Lowrance Radar vs. Furuno Radar

[Slabby20]

I'm considering adding radar. I have a Lowrance LCX 37C sounder that I can add the radar dome to and have an all in one sounder, GPS, radar. For just a little more money I can buy a Furuno 1623 stand alone radar. What would you do? I haven't seen either one of them in action.

Slabby

 

[Striper Sniper]

Hi Slabby, I have the 38C HD as well as the Lowrance LRA 1800 radar unit. I was having problems with my main unit so I sent it back to Lowrance and haven't heard from them yet. It was just shutting down time and time again..... I will say that when it was working properly, the radar unit worked very well. SS

 

[wolf]

What about a JRC 1500. Alot of the guys on this forum use them including me and for the amount that I do use it I really like it.
just another option for you.

Good luck Wolf

Blue Wolf Charters
www.bluewolfcharters.com

 

[Slabby20]

Thanks SS,

Do you split screen between the GPS/chartmap and radar? Does that seem to work pretty well? Probably the biggest reason I would even consider buying the Furuno is that I could then full screen the radar and not have to split screen it.

 

[Striper Sniper]

Hey Slabby, yes, I run with the split screen. If you adjust the radar distance setting to match the setting on the GPS, it works very well as you can identify objects on the radar to the GPS Chartplotter. I understand that you can overlay the radar over the Chartplotter which means you should be able to run with a full screen however I have not attempted that yet. The reason that I went with the Lowrance radar was that I did not have to clutter my dash with another unit and screen. SS

 

[Whole in the Water]

I have a Furuno 1623 Radar and love it. Furuno is professional grade stuff.

Sharp hooks and full traps!

 

[bananas]

Like someone else already said when the lowrance radar works it is great but mine does not work very often.I got mine three years ago now and it hasn't worked properly once,as well the lowrance rep said you would be able to interface within 1 month three years later no go.My new boat wont have thus radar.

 

[ratherbefishing]

Furuno if you have the $$ any day of the week.

I haven't tried any of the new HD radars but I do like to have a separate radar screen (as in not a combo unit) as I like to be able to have that running and the plotter/sounder when fishing in the fog, particularly while in vessel traffic lanes...also should one of the two units fail you can still find your way back.

Whatever you end up buying, please make sure you practice in good weather as they are not always intuitive to interpret and in the fog is not a good place to figure that out.

 

[Slabby20]

Thanks everybody for the replys. Haven't made up my mind which way to go yet but good input from everyone.

Ratherbefishing,

I agree with your recommendation to practice with it before gettiong into the fog. I had radar on my last boat and even though I practiced with it before hand it was a whole different world once the fog rolled in.

Slabby

 

[SerengetiGuide]

RAYMARINE RAYMARINE RAYMARINE its what we have in our Pursuit and I can say it is phenomonal. Overlay radar/gps is amazing works like a charm....great detail...just overall unreal...in our smaller boat we have Lowrance and its not even close which is better...aka RAYMARINE!

www.serengetifishingcharters.com

 

[Striper Sniper]

Hey guys, just got an email from Lowrance on the unit I sent back to get checked out. They are sending me a new replacement unit, no questions asked. As for SerengetiGuide's preference, no argument from me however they were out of my price range. I have a couple of buddies in the East coast and they would not consider anything other than Raymarine or Furuno....... SS

 

[richmake]

The kids right about Raymarine.....awesome recreational units...probably the top 2 for the money.
I have a Garmin 3010 loaded with everything and it's pretty good...no complaints and might even be a little more user friendly than the Raymarine or Furuno
I've run a few boats down south that have the Raymarine C80 system and they seem pretty darn sweet....
As far as stand along, budget oriented radars....the furuno 1623 is my pick...