GPs Auto pilot fish finder

[Imiloa]

I just got a 87 Billfisher 26, 200 hp Volvo I/O, hydraulic steering. I need to replace the auto pilot, GPS and fish finder.

The old auto pilot is a Cetec Benmar and the GPS and finder are Furunos, I think they are the original electronics that came with the boat when it was new.

What have you guy's upgraded to and whats your feed back?

Thanks Randy

[DOGHOUSE26]

No Slack will probably try to talk you into keeping the Benmar; they are actually very good pilots but don't integrate with today's more technical electronics. Furuno's NavNet system is what most of the newer boats are installing; however the Garmin GPS units are a little easier to operate IMHO, I have both. I think most of the nicer GPS units perform about the same, but I would never buy anything other than a Furuno Fishfinder. I have a 585 model which at 1000 watts covers any depth I want to fish in (Fish readings to 1000-1200' and bottom reading to 2000'); Zack has a Furuno 295 which you can get in 1000 to 3000 watt packages and his has quite a few more adjustment options and features which make it a superior unit which most of the long range fleet installs for their straight up & down metering. Raytheon is very similar to the Furuno brand and a little less expensive; Time Out has a Raytheon FF that puts out a pretty good picture and works fine on our rock cod trips to the 9; I just prefer Furuno as that is what most of the commercial fleet runs and I would think that alone would be your best indicator. As far as Autopilots go some guys have the SIMRAD AP-11 thru AP-20 and seem to like them; there's another common and less expensive autopilot that works well on the Blackman; I can't think of the brand I know Time Out and alot of others on the board have chime in guys help me out here........

[To The Limit]

This sounds like my old boat. Does it have cockpit steering and an offshore bait tank? If so GPS was added in 1998.

[DOGHOUSE26]

Randy do you have the standard bench seat on your bridge or do you have a captains Helm Chair in the middle?

[Imiloa]

Randy do you have the standard bench seat on your bridge or do you have a captains Helm Chair in the middle?

I have the standard bench seat set up.


No Slack will probably try to talk you into keeping the Benmar; they are actually very good pilots but don't integrate with today's more technical electronics. Furuno's NavNet system is what most of the newer boats are installing; however the Garmin GPS units are a little easier to operate IMHO, I have both. I think most of the nicer GPS units perform about the same, but I would never buy anything other than a Furuno Fishfinder. I have a 585 model which at 1000 watts covers any depth I want to fish in (Fish readings to 1000-1200' and bottom reading to 2000'); Zack has a Furuno 295 which you can get in 1000 to 3000 watt packages and his has quite a few more adjustment options and features which make it a superior unit which most of the long range fleet installs for their straight up & down metering. Raytheon is very similar to the Furuno brand and a little less expensive; Time Out has a Raytheon FF that puts out a pretty good picture and works fine on our rock cod trips to the 9; I just prefer Furuno as that is what most of the commercial fleet runs and I would think that alone would be your best indicator. As far as Autopilots go some guys have the SIMRAD AP-11 thru AP-20 and seem to like them; there's another common and less expensive autopilot that works well on the Blackman; I can't think of the brand I know Time Out and alot of others on the board have chime in guys help me out here........

For better or worse I decided to go with the Raymarine AP, GPS MFD and CHIRP Fish Finder. I wish Furuno came out with their next generation fish finder but I needed the electronics now, soooo, the upgrade is almost complete, hopefully I can test run everything this weekend.

Thanks for your help guy's

[To The Limit]

Then it is not my old boat because mine had to captain's chairs on the bridge. Good fishing. Dan

[LABRISA DEL MAR]

Are you going to sale the cetec benmar and furuno fish finder? This is what I have.

[DOGHOUSE26]

Call me stupid but What is a CHIRP Fish Finder?

[Hamachi Girl]

Broad spectrum frequency modulation sonar and enhanced digital signal processing. In a nutshell you can be traveling 25knts and tell if a rockcod just took a crap at 2500ft.

[DOGHOUSE26]

And who makes it?

[Imiloa]

And who makes it?
Garmin, Simrad, Raymarine.
Furuno should have one out in the near future.