Humminbird Helix SI

jabsy
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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

Post by jabsy »

Does it have metric measurements as an option Mako? Or is it locked to imperial? I have a US 898SI and metric is not available. I'm not too bothered considering the savings....

Also for anyone else bringing in gear from overseas, just be aware that you may get slugged import duty if your parcel is opened. This is pretty much a guarantee if buying from ebay.


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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

Post by Bottom Bashing Bloke »

Have to keep an eye on them for when either the aussie dollar goes up or they go on special. ONly $200 over the duties limit which I can see costing a small fortune (if anyone knows the calculations tell me) and then wont be much chop. But they basically half the price. Checked out the HDS and they were same price basically
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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

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Bottom Bashing Bloke wrote:Have to keep an eye on them for when either the aussie dollar goes up or they go on special. ONly $200 over the duties limit which I can see costing a small fortune (if anyone knows the calculations tell me) and then wont be much chop. But they basically half the price. Checked out the HDS and they were same price basically
I bought a laptop in a couple of years ago, the laptop was about $1700, the duty was close to $300. Scored an 898SI off of ebay US a couple years ago for under a grand, no issues with import.

If you buy secondhand then getting it in is easy, especially if you have a cooperative seller. You might even get one for under $1000AU, however the dollar is pretty ordinary right now.

Just be aware that a Humminbird will almost certainly be locked to imperial measurements, you cannot change them. There is also a strong possibility that a Lowrance will be geofenced (they were a few years ago) and therefore the GPS wont work in AU.
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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

Post by Bottom Bashing Bloke »

jabsy wrote:
Bottom Bashing Bloke wrote:Have to keep an eye on them for when either the aussie dollar goes up or they go on special. ONly $200 over the duties limit which I can see costing a small fortune (if anyone knows the calculations tell me) and then wont be much chop. But they basically half the price. Checked out the HDS and they were same price basically
I bought a laptop in a couple of years ago, the laptop was about $1700, the duty was close to $300. Scored an 898SI off of ebay US a couple years ago for under a grand, no issues with import.

If you buy secondhand then getting it in is easy, especially if you have a cooperative seller. You might even get one for under $1000AU, however the dollar is pretty ordinary right now.

Just be aware that a Humminbird will almost certainly be locked to imperial measurements, you cannot change them. There is also a strong possibility that a Lowrance will be geofenced (they were a few years ago) and therefore the GPS wont work in AU.
Yeah a mate said about the geofence with lowrance but I'm more keen on the humminbird helix as it's less then half the Australian price. So get a decent buy with it. Don't you only pay gst on the import of an item?
Imperial doesn't bother me as that's what we used to use anyways on our first couple of boats. Do they accept the Australia mapping cards tho?
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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

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Bottom Bashing Bloke wrote:Yeah a mate said about the geofence with lowrance but I'm more keen on the humminbird helix as it's less then half the Australian price. So get a decent buy with it. Don't you only pay gst on the import of an item?
Imperial doesn't bother me as that's what we used to use anyways on our first couple of boats. Do they accept the Australia mapping cards tho?
You pay the GST on the item, so say its $1200AU you will be stung $120, plus a charge for the processing. It's sposed to be on http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Impo/Buyi but all I see is mumbo jumbo. I think we paid another 150 odd on top of the GST as some kind of "handling fee". Im trying to find the invoice right now in some old email.

My mapping card works fine in either my US or my AU humminbird, the humminbirds are totally open worldwide.
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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

Post by jabsy »

OK found it. This was from 2013

Billing Term Description Non-Taxable Charges Taxable Charges Net Charges

Prepaid CUSTOMS ENTRY FEE 55.20
DUTY/TAX 0.97
GST PAID TO CUSTOMS 170.36
SECURITY FEE 0.00 9.95
Total Charges $ 226.53 9.95 236.48

The good were $1700US so I think they may have stuffed up on the GST.
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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

Post by Bottom Bashing Bloke »

That's not to bad tho, still makes it a bl..dy cheap unit!!
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Re: Humminbird Helix SI

Post by slug »

Going to resurrect this post rather than create a new similar one – currently looking at moving from the HDS10 to a new combo unit and my first toe in the water with an electric motor, so looking for advice from those who have experience in both/either.
I’ve pretty well decided on going for a Minn Kota Terrova – however then learn that perhaps I’m better off switching allegiance from Lowrance to H/Bird for compatibility reasons.
Here’s my list of queries :-
1/. Is the MK/Hummingbird thing really a big deal? – my understanding is that I need to fork out an additional $600odd for the i-Link MK model to take advantage of the Hummingbird bells & whistles – and from what I can gather, the main thing there is to control the MK from the HB head unit – but why would I want to do that when the basic Terrova comes with the “i-Pilot” remote anyway. I can’t see myself wanting to troll contour lines, etc - the only functionality I can see I might get out of the additional i-Link functionality is to ping a waypoint on the HB and then GoTo straight to the MK?
2/. Never having owned or used an electric motor, is the foot pedal control a big deal – or does the remote control dongle suffice? (90% of my fishing is casting low tide creek banks & rockbars). I guess I can add a foot pedal at a later stage if I see the need?
3/. HDS12 Live vs Helix 12 MSI
OK – I’ve been a Lowrance man for my last 3 units now, and understand the interface to be able to use my current HDS10 in whatever condition a full days fishing may leave me in, in all light conditions, etc – so a bit wary of jumping ship to HB, but :-
a/. the 2 different retail dudes I’ve spoken to tell me that the HB Down/Side Scan technology is ‘significantly’ better than Lowrances’s HDS Live units (albeit processor slower, so screen refresh on charts on the Helix slower?)
Is the Helix units scanning clarity really that much better? (very hard to discern on the units ‘demo’ modes which are essentially marketing tools).
b/. Is the Live Map/Autochart facility on the units similar technology and is one any better than the other?
Thanks in anticipation of any advice ..
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