Fish finders

[Mitch]

Have narrowed it down a bit,
1). Lowrance hook 5- £262 with transducer, no charts
2). Garmin 5cv-£319 with transducer & charts
3). Hummingbird helix-£319 no tranducer.

Don’t now which one is the best. I would imagine the Garmin as it has everything included.

[chris moody]

I suspect both the charts and the transducer will be in excess of £100 each.

[The Hobbit]

If that was my choice I would go with the Garmin Mitch

[Jeff Stevens 763]

When you say charts / maps which are they and coverage

[Mitch]

Jeff, I believe they’re British coastal waters which would be admiralty charts I presume, the lowrance has a map but it looks like what a child or me would draw, maybe that’s all I would need but the Garmin has proper charts which I think update themselves automatically so things like drifting sandbanks would be upto date where as the others wouldn’t.
Chris, I’ve been informed that a good set of charts could be as much as £250 & then there’s the transducer which I suppose would be another £100+

[chris moody]

The inclusion of charts and transducer makes the Garmin unit pretty good value

Chris, I’ve been informed that a good set of charts could be as much as £250 & then there’s the transducer which I suppose would be another £100+

[Jeff Stevens 763]

Navionics charts are about £200 for the gold which I have some have the for uk and Ireland or some have Cmaps which are cheaper I believe, also garmin have G2 maps which are good. All I am saying is find out which map and make sure it's what you want. Lowrance have a base map which is pretty crap but you can navigate by it it. Transducers can be £200 too. I found talking the force 4 chandlers very helpful and very good after service.

[chris moody]

I have never really understood the difference between all these levels of chart (G2 and Silver and Gold). What is added or removed? Surely they can't be removing navigation buoys, or wrecks, or rocks, or depths as that would be dangerous?

Navionics charts are about £200 for the gold which I have some have the for uk and Ireland or some have Cmaps which are cheaper I believe, also garmin have G2 maps which are good. All I am saying is find out which map and make sure it's what you want. Lowrance have a base map which is pretty crap but you can navigate by it it. Transducers can be £200 too. I found talking the force 4 chandlers very helpful and very good after service.

[Jeff Stevens 763]

Level of detail Chris, I study a paper chart at home then I know points of interest my navionics gold is spot on for me then the fishing chart is pretty good.

[Mitch]

It’s got g2 maps what ever they are, I don’t know the difference either or how much detail I would need.