Doe's Anybody Want to Show Off a New CHIRP Fishfinder?
Doc Stressor
Homosassa, FLPosts: 2,691 Captain
I'm thinking of replacing the Humminbird 998 on my Grady with a CHIRP unit. All the new Garmins, Lowrances, and Raymarines look nice when it comes to seeing fish. But I'm concerned about losing the bottom type discrimination ability of my current Humminbird if I go to a new CHIRP unit.
Anybody with a CHIRP unit want to take me for a ride so that I can see how well your machine performs? I'll trade you an offshore trip in my boat.
Please send me a PM if you are interested.
If not, I'd just like to hear about your CHIRP machines here.
Anybody with a CHIRP unit want to take me for a ride so that I can see how well your machine performs? I'll trade you an offshore trip in my boat.
Please send me a PM if you are interested.
If not, I'd just like to hear about your CHIRP machines here.
Replies
They are practically giving away the Furuno 1870 combo unit since the model (along with the 587) is going to be discontinued soon. It has the same sounder hardware and software as the 587. But it has only a 7 inch screen and I'd to actual see one in action before buying one.
I've fished in the Pacific with a furuno 587 and a 1kw TM260 transducer. That's a great unit for deep water, but I don't know how good it would be for the Gulf where I rarely fish deeper than 70 ft. Again, my main concern is being able to discriminate different types of bottom. Any unit will show fish at that depth.
Don't dis a Humminbird for shallow water salt use. While they have crappy electrical connectors and a clunky navigation interface, the last 2 Humminbirds I've owned were better at picking up Swiss cheese hard bottom than any other fish finder I've see. With the stock side scanning transducer working at 200 kHz in 2D mode, the bottom tails turn from blue to orange when I go from sand to hard bottom. Even at 30 mph. I've never been able to get another unit to do that.
If you decide to get a furuno and need any help with it let me know, I'd be happy to show you a few tricks.
I have owned three Humminbird units in the past 20 years. The SI with GPS unit I have now is seven years old and it works flawlessly. I am looking at getting in ADDITION to my SI unit this model: Humminbird 859ci HD DI Combo. This is the HD down imaging and it has stunning detail and it has a very good price point.
One word of caution though: NEVER buy a unit that is being discontinued!!! Many times the manufactures stop servicing the unit and if you ever need a software fix.....well you won't get one. :hairraiser
But I understand how CHIRP works. While it is a superior technology for seeing fish at great depths and picking out fish close to the bottom, I'm not sure that it will be adequate for distinguishing bottom types. So I would like to see a CHIRP unit actually work in our area.
Furuno has a good track record for supporting their legacy products even after they are discontinued. So if I'm not impressed by the CHIRP sounders, I'll probably go with pulse tone Furuno. Their CHIRP products are currently multifunction displays that require black box sonar and GPS modules that run around $5000. They may or may not come out with recreational CHIRP models to replace the 587 and 1870 units at similar price points ($1000 - $2000). I haven't been able to get a straight answer about that as yet.
Well that's where you would be very, very wrong. ALL of these companies now have what you refer to as "bass boats and lakes" products. While units costing easily over two or three thousand dollars are fine for some...one size does not fit all. The fact is Furuno has become very aggressive in the market you are joking about. Also the technology, quality and reliability of most of these products make the old guard products....well....kinda dinosaur like. BUT...if ya got the cash and ya feel the need...:shrug
Maybe I should post in the South East region where the guys with gold chains and Rolexes all seem to have the newest stuff. :grin
Cthurow, I don't know where your coming from, there's no jokes in my post. It's the facts the way I see them, and this comes from me personally running all of those machines. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. If you'd like to see for yourself grab some gas money and give me a shout, I'll be happy to show you the advantages.
Contender 27 Cuddy
You didn't get my point. Yes the devices you speak of are wonderful...for several thousand bucks...on up to obtaining a second mortgage they should be. Nothing wrong with that. I don't know how much you spent on your bottom unit and I am certain it's better than mine...but (to me) is it actually worth a few thousand more? No. Not to keep two red grouper it ain't! Back in the day...sure! But on the offer for a trip.....PM me with your phone number and I'll take you up on that! :grin
:funnypost
When you have a Contender you don't need fancy electronics to find the fish. They find you.
Contender 27 Cuddy
i coulda been a Contender.
Marlon Brando ---- On the Waterfront. :cool:
and no tax.
http://www.thegpsstore.com/Furuno-FCV-587-Color-Fishfinder-P3479.aspx
A#1, I can get the 1870, which uses the same hardware and software as the 587, for $715 with no tax and free shipping. Plus, it's a combo unit that will meet my needs except that it won't take my Navionics cards. That's the one I'm considering. I already have a through hull Airmar transducer that would plug right into it. Only problem is that it is Dark Ages pulse tone technology and will soon be discontinued just like the 587.
http://www.thehulltruth.com/semperfifishing/628790-furuno-huge-price-drop-sale.html
He has the 295 with a CHIRP transducer for ~$3200. But if I got that unit I wouldn't have any room for a separate chart plotter.
Dag nab it Cap'n....you stole my closing argument! I was sooo holding onto that!! :grin
Umm... to whom were you referring there Doc?? :bananaSTFUK!
It was You Cholley> My own Brudda!!!! I coulda taken dat guy apart!!!!!