Garmin Combo Unit

[Curious]

I'm going to be shopping around for a combo chartplotter/sounder unit soon and I have begun steering towards the Garmin 500 series due to size, cost and user friendliness.  Does anyone have any advice between the 541 and the 546?  I don't really need the enhanced satellite imagery and all that so I am leaning towards the 541S to keep costs down.  Also,has anyone tried alternatives to the transom mount transducer such as thru hull or shoot thru epoxied inside the hull?  Any opinions are greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Dan

[wingtime]

Dan,  I had a 440 unit.  The transom mounted ducer works very good.  A thru hull is the best but it is very expensive.  Shoot thru is good but you may loose some signal.  Have you gone to Worst marine and played with the units side by side?  I think you will find the higher resolution of the 546 to be worth it.  They did have a deal where you get the G2 vision cards as a rebate or something but I'm not sure if that deal is still available.

[wessnapp]

I have the 541S and like it.  I get to where I need to be and can see the bottom good enough considering i mostly stay within Tampa Bay.

I use the transom mount transducer and it works fine.  

Be sure to get the Bluevision card, or whatever it is called.  It's totally worth it as this card is needed for automatically setting course.

[Bergertime]

I have a 545S on my Osprey and I am very happy with it.  I was somewhat skeptical as I have had more experience with the Lowrance HD units on a friend's boat but after using the Garmin (came with my vessel) I have put off what I thought was going to be a necessary upgrade.  The resolution on the FF mode is excellent in my opinion.  Had her out in 100ft of water last weekend and the bottom contours and markings were very clear and detailed. I do like the navigation features on the Lowrance a little better, specifically, the compass travel screen that helps you stay on course from waypoint to waypoint but beyond that Garmin makes a solid product.  As a side note I also have a portable Garmin hand-held unit with Bluecharts on it.  As mentioned prior, the Bluecharts are a must IMHO and they come with some slick software that is great for map and waypoint management via your personal PC.  It’s very convenient to hook your unit/card to your PC and manage your trip data.   Just my two cents...  Feel free to PM me if you have any ?s.

Look on amazon for Bluecharts.. When I puchased mine and it was the cheapest at that point in time.

B

[gman 82 aquasport]

I have a Garmin 441s and like it very much, I need to get the bluechart chip, it's on the wishlist... I got mine at gpsdiscount .com, less than west marine and shipped quick, their everyday price was like a sale day at west..I liked the 500 series but $ savings brought me back to my 441..

[TheKid]

Shoot thru is good but you may loose some signal.

As long as the hull is solid, no core of anything, just fiberglass, resin and gel, a shoot through is as good or better then a properly installed transom mount.

[Capt Matt]

the shoot thru transducer is the way to go, I have a round one that holds oil between it and the bottom of the boat.
 Its awesome, never hangs grass and reads the bottom way better than a transom mount
Capt Matt

[Curious]

Thanks for all the replies.  I'm leaning towards the 541 and 546 due to cost.  A friend has a Lowrance HDS7 with all the bells and whistles but I think it ended up costing him over $2000.  I just need a basic combo unit but would like to add the fuel management and voltage on the display if I can, still researching that though.  Oh and I need water temp, too.  I guess I would lose that option if I decide to mount the ducer inside though.

THe reason I ask about the shoot through transducer is I've never seen a transom mounted one work at all after a couple thousand RPM's due to wake turbulance.

[Bergertime]

Mine works well a vast majority of the time when I am cruising (approx 25mph) with a transom mount.  I was watching Ship Shape TV the other day and they were focused on electronics.  The short primer on ducer installation stated that it should be slightly agled down towards the bow a few degrees.  Not sure how reliable that advice is but after looking at mine it was not setup that way by the PO.  However, mine works fine at low and cruise speeds. I would think that the location on the transom plays a significant role in the quality and at speed reliability of the bottom read.  I am sure others with much more experience than me will continue to provide input.  Good Luck!   Remember WM will price match almost any online souce as long as it's in stock.

B

[TheKid]

THe reason I ask about the shoot through transducer is I've never seen a transom mounted one work at all after a couple thousand RPM's due to wake turbulance.

When set properly you should be able to read at high speeds.

I have a TM260, a HUGE transducer. I can read bottom and fish at cruise of 25mph and read bottom at WOT.

For fish finding, the transducer is the most important element of the system.

Go read some of Gil Travis' (semperfifishing) posts on THT.

[seabob4]

THe reason I ask about the shoot through transducer is I've never seen a transom mounted one work at all after a couple thousand RPM's due to wake turbulance.

When set properly you should be able to read at high speeds.

I have a TM260, a HUGE transducer. I can read bottom and fish at cruise of 25mph and read bottom at WOT.

For fish finding, the transducer is the most important element of the system.

Go read some of Gil Travis' (semperfifishing) posts on THT.

That man knows his chit!  Probably the authority on CHIRP sounders these days...

[Curious]

So I was very intrigued by the Raymarine Dragonfly discussion until I stopped into West Marine the other day.  I initially had my mind made up on the Garmin 546s until I talked to the salesman.  The 541s is going on sale between March 7 and 17 for $499, (down from $639.99).  AND with that purchase there is a $200 mail in rebate on the g2 Vision card which is normally $299.  I think I would be foolish not to take advantage of this offer and I'm pretty sure I wont see those prices anywhere else.  And it looks like the Garmin can do a few things that the Dragonfly can't.  Although the Dragonfly looks like a nice unit at a great price with amazing sonar imagery, I really don't need that level of detail.  What do you guys think?
Thanks, Dan

[flounderpounder225]

So I was very intrigued by the Raymarine Dragonfly discussion until I stopped into West Marine the other day.  I initially had my mind made up on the Garmin 546s until I talked to the salesman.  The 541s is going on sale between March 7 and 17 for $499, (down from $639.99).  AND with that purchase there is a $200 mail in rebate on the g2 Vision card which is normally $299.  I think I would be foolish not to take advantage of this offer and I'm pretty sure I wont see those prices anywhere else.  And it looks like the Garmin can do a few things that the Dragonfly can't.  Although the Dragonfly looks like a nice unit at a great price with amazing sonar imagery, I really don't need that level of detail.  What do you guys think?
Thanks, Dan

I have the 545, I think the only difference to the 541 is screen resolution.  the g2 vision card is awesome, I really like the "Route To" navigation option, pick a GPS waypoint, tell it to "route To" and it draws a purple line following all navigational channels and waterways directly to your destination, at night this is the bomb, just watch for other boats and cruise on...

[Bergertime]

Dan,

If you can afford the 546s I would opt for the additional screen resolution especially if you like bottom fishing.  Even though you may be able to save a few bucks on the lower end unit I think you might regret walking away from the 546 when you see the sonar screens side by side.  Kinda like purchasing a V6 Mustang when the V8 is just a little bit more.  I know from my experience fishing here in Tampa (in the bay and offshore) the resolution of the 546 makes it easy finding structure, evaluating bottom types and marking fish.   I can even mark my sinker as it falls to the bottom on a drop.   One other note to consider is navigation both from a fishing and/or running perspective as increased resolution will enhance your ability to track back your exact course whether your trying to duplicate a drift line, follow your prior path back to the dock or utilizing the split screen (Chart/Sonar).

Anyway... just my two cents from a newbie and some of you dollars.  Good luck with your decision.
 

Bruce

[Curious]

Bruce,
I hear ya on the screen resolution of the 546.  When you look at them side by side at the West Marine display the difference is incredible.  The salesman, who was trying really hard to sell me the 541, told me that although the 546 has better resolution the screen isn't as bright and is harder to view in the sun.