Electronics - Gps, fish finder, what do you reccommend

[feralcat]

G'Day, 

I'm refurbishing my boat, its a 6.8 m plate cat

If been looking around at what electronics to put in it.

I do a bit of everything fishing wise, drop a cray pot, bottom bounce in 30- 100 m water plus troll for tuna out fairly wide.

I dont want to go all out price wise, so i'm thinking under 3k 

Originally I was thinking of a Lawrence Elite Ti 9" ($1500), then I moved up to the Lawrence HDS live 9" ($2700), but now I am considering the Raymarine Axiom RV 9" ($2400)

Does anybody have any experience with any of these units, especially the Raymarine, or any other suggestions of current model units around these prices?

Cheers

 

 

[Sea Ranger]

I’m sure there will be plenty of replies to this question.   My 2cents

Lowrance is a top brand so hard to go wrong there.  I’ve had Lowrance sounders on several boats and they have not given me any trouble.  That said I’ve not owned any of the models you suggest.  I have a mate who used the elite TI on his yak till he rolled it and didn’t have it closed properly or wires not tight or something and it didn’t like the swim.  He replaced it with a 7 HDS model and thinks it is heaps better.   

I currently have a Garmin 75sv and I cannot fault it yet.  I find it intuitive and easy to see in the sun.  It came on my boat.  Garmin recently purchased  Navionics so I imagine it won’t be long before Garmin has Navionics available on it’s units too.  For Sydney use I find the Garmin maps very good and would not need the Navionics.  I compared my iPad running Navionics to my Garmin and thought them much the same. Different areas seem to favour one brand or another.

I have no experience with Raymarine I’m sure others will chime in.  

Furuno might be something to look into as well.

Are you installing yourself or getting someone to do the work?  If having someone else I would see what brand they carry as warranty work if needed would be easier.

 

cheers

Bear

[feralcat]

Thanks for the input Sea Ranger, I like the reputation of the Lowrance as well, it was a sales assistant that pushed me towards the raymarine, thats my reason for asking has anyone had first hand experience with them. The 3D imagery of the Raymarine Axion is pretty impressive.

 

Cheers