that was prior the uhd. Very easy to use and very user friendly.
I never plan on linking trolling motor to a graph so thats why I went garmin. Plus I’ll by live scope soon. And I use the 93 while ice fishing.

Have used several humminbird and several lowrance. Like the HB better usually. No experience with Garmin but the next unit I buy will be one of the livescope ones

JoeMX1825 wrote:

if I were redoing my electronics, I would choose a unit to use in both the Summer and Winter, budget is everything, but a Garmin 9 series Livescope setup would be sweet.

This is my train of thought. I have two Helix 7’s that I use year round.

Recently switched from Humminbirds to Garmin 93sv, and couldn’t be happier. The touch screen, ease of menu and preset access was non existent on the HB’s. I was hesitant at first, but after seeing how easy it is to maneuver the Garmin, i think it makes more sense to my simple mind the way the menus are structured. I t seemed the HB’s had too many menus and sub menus to ga back through to change my presets and functions, while the garmin actually has the major settings right at the bottom of each screen or map. Plus i haven’t had to go back and reset the factory defaults like i did weekly on the HB. The birds are great units, but i’m happier with the Garmin.

gonefishin wrote:

Karl, depending on the type of fishing you do, the suggestions might change. As always commented by others, go with the largest screen you can afford. Are you looking for one unit, multiple units, linking to trolling motor, etc?
I have been with HB for a long time as I require my electronics including the trolling motor to all be linked together.
In regards to SI, I think the general consensus though is that HB has the best SI currently available.
A really good site to visit for all electronics is http://www.bbcboards.net/forum.php. You can spend days here reading up on the different products.

Thanks for the reply. I fish for Bass and Walleye. It’s obviously very clear to me I can increase success with good electronics. I currently just have an older power drive Minn Kota, which I would like to upgrade next year. At this time I’m looking for one unit knowing that I can always add. I’m also crazy person that will probably end up $10k worth of gear on my 1998 boat the second I find success with increasing my odds.

travelNFish wrote:

Recently switched from Humminbirds to Garmin 93sv, and couldn’t be happier. The touch screen, ease of menu and preset access was non existent on the HB’s. I was hesitant at first, but after seeing how easy it is to maneuver the Garmin, i think it makes more sense to my simple mind the way the menus are structured. I t seemed the HB’s had too many menus and sub menus to ga back through to change my presets and functions, while the garmin actually has the major settings right at the bottom of each screen or map. Plus i haven’t had to go back and reset the factory defaults like i did weekly on the HB. The birds are great units, but i’m happier with the Garmin.

Did you have to drill new transducer bracket mount holes going from Humminbird to Garmin? or are they the same?

For the money and options, Garmin is the clear winner (touchscreen, entire US built in mapping, quick-draw contours, etc)

Garmin comes pre-loaded with a bunch of bigger lakes mapped in 1′ contours. The mapping for Mille Lacs, LOTW, Upper Red, etc is terrific (and free).

All of the newer UHD units come with all of Navionics data since Garmin bought them out.

Birds will cost you hundreds more dollars just to add mapping.

I own and run both (all Garmin on my big boat, Helix’s on my little boat)

Garmin’s are hands down better for ice fishing too, whether you’re running a standard ice ducer or Panoptix (obviously light years ahead of Birds)

The touchscreen and movable zoom are awesome on the ice. Incredible detail with a flick of a finger.

Here’s a quick video I made last winter showing the touchscreen in action.

Echoing the Garmin sentiment above, easy to learn and quality sonar fxn’s. However, the mapping is subpar to LakeMaster. That is a relative problem though.

Anyone have any side imaging shots of their Garmin they would post?

Ripjiggen wrote:

Anyone have any side imaging shots of their Garmin they would post?

I will in a hour or two.

I guess I will add my 2 cents into the mix. Think most would agree (not all as responses to your post attest) that hummingbird has best SI with the new mega imaging and Lowrance has best 2D. The few boats I have been in that have Garmin did not wow me to thinking I was missing anything. I went with Lowrance HDS 3, lots on market priced right and will do everything you want to do. Although older tech still impressive SI and DI. Tying your units to trolling motor I personally have not heard anyone that was too impressed with it.

Karl, are you sufficiently confused yet? Lol

Depending on how old your previous electronics were, they will all blow your mind for clarity on a big screen.

to sum it up, I would buy a brand that gives you a sweet deal. All units have their pros and cons so look for a deal. I was in the market for a new trolling motor last year and Reeds was giving away a free Helix 7 with purchase. Guess what…..I am a bird guy and they are awesome.

Karl dont worry about the year of your boat mime is a 2000 and I have over $10,000 in electronics and kicker. I can do this easily since my rig has been payed fore for over 18 years. I have all Hbirds and me personally HATE touch screens.

Here’s a side imaging shot. That’s what I believe is a large drum in 5’ on the river.

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