FF selection advice

I'll be getting a new yak very soon which means I need to get a new FF for it. I've had the Eagle Cuda and it's been ok. It's worked a bit spotty a few times but for the price I thought it was great. I loved that it had the GPS built in. I know some don't like that feature but I'm usually in very protected waters. Anyway, the new yak will be an Xfactor and I'd like to put the FF near the front hatch like others have installed it so will need to be a big screen like the Humminbirds. I've looked at a few and found that some are GPS ready while others can have it added on later. Any pros and cons to these options? And in general any Humminbird owners have any opinions as to which are the best/worst?

Thanks.

Z

I've been thinking about the same thing. 

I think I'll continue to try to use the Cuda 250 (mine is currently off to be repaired), and get another cheaper Cuda as a backup/guest system.  Since I already have one transducer/mount installed, buy using the same brand it would be more flexible.  I can use the better unit on either and I have a back-up if needed.

It would be nice, however, to have a more quality sounder.

-Jesse

I got the skinny from the Humminbird guru, scwafish, @ Great White Kayak Company.

Here's his post on NCKA:
The 17 is a great basic unit, but discontinued.  The GPS is BASIC.  Breadcrumbs and waypoints.  The antenna/reciever is about $100.  The new compact units with the integral antenna are sweet, but the screen is smaller.  The 383 and 363 are both dual frequency chartplotters for a great price.  The 565 is essentially a 17, and the 580 is what used to be called a Matrix 67, which I have used for some time and is also great...just depends on budget.

I think I'm going to get a 580 because of the dual beam sonar and UniMap.

Although it has some cool (nerdy ) features like the 3D GPS


The topo map is a seller to me
Knowing underwater structure no matter where you go is way too good.


Now to just work that 80 hour week.. the bugger costs $340... 

Z

Z,

That looks like a pretty sweet little fish finder.  I'd love to have bathymetry maps tied in to my fish finder.

BTW, when you're down for BAMIII, you should ask Sean about the Humminbird side scan unit he bought for work.  From what I understand the imagery it returns is pretty amazing, but the transducer won't shoot through the hull and is about the size of a small football.   Here's the humminbird website for it... http://www.sideimaging.com/

Brian

Wow, that side imaging thing is freaking nuts! Pretty unbelievable. Should have a kayak icon w/ a fishing rod that shoots fish. BTW, you're still going to make it BAMIII right?

Z

Yep, I'll be at BAM defending the title.  See you there.

Brian

I'm a long time user of the Matrix 17, now discontinued.  The Matrix 717 is supposedly the replacement for it.

-Allen