Boat show highlights
Some exciting new launches from this year’s big event
Exciting new launches from this year’s big event.
GARMIN STRIKER 5DV FISH-FINDER
Marine electronics giant, Garmin, launched its new range of Striker fish-finders at January’s show, and I particularly liked the 5in version.
These new fish-finders are GPS enabled, which allows you to mark and return to your hotspots, slipways and docks. You can also share your favourite waypoints and routes with other Striker and echoMAP combos.
The 5in version, the Striker 5dv, package includes a Garmin CHIRP (77/200 kHz) transducer, which provides a visibly higher level of clarity and detail for fish and structure than traditional 77/200 kHz transducers.
Instead of sending just one single frequency, CHIRP sends a continuous sweep of frequencies, then interprets them individually upon their return. Since the frequencies provide a wider range of information, CHIRP sonar technology can create crisper fish arches with greater target separation.
You can upgrade to high-performance Garmin CHIRP technology, which provides crystal-clear sonar images with even more remarkable target separation and resolution from shallow to deeper depths. For better fishing, bottom contours are more visible, even at higher speeds, and signal noise can be suppressed at greater depths to provide a more timely interpretation of what’s below.
Garmin DownVü scanning sonar gives you a nearly photographic image of what passes 750ft (228m) below your boat. You clearly see structure, submerged objects and fish.
Since the Striker fish-finder series includes high-sensitivity GPS, you can see your position in relation to waypoints you have marked. Use the waypoint map to easily view, mark and navigate to locations such as wrecks and banks.
You can quickly see your boat’s speed on the screen. It’s a great tool to make sure you are trolling at the right speed for the lure you’re using, and for a particular fish species. It’s also a good way to tell if you are going the right speed in wake-controlled areas.
PRICE & AVAILABILITY
£269.99 (includes GT20-TM transducer). For more details, visit: www.garmin.com