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i want to get either a new Lowrance or Humminbird sonar. Factory equipment on my Trophy was a Navman sonar connected to a sensor mounted in the bottom of the hull. My question is can I use the existing sensor with the new sonar unit? I know you can get 'thru-the-hull' sensors from suppliers like Airmar that are compatible with several sonar units, but I would prefer to use th existing sensor if possible. I am just starting to research this and would appreciate any experience anyone has with changing out just the sonar unit. Will this work?
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Only the respective factory can answer that definitively.
The first problem that occurs to me is the connector - they're all different.
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You may in fact be able to do that. HOWEVER ... I personally wouldn't even consider doing it. Manufactures engineer their transducers to function specifically with their makes and models of their main units.
--- Coot ---
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I have a Trophy boat with the Navman sonar still in it. I only use it for motating around, for water depth etc. I use a Lowrance unit in that boat for serious fish finding etc. I have to use one unit or the other, not both at the same time or I get interference. The transducer connections are totally different of course, and I don't think there's any chance that the Navman transducer could be used with any other unit anyway.
My advice would be to buy a modern sonar unit, to either replace or compliment the Navman. You won't be sorry.
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Thank you all for your replies.
My Navman might have been acceptable 10 years ago, but it certainly isn't comparable with newer units. Mine is flush mtd so I want to pull it and flush mount a new one.
Now I have to decide Lowrance or Hummingbird. I'll get a single function unit, not a multi-function unit. Any recommendations???
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"Lowrance or Humminbird?" is like "Ford or Chevy?". Toss a coin. I have both (Lowrance in the Trophy, 2 Humminbirds in the Tracker), and I prefer my Humminbirds. I definitely advise getting one with 83 KHz because it's a lot more useful than 200 KHz for seeing fish. The finders with Down Imaging don't generally have the 83 kHz capability. If there's a chance you'll want to ever use iPilot or iPilot Link, make sure your finder is compatible.
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I have a Lowrance HDS-7m with a Navionics Platinum map card flush mtd beside the Navman to get around. It's a terriffic package with great contour detail. Don't think I'll ever use iPilot. Many boats on the Great Lakes and coastal waters use an auto pilot to get them to hot spots out of sight of shore. I would like to think about that, but going 40 miles offshore for albacore is a little risky for me with just a single engine.
Anyway, I do think the Hummunbird is a little better than the Lowrance fishfinder, but I'm favoring putting another Lowrance unit in for consistency with the chart plotter. Probably not a good reason, but would rather have two units of the same mfgr.
Do you use an elec mtr on your Trophy? The bow is high above the waterline.
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[quote trueblue2]
Do you use an elec mtr on your Trophy? The bow is high above the waterline.[/quote]
No, I'm sure an electric trolling motor wouldn't work on such a heavy boat. I use a 9.9 hp kicker with RemoteTroll, so I'm not using iPilot on that boat at all.
I agree, you'd be wise to stay with the same brand for 2 units. Things get too confusing otherwise.
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Have you looked into Furuno? I have a GP1870F and it is great. Navtronics maps work on it and it is basically in the commercial class of fishfinder/charplotter. The resolution is better than Lowrance and Humminbird. The transducer cone angle is quite wide (~40 degrees). Lots of bells and whistles but pretty easy to use. A lot of guides in AK use them.
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I put a Hummingbird 999 HD SI on my trophy this year and absolutely love it especially for koke fishing. The built in GPS makes finding your last spot a matter of point and go.
Seams its more a matter of what you can get for your money. The most important thing for me was being able to see the screen without my glasses on and 999 has an 8" screen that I can see from the back of the boat. The downriggers are very easy to spot as well.
I think there's a difference with the transducers too...
Hummingbirds (I believe) all come with the transducer for the price advertised but some of the Lowrance fish finders do not.
my .02 cents worth...
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Researched this fairly thoroughly and thought I would share my findings:
1) A CHIRP sonar requires a CHIRP transducer.
2) My existing in hull transducer (Airmar) could possibly work with a new CHIRP sonar, but would not improve the sonar readings.
3) Since I already have a dedicated HDS-7m GPS with Navionics card I decided to purchase the Lowrance Elite 5X CHIRP sonar with 83/200, 455/800 transducer for transom mount.
4) There are several in-hull transducers available to interface with the Elite 5X CHIRP, but they are very expensive, some costing more than $600. After reviewing the performance of the Elite 5x CHIRP with a "standard" transducer, I couldn't justify the higher cost.
5) Looking forward to the improved target separation especially for schools of perch and bottom lying eyes.
6) Will remove the old flush mounted Navman and put the new sonar in its place beside the GPS. I am very pleased with this combination of devices as I don't really care for the multifunction units.
Beginning to wonder what the next sonar improvement will be. Thanks everyone for your input. Trueblue
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Lowrance used to manufacture their own transducers. However, with the advent of built in ducers in trolling motors, both Minn Kota and Motor Guide offer such models, all the transducers are pretty much the same, only difference are the connectors. Never heard of Navman electronics. I would just purchase the unit of your choice and mount the new transducer on the transom to get your best performance.
A couple of tips. To allow adjustment of your transducer placement without drilling all sorts of holes in your transom, get a polyethylene cutting board. Trim off all the grooves and stuff on a table saw. You now have a plate that can be mounted on the transom to which you can mount the transducer. You can remount it until you get your optimum performance.
Have fun and good luck !!!
