North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Ok, I know it's been done before, but I thought I'd start a thread on which make and model sounder you guys recommend these days.

I'll be heading to the boat show to try and score a bargain.


Humminbird have the 899cxi on special at the moment with Navionics gold for $1699. Sidescan transducer not included.

In and Outboard have the HDS7 Gen3 for $1899 with The Sidescan transducer, no Navionics card.

They also have the HDS9 Gen2 for $2299 with the Sidescan transducer. I already have a HDS5 Gen1 that I could link in, so I'm leaning towards Lowrance.

Questions I have-

-Are the touchscreens as bad as some say? I would love the HDS9, but I'm very wary of having a touchscreen with no buttons as backup and can't afford the Gen3.

-is it worth the extra coin to get the HD transducer for the Humminbird. (There are two options available for Sidescreen transducers.)

-Is it really worth going Platinum over Gold Navionics?

-Is it worth looking at other brands and are they in similar price brackets?

-The Sidescan transducers are a lot cheaper from the USA. Are they compatible to a sounder thats purchased in Australia?

I'm sure I'll come up with a heap more questions in the next few weeks!

Cheers in advance for any advice and info given.

"-is it worth the extra coin to get the HD transducer for the Humminbird. (There are two options available for Sidescreen transducers."...yes... see here...http://www.bbcboards.net/humminbird-ima ... ducer.html

Transducers are the same from the USA.

Hds gen 3 has WiFi so you can use ios or android device to do live charting.

Some touchscreens may have more glare compared to non-touch.

The HDS touchscreens are awesome and far easier to navigate through than the gen2 hds10's i have. Would trade them up for twin hds9 touch or hds12 touches in a heartbeat.

mako wrote:"-is it worth the extra coin to get the HD transducer for the Humminbird. (There are two options available for Sidescreen transducers."...yes... see here...http://www.bbcboards.net/humminbird-ima ... ducer.html

Transducers are the same from the USA.

Hds gen 3 has WiFi so you can use ios or android device to do live charting.

Some touchscreens may have more glare compared to non-touch.

Well, that answers the HD or not question! Worth the extra coin for sure, looking at that link.

scottmac wrote:Ok, I know it's been done before, but I thought I'd start a thread on which make and model sounder you guys recommend these days.

Humminbird have the 899cxi on special at the moment with Navionics gold for $1699. Sidescan transducer not included.

The 899cxi is sidescan, so it would be included. But its the 455kHz, not the 800kHz. Thats a pretty good price.

scottmac wrote: Questions I have-

-Is it really worth going Platinum over Gold Navionics?
-Is it worth looking at other brands and are they in similar price brackets?
-The Sidescan transducers are a lot cheaper from the USA. Are they compatible to a sounder thats purchased in Australia?
I'm sure I'll come up with a heap more questions in the next few weeks!
Cheers in advance for any advice and info given.

I only know Humminbird so my answers relate primarily to them.

The Humminbird 8xx/9xx/11xx only support Gold not Platinum.

The Hi-Def 800kHz transducer from the USA will work fine with the local unit. But the $A is so crook that it wouldn't work out much cheaper after postage.

I have 2 Humminbird 8xx and am happy with them, however, they dont support NMEA2000 out of the box (not without a $400 adapter) and even if you did pony up for it, the engine management doesn't appear to support fuel flow anyway. If you are comparing them to Lowrance I think they are superior to the "Elite" units, but the HDS Gen2 units are getting ahead of them. The HDS supports 5000 waypoints compared to the HB's 3000, the HDS has NMEA2k built in, and its networking options and engine management appear to be better.

If you are comparing the Humminbird Onix then its a whole different ball game, but the price difference is steep. With the release of the HB Helix units, I'd guess the 8xx/9xx series will be phased out sooner rather than later. I'd love to be wrong about this tho and see a stack of feature upgrades to protect my investment.

Hds 9 touch for me. And platinum card is far better. interface with the hds 5. Use the 5 as the GPS side. That way you have a back up if one fails.

When I bought my Platinum card there wasn't any cost difference between the two, at the time Michael at I&O indicated the Gold was kind of being phased out. Anyway what you do get is google images which for coastal areas and lower areas of rivers are surprisingly high res and useful on the water. Platinum also has tide charts built in, not sure if that feature is in the Gold edition.

dannett wrote:When I bought my Platinum card there wasn't any cost difference between the two, at the time Michael at I&O indicated the Gold was kind of being phased out. Anyway what you do get is google images which for coastal areas and lower areas of rivers are surprisingly high res and useful on the water. Platinum also has tide charts built in, not sure if that feature is in the Gold edition.

Cheers mate, are the google images already on the card, or do you have to download them?

There pre programmed!

cuddlescooper wrote:There pre programmed!

What he said.

Thanks fellas!

I'll be looking for a bargain at the boat show as well. Mrs said I have to sell the crab boat first though to help pay for it Pretty sure I am going the Lowrance but not sure on the 9 or 12. Huge price difference. But definitely Gen 3 for me.
Cheers for starting this thread. Answered some of my question as well

Lats wrote:I'll be looking for a bargain at the boat show as well. Mrs said I have to sell the crab boat first though to help pay for it Pretty sure I am going the Lowrance but not sure on the 9 or 12. Huge price difference. But definitely Gen 3 for me.
Cheers for starting this thread. Answered some of my question as well

Wish I could afford the .Gen3. As it is, I have to workout how to leave the mrs at home so she doesn't see how much the Gen2 is! if all goes to plan I'll arrive home with a new sounder and motor. Best Fathers Day present ever!

Ch smith marine have the gen 2 hds 9 with transducers for $2139.. Looking at getting one with the point 1 antenna and motorguide gateway kit but wondering if the boat show will have a better deal. I thought I read somewhere they might drop the prices of gen 2's more before end of the year?

Luke35 wrote:Ch smith marine have the gen 2 hds 9 with transducers for $2139.. Looking at getting one with the point 1 antenna and motorguide gateway kit but wondering if the boat show will have a better deal. I thought I read somewhere they might drop the prices of gen 2's more before end of the year?

Yeah, I thought the same. I'm going to wait until the boat show, I can't see CHSmith raising the price again.