When???

[Bduck]

What criteria you use to replace your electronics mainly a fish finder or combo unit? Does technology upgrade aid in replacement of electronics? Do you wait until glitches start overcoming performance or do you just keep using until it quits functioning? A lot of discussions involved is how some share how the units work helping with the purchase of, buy today and tomorrow its outdated or something new hits the market. Affordability? Next to my kicker constantly putting a number of hours running every trip, my combo unit sees same number of hours in use. When does it become enough to replace? 
I've had one unit used for many years to quit picking up fish no matter replacing skimmer. Another that went 6yrs which the screen went out altogether. Yet another combo unit approached 5yrs still in use for which I now use for its GPS but replaced with a larger 9" screen combo unit now at 4yrs old. I'm thinking of a new unit again which I have time that can go either way right now. I do like technology but pricing some units is hard to be swayed the expense, it could hit me to break down for a well deserve unit.
Where do you take a stand?

[jjannie]

We tend to stick with one until it no longer works, unless a good deal comes along then we upgrade to a different one at that time, maybe from someone else who is upgrading even more than we are. So far this has worked well enough for our needs.

[TubeDude]

As a float tuber I do not have nearly the investment, equipment list, technology, etc. that you have.  But I am a fisherman...or I'd like to think I am. 

My philosophy has always been...buy the best you can afford and get the features and performance that best suit your kind of fishing.  Anything less and every trip will be tainted with the realization..."I coulda done better".  But if you get something that decidedly improves your fishing success and enjoyment, you can't really put a price on it.  A lot better to keep your system upgraded than to blow your money on other things that are foo-foo or even detrimental to your health.  At least that's my rationale.

If you have trouble spending another hundred dollars on something, don't just look at it as a one time $100 deficit.  Instead, project the number of years and number of trips you anticipate using and enjoying the benefits of that extra expenditure.  Then divide the $100 by the number of trips, etc.  Over the next 100 trips it will cost you only $1 more per trip.  And if you are not worth another $1 per trip...well.....

As a pioneer and innovator in float tube fishing, I have been among the first to add electronics and motors to float tubes...along with lots of PVC rod holders and other goodies.  Over the past 30 years that I have been using sonar on my float  tubes I have bought and tried MANY new models.  Obviously, some worked better than others.  And some low-end models did not work well at all...or failed after a short trial period.  So I have had to do a lot of rationalizing and excuse-making to justify buying new stuff...at least to my spouse/finance manager if not myself.  Bottom line has always been:  if it don't work right...dump it.  Or...if there is something new and wonderful, and you can't sleep nights until you get it...then get it and sleep better.  Nothing to do with finances and everything to do with your personal fishing enjoyment.  And if fishing defines you...like it does me...you don't need no steenking excuses.

[jjannie]

As a float tuber I do not have nearly the investment, equipment list, technology, etc. that you have.  But I am a fisherman...or I'd like to think I am. 

My philosophy has always been...buy the best you can afford and get the features and performance that best suit your kind of fishing.  Anything less and every trip will be tainted with the realization..."I coulda done better".  But if you get something that decidedly improves your fishing success and enjoyment, you can't really put a price on it.  A lot better to keep your system upgraded than to blow your money on other things that are foo-foo or even detrimental to your health.  At least that's my rationale.

If you have trouble spending another hundred dollars on something, don't just look at it as a one time $100 deficit.  Instead, project the number of years and number of trips you anticipate using and enjoying the benefits of that extra expenditure.  Then divide the $100 by the number of trips, etc.  Over the next 100 trips it will cost you only $1 more per trip.  And if you are not worth another $1 per trip...well.....

As a pioneer and innovator in float tube fishing, I have been among the first to add electronics and motors to float tubes...along with lots of PVC rod holders and other goodies.  Over the past 30 years that I have been using sonar on my float  tubes I have bought and tried MANY new models.  Obviously, some worked better than others.  And some low-end models did not work well at all...or failed after a short trial period.  So I have had to do a lot of rationalizing and excuse-making to justify buying new stuff...at least to my spouse/finance manager if not myself.  Bottom line has always been:  if it don't work right...dump it.  Or...if there is something new and wonderful, and you can't sleep nights until you get it...then get it and sleep better.  Nothing to do with finances and everything to do with your personal fishing enjoyment.  And if fishing defines you...like it does me...you don't need no steenking excuses.

Well said, my friend. Totally agree!

[BearLakeFishGuy]

Personally, I never buy anything with "brand new" technology until about a year after they come out on the market. The newest versions of any fishfinder/GPS/combo whatever are always overpriced. About a year later, the prices come down a LOT and that is when I make my purchase. I don't get too excited about the new stuff until I feel my old units are way out-dated. It's totally a personal preference thing in my opinion. I also refused to pay several thousand for any of the latest and greatest units. My "self-imposed" limit is once again a personal thing. Right now my limit is about $1,400 max. After being fortunate and having a career using different boats and every brand of unit you that I can think of, I'll be making a switch once again. I started with Lowrance way back in the 1980's and I stayed pretty loyal until the late 1990's. Then I switched to Humminbirds on my personal boat. My new boat came with a Lowrance but I'm very disappointed in the unit and extremely disappointed with the so-called "technical support". The best new units I have used in the last 4-5 are all Garmins. For the money right now the Echomap UHD2 units from Garmin are pretty dang incredible. Compared to the older UHD units, the UHD2 are much better at everything. Speed of processor, definition, etc. Raymarine units are also nice, but are designed more for the salt water and extreme depths, ranges, etc. But brands of fish finders are just like trucks. Everyone has a reason they like a particular brand more than others. I think the best way to answer your original question is: Whenever you feel like you'll be getting your money's worth out of it!

[Paddler]

Quite a timely topic. I recently discovered my 2005 Lowrance LCX 111c HD has been dating all of my newly created waypoints to November 2004. Further, I think it's been going on for a couple of years. I never really paid much attention. More recently it's been zooming out to the east or to the south and back. According to my map, I went to Spain and back in seconds. This throws off my trip calculater big time, it has read over 10,000 miles and maximum speeds of nearly 400MPH.

It appears to be my external GPS antenna that's at fault. I ordered a new, very much updated one, but Lowrance has changed their cabling and connectors in the interim. Still working on that and hopefully it will get fixed soon.

Lowrance told me that it was most likely my display failing. I have an older standard radar, the new ones are broadband and much better at close range, so much better for collision avoidance. I've considered upgrading in the past but never did.

I also have cable steering in my boat with a Simrad rotary autopilot, which required wiring back then. Newer stuff is all plug and play, but only Lowrance and Simrad offer cable steer autopilots now.

My criteria for buying new stuff is whether it will put more fish in my boat or complete failure. If I can't get my Lowrance working, I'll have to replace it, of course. I'd go the a 12" Simrad display, radar and AP, in addition to a new VHF radio. The NSS12 evo3S is about $3700 plus transducer, the radar is $1900, the AP is $1450 (but does patterns). It will have Downscan, Sidescan and standard sonar, I'm not convinced it will put more fish in my boat. Total cost could be ~$7000. We'll see.

[Bduck]

 Raymarine units are also nice, but are designed more for the salt water and extreme depths, ranges, etc.  

Not all Raymarine units are for salt water with recent developments. The first one I had was the A57D, it was suited for both fresh & salt water. I found it was little difficult to operate settings when the need to make changes on the water occurred. Next, the Dragonfly combo unit was a freshwater unit I used for about 5yrs. This unit I still have set up on my boat but using it mainly for GPS now. It is also a portable unit for ice fishing which an ice fishing kit consisting of a carry pouch with a battery & ice-ducer is available for purchase. This unit would a great on small vessels as toons, kayaks which comes in a couple of sizes with the 7" screen is as large as it comes, it has downscan along with sonar, simple operation. The main unit I'm now running is the Element HV 9" designed more for freshwater fishing. It was developed with some features from Raymarine's Axiom unit that is a salt unit. I like the Element for its features and simple operation to setup. A down/sidescan unit that also has a ice fishing kit separately available. Not yet ready to replace but keeping watch on the future and I also wait till the unit has been on the market for a while.

[dubob]

I have used 3 different Lowrance sonars over the last 18 years.  I am happy with their performance overall, but their customer support leaves much to be desired.  If the unit tells me where I'm at, how deep the water is, and marks fish, I'm happy with it and don't see any reason to replace it.  My needs are simple and I don't need the latest technology to enjoy my fishing.  My success is measured by my enjoyment level, not by how many fish I catch.  I am thinking a new boat for 2025, and I'm going to change to a Garmin sonar for the new ride.  That said, it will be used until it quits, regardless of technological advances after the purchase.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  

[Paddler]

I have used 3 different Lowrance sonars over the last 18 years.  I am happy with their performance overall, but their customer support leaves much to be desired.  If the unit tells me where I'm at, how deep the water is, and marks fish, I'm happy with it and don't see any reason to replace it.  My needs are simple and I don't need the latest technology to enjoy my fishing.  My success is measured by my enjoyment level, not by how many fish I catch.  I am thinking a new boat for 2025, and I'm going to change to a Garmin sonar for the new ride.  That said, it will be used until it quits, regardless of technological advances after the purchase.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  

Yes, it does.  The problem is prolonged time on hold, I have waited a total of 4 hours on hold over the 3 times I've called them.  I got Fernando in the Phillippines the last couple of times, then asked to elevate my questions since my issue was complicated involving my long ago discontinued LCX 111c HD, which was state-of-the-art in 2005.  I was transferred to Tulsa and spoke with Marie, who thought my unit was failing. 

I asked about it on The Hull Truth, another boating forum, and a guy who goes by abbor answered my questions.  He's an electrical engineer in Norway who is very knowledgable about Navico products and marine electronics in general.  The LCX doesn't have internal GPS, it required a LGC2000 antenna when I bought it.  Looks like that was the problem.  Their new GPS/heading unit is the Point-1, which requires an adapter cable to connect to my old LCX.  Lowrance told me that since the Point-1 is 10Hz, my boat icon may just spin, as the LCX operates at 1Hz.  But it turns out that the Point-1 actually can operate at 1, 5 or 10Hz, so I should be able to make it work.

So, I like my Lowrance and it's now 19 years old with about 2000 hours of use, but support is an issue.  As far as I can tell, wait times are also an issue with Simrad.  But I'm locked into Navico, as nobody else sells a cable steer AP, and I don't really want to to to the trouble and expense of changing to hydraulic.  And I won't have a boat that doesn't have an AP.  With a biminy top, side curtains, radar, a DSC enabled VHF, PLB, an autopilot and my Mercury 115HP engine, I feel comfortable venturing 60 miles off shore.  My longest single day was ~145 miles round trip, no problem.

[brookie]

Until this spring I used a 5" Humminbird Helix with sonar and down imaging, purchased in about 2014, yeah I figured if I could see the bottom, fish arches, speed, and temp, that was all I needed. And for the most part that was correct. Fast forward to spring 2024 when that ff broke - it obviously owed me nothing. I replaced it with a Garmin 12 inch with live scope etc. I could never go back now. Yeah I waited way too long.