I am in the market for a new fishfinder. Thru-hull transducer preferred. I am looking to spend between 500-750.
I fish mostly for bass in RI/MA, water depth less than 50ft.
Any advise would be great.
Bruce

Get a Furuno 600. It is amazing and in your price range. Ebay has them all the time also. I have this sounder on my boat and love it. It has all the "big boat" features in a little boat package.

Saw this on another site. I think I paid more for my 667 4 years ago.

Furuno FCV-600L Color Fishfinder $599.00



Transducers extra: 525ST-PWD Transom Mount Transducer with Speed and Temperature $85.00. 525ST-MSD Thru the Hull Bronze Transducer with Speed and Temperature and High Speed Fairing Block $185.00. 520-IHD "Shoot thru the Hull" Transducer $70.00.


<[>Sold by Three Rivers Marine Electronics, in business since 1986.




Phone toll free: 1-888-549-8307

You need to take a look at the new Raymarine stand alone units (A series). Ray marine has introduced their digital fish finder technology into thier lower end stand alone models...at a fraction of the cost of what I paid for the full blown unit 2 years ago. (and is in your range I believe) . It is funny because 2 years ago the only way you could get the digital FF unit was to buy their full blown unit. They called me up after I had used the unit for a while to get "some information from the field". I told them I bought it mainly for the FF. I think they have a tremndous unit but the fact that you can only get the digital FF unit with a full blown $3K unit puts most small boat fisherman out of the picture, if they could offer this in a bare bone stand alone FF unit with out all the networking and interconnection stuff for less the 1K I think you would have a killer box. IMO that is what this new A series is.

These units dynamically adjust their own bandwidth so that the image is optimum, no surface clutter ever! and no knobs to tweek. You can clearly see bait and cleary see fish at the same time on the screen...IMO it is really an improvement over analog units. Its not a gimic.

When you compare the resolution of the sonar image to *anything else* out there in that range you will be very impressed. IMO you need to spend 10K or more to see images like that. The Furuno 600 is a very good, proven and rugged model but the display is a little small and the resolution of the image is blotchy compared to the new digital units, further it has been around for years...frankly I think it is dated. See it for yourself before you buy anything.
http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/Default.asp?site=1&Section=2&Page=766&Parent=40

more info here...click the clutter, clarity hassle links
http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/default.asp?site=1&Section=2&Page=808&Parent=40


good luck

ad disclaimer: not schlepping stuff for a friend nor do I own stock in Raymarine or recieve any kick-backs from endorsing their products. I just like their gear.

Definately take a look at the Raymarine units. I have not used one, but everyone I know that has one says its the cat's meow. Supposedly works just like the ones on display, and they are really sharp!

;)

Originally posted by keeperreaper
Get a Furuno 600. It is amazing and in your price range. Ebay has them all the time also. I have this sounder on my boat and love it. It has all the "big boat" features in a little boat package.

I am not all that pleased with my 600, when the sun hits the screen, it sux. I am always adjusting the bri and const. to be able to view it better.
Operation is fine though. It does have gret features.

Do any of you 600 users have issues with viewing the screen?


My chartplotter is a RAY and right next to the FF, never had an issue with viewing sun on it or off it..If ray uses the same tecnology for the FF, that woiuld be schweet...

One thing about RayMarine,

Don't confuse them with Raytheon....totally different company. RayMarine is out of England I believe.

I have an older Furuno FF. Probably the early model of the 600....I forget the number. Works fine but as with all Color CRT screens forget it if the sun is directly behind you.

Originally posted by beamie
Don't confuse them with Raytheon....totally different company. RayMarine is out of England I believe.

Raymarine is the result of a management buyout of Raytheon Recreational Marine Products Division from Raytheon Company in 2001. It was the same company, and is now apart. Raytheon Recreational Marine Products was based in England, and the resulting company, Raymarine, still is.