Topic: thinkin of the 898si

[knotsatisfied]

Hey guys, this is a awesome site! its nearly imposible to get any info about these units around here(tallahassee,fl.). everybody i ask has never seen one in action and the guys at west marine only know the simulator. Heres my question; will this thing work worth a hoot in the gulf out to 100' here in the Carrabelle/alligator point areas where vis is not more than 10' most of the year? no one on the forum really talks about using one in saltwater so i'm doin some reasearch before i spend the cash.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Yes it will.  Some of our Quality folks even went out of Panama City and worked their way east during a few test sessions a year or so ago.  Not sure how far east they got but it was not real far away from you.  Water clarity is not as big of a factor for sonar’s ability to work.  If we had 10-foot visibility on our lake here (Walter F. George Impoundment aka. “Lake Eufaula”) we would be wondering if the folks in Atlanta stopped flushing!

[knotsatisfied]

thanks for the info greg. the more i look the more i think i should consider the 900 or 1100 series. if im gona spend the money i mite as well get it over with. i did read a post on another site that the older transducer for si is much better so should i look into orderind that as well? i plan on getting the 1kw for the sonar as i assume that there is two transducers. wish i could find a flush mount style like i have now. thanks

[Humminbird_Greg]

Yes there were some posts about the older 262/455kHz Si transducer being better for saltwater than the 455/800kHz transducer but there was never any evidence for this brought forwards.  In theory you would think that the lower 262kHz frequency would carry further than the higher 455kHz Si frequency.  While that is true of two transducers that are equal in all other respects it is not true in this case that I have seen.  There were additional changes made in the newer 455/800kHz HDSi transducer that allow it to work about as far as the older 262/455kHz Si transducer.  If someone has images to show differently I wish that they would post them.  If you want to use the older Si transducer you would need to know the part number: XHS-9-Si-160-T for the transom mount version and XTH-9-Si-160-P for the plastic Thru-Hull type transducer.

Why do you want the 1KW transducer?  The standard HDSi transducer is good down to 1,500 feet and I think that you are going to have to go quite a distance out in the Gulf to reach that.

Depending on you boat; you may only need the one transducer that comes with the 898, 998, 1197 or new 1198 units.

We do have a flush mount style transducer that can be used with these units but it is only good for the 2D sonar.  We do have Thru-Hull style transducers that are Si and 2D sonar.

[knotsatisfied]

Thanks Greg, so there is a "flush mount trans"? i have one for my machine now and it only sticks out about 5/16" beneath the boat, i really like that sense i do find the occasional sand bar. the 1kw idea was just based on what I've herd about reading bottom at speed but if i dint need it i wont spend the cash for it. ultimately i would like to run the Si transducer on the transom and a flush regular sonar transducer thru-hull if possible. and part# advise on this or can i buy the unit already set up like this. plus id like to go ahead and get the platinum maps while I'm at it. I'm going to make the purchase on the 18Th this month(last boat payment on the 15Th yeehaw!) so I'm tryin to do as much research as i can now. plus been price shopping online tryin to find the best deal. thanks

[Humminbird_Greg]

knots,
We make a 200/83kHz Flush Mount transducer: XFM-9-20 that can be used with the 898c Si unit just like an inside-the-hull XP-9-20 transducer can be.
XFM-9-20:
http://store.humminbird.com/products/313999/XFM_9_20

XP-9-20:
http://store.humminbird.com/products/313995/XP_9_20

Whichever one you purchase you will need the AS-Si-DB-Y cable to connect it and the HDSi transducer to 898 unit.

You will have to order the additional transducer and AS-Si-DB-Y cable separately as we do not package them this way.  Hopefully the retailer you select to use will be able to help you with the added transducer and cable as well.

[knotsatisfied]

thanks again Greg, ive decided i'm going with the 1197c si or the 998c si. i sure hope im making the decition going with something other than furuno, my fishing buddys are telling me im crazy but all the reasearch ive done on these hummingbirds has got me hooked.

[rnvinc]

The 1197 is worth every extra dime I paid for it in "screen real estate"