side imaging Sonar

[fishin loon]

I would like to by a side imaging sonar for my boat. But don't want to sell my house to pay for it any Help would be appreciated.


FL

[bucketmouth]

Here's one for the price of a couple tanks of gas...

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5 ... ?locale=en[/url]

[SeaMonster]

You could sell the boat? (ha ha..)

I have the PiranhaMax 210 I use as a "portable", that I move from tinny to tinny with one of those transom mounted portable transducer brackets. No complaints, but it's not as fancy as the higher end models. Butt t allows me to do the essentials...read water temp, and fiddle with the settings enough that I can see what I want (chart speed, sensitivity, thermocline.... etc)

But for my big boat I bought it with a POS Humminbird 110SX .... I freakin' hate that thing. Very few settings, constantly losing the bottom... I'm trading up to a GPS plotter/Sonar combo. I use this boat to fish bigger water with current and need the GPS. So I figure why buy two separate units. Might as well upgrade the sonar at the same time. Was looking at the Lowrance HDS-5 or the Humminbird 788c. For the big boat I went 50/50 with my fishing partner so everything is 50% off!!! (or so I explain to the wife...)

If you want GPS for any reason, the cost of a hand-held unit and a standard sonar together puts you into the price bracket near (a few gas tanks!) a sweet GPS/Sonar combo.

[fishin loon]

Thanks guys I should have mentioned that I have a Farly good gps Its a Garmin GPSmap76Cx. Does that change anything? and is there anything that would work with it?

FL

[SeaMonster]

Since you already have a hand held GPS, paying for a GPS/Sonar combo would be a bit redundant, unless you really want it integrated in one unit.

I'm not aware of any Sonar products that interface with a hand held unit.
That at least puts you into a lower price bracket if you don't need it.

In general the lower end units don't give a lot of detail and can be hard to determine what is what in any great detail. For the most part it would be used just to determine depth and structure. (which is really what a lot of guys look at anyway)

Depends on how much you want to spend and what you want out of it.

[fishin loon]

Sorry guys I am looking for side imaging sonar.

Still dont want to sell my boat to get it.

FL

[steadyj_17]

cheapest your going to find is likely around a $1000. a hummingbird 798c SI Combo may chime in around 8 if you shop around.

[toobinator]

I have new 798si units at Paddletales for under $1000.00 tax included.

Ed

[Matt_Stothers]

I would have to say +1 for the 798si. Great unit for the price and it's super easey to use. Keep an eye on the classifieds and I'm sure you can get a steal of a deal.