Need advice for first sonar unit

[R H Clark]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it but I've never used a sonar before. I've owned boats for over 30 years but just never owned a sonar of any kind. My previous boat was a 16' john with 25 hp Honda tiller steer. Last year I bought a Sea Ark River Cat 200 with 115 Suzuki 4 stroke. I've always used Motorguide so I bought an Xi5 80 lb with pinpoint GPS.

From what I can gather, I need a Lowrance unit to link with my Xi5 trolling motor to control the motor from the sonar unit. I don't even know how big of a deal this is really as far as usefulness goes. Also being a new sonar owner I don't really want to spend $1500- $2000 on something that has feachers  I will never even use. I can spend the money but don't know if I even should being my first unit ever. It might be prudent to get something in the $500-$700 dollar range to learn the basics so I will later know what I am even buying with a more expensive unit.

My biggest need is navigation on large bodies of water since I now have the range to explore. I fish for every species that bites a hook. It would be nice to be able to locate shad to catch or find holes in the river to fish for catfish. It's basically a new world to me so I need some solid advice so I don't just waste money on something I don't even know how to take full advantage of. I'm not a dumb hayseed though and can definitely learn.

I'm looking at something like the Lowrance HDS 7 to take full advantage of my trolling motor options at around $1500 but wondering if I should just get something less expensive to start with like a Hummingbird Helix 7 SI Sonar/GPS  at half the price at about $700. I can spend the money but I don't want to waste it on more than I will use at my present level of knowledge.

[eddallen]

I would buy the most feature packed unit I could afford that takes care of whatever I might want/need to do with it in the future. ie: "I might want to connect my MotorGuide to the sonar/map unit..." That is something you need to address now.

[R H Clark]

3 minutes ago, eddallen said:

I would buy the most feature packed unit I could afford that takes care of whatever I might want/need to do with it in the future. ie: "I might want to connect my MotorGuide to the sonar/map unit..." That is something you need to address now.

That's sort of what I as afraid of, looks like $1500.LOL

Do you know, or anyone else for that matter, if the only way to connect to a Motorguide Xi5 is with the Lowrance unit? For example: IS there any after market accessory that will make it compatible with the less expensive Hummingbird? 

[Wayne P.]

6 hours ago, R H Clark said:

That's sort of what I as afraid of, looks like $1500.LOL

Do you know, or anyone else for that matter, if the only way to connect to a Motorguide Xi5 is with the Lowrance unit? For example: IS there any after market accessory that will make it compatible with the less expensive Hummingbird? 

You cannot use the communication feature of the Xi5 with a Humminbird. You can use the built-in sonar transducer with a Humminbird but that is it.

A Humminbird Helix 7 series and Helix 5 series are not communication linkable to anything or each other. You need at least a Helix 9 series for connectivity.

Humminbirds talk to the Minnkota iPilot Link in the electric steer motors. The same company owns both products so their stuff is compatible with each other.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Will a gen 2 work with that motor?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lowrance-000-10778-001-HDS-7-Gen2-Touch-Insight-USA-Bundle-Chartplotter-New-/172079288783?hash=item2810b991cf:g:6g8AAOSwa-dWqWKM