New Boat!

Callem'In

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So I finally decided to purchase a new boat. I ended up ordering a 2017 Alumacraft Edge 185. I ordered it with a 150 Suzuki.
My question comes down to electronics. I will be upgrading from older Humminbird units to some thing new. Does anyone run Garmin? I would like some first hand experience with them, or any other recommendations. I want to stay with a 9" and a 7 on the dash.
 


Riverbottoms

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I have ran Humminbird for years. Love the products, Bought a new used boat last year that was equipped with lowrance, Lowrance units are nice and easy to use but lack a lot of the options Humminbird has had for years. Navonics maps suck compared to lakemaster and also Lowrance unit wont let you change the lake elevations and cant highlight certain contour lines. I will probably be putting a helix 10 or 12 on my boat this spring!!!
 

remm

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Depends on your electric motor. Garmins are sweet looking units, but having the humminbird/minnkota link or the lowrance/motorguide link would be something to consider. I wouldn't trade my lowrance/motorguide pair for anything on the market today.
Congrats on the new boat.
 


Joe

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Why would you want a unit that will never communicate with a trolling motor and is only compatible with an inferior lake chip? Minnkota/humminbird/lakemaster is the best combo for North Dakota, and lowrance/motor guide if you're the contrarian type. Only time I would look at a garmin is if I was buying a small boat for harder to access lakes and rivers, and never planned on using a trolling motor.
 

shorthairsrus

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If it's mapping or sonar that your interested in. Imo unless I draw the map. None of the maps are perfect. The new Garmin looks awesome. Sooner or later u will have a monitor for maps only
 

Callem'In

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Why would you want a unit that will never communicate with a trolling motor and is only compatible with an inferior lake chip? Minnkota/humminbird/lakemaster is the best combo for North Dakota, and lowrance/motor guide if you're the contrarian type. Only time I would look at a garmin is if I was buying a small boat for harder to access lakes and rivers, and never planned on using a trolling motor.

I tend to fish in multiple states and Canada every year and Garmin maps seem to be good. I have never had a head unit paired with a trolling motor, so I don't know what I am missing.

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I am not sure on a bow mount trolling motor as of yet, so it may sway my decision. I run a Power drive w/o I-pilot now, but that will be replaced as well. I am not looking at starting a Minnkota/Motorguide pissing match, what do all of you prefer?
 

Joe

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I tend to fish in multiple states and Canada every year and Garmin maps seem to be good. I have never had a head unit paired with a trolling motor, so I don't know what I am missing.

- - - Updated - - -

I am not sure on a bow mount trolling motor as of yet, so it may sway my decision. I run a Power drive w/o I-pilot now, but that will be replaced as well. I am not looking at starting a Minnkota/Motorguide pissing match, what do all of you prefer?

2014 I bought a humminbird 999 with the lake master v5 dakotas and Nebraska chip, and a year later bought a minnkota ulterra with the link after cashing in rewards points on one my credit cards. Follow the contour, spot lock, track recording, auto pilot, and automatic deploy and store has made fishing a hundred times more relaxing.
 


NDHick

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I made the switch last summer from the Bird to the 93sv. I had a 988 Bird I believe so I can't compare it to the helix but the Garmin is heads and tails better that my old Bird. I use the auto mapping and it works awesome. The side imaging is great and the Panoptix add on looks phenomenal. I am looking at upgrading to that next year.
 

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