Switching from Lowrance, need help with unit selection

[Salty4Life]

I’m going to be rigging a new boat soon and I want to switch from Lowrance after seeing what mega imaging can do. The boat will be used in salt and fresh water. It I’m thinking a solix at the console, a helix on the bow, and a Ulterra or terrova trolling motor. The bow unit will be used for waypoints, 2d sonar and possibly 360 if I find a good way to mount the transducer. The console unit will be for graphing, waypoint and trolling motor control.

Coming from rom the Navico ecosystem I’m unsure how all the units network together. Besides lakemaster what charts are available with Humminbird? How are people mounting transducers to saltwater trolling motors? What are the major differences beside touchscreen between the solix and helix units? Is either unit compatible with Arimar b175 transducers. are thru hull mega transducers available? Does the SI unit also or DI and vis versa?

[Wayne P.]

An Ulterra or Terrova is not suitable for a bow 360, but there is a transom 360 model (original one).

If you want to use a Humminbird unit to control the trolling motor, the motor has to be the iPilot LINK model. LINK is an Ethernet connection.

Networking a Helix and SOLIX will only allow sharing waypoints. Multi-SOLIX units will share mapping, multi-Helix units will not.
Humminbird units read Lakemaster and Navionics digital mapping. Networking is Ethernet.

Those two motor models have a transducer cable management issue. There are several "rigs" used to manage the cable, typically putting the cable in a split, coiled air hose.

The SOLIX has customizable views and the Helix does not.

The SOLIX and Helix use two different transducer connection types (Helix 7 pin, SOLIX 14 pin).
Yes there are thru-hull versions of the 2D, DI, and SI transducers (hole through the hull bottom with threaded stem and nut to hold it).
The transducer model names start with XPTH.

The units have settings for Generic Low Frequency, Generic Medium Frequency, and Generic High Frequency so a matching B175 would work for 2D sonar. BUT not with Down Imaging or Side Imaging with a Helix. Can do that with a SOLIX.
Standard 2D with the current models of SOLIX and Helix is High Wide CHIRP 140-240 kHz.

A saltwater rated bow trolling motor would be the Riptide version and there are trolling motor puck transducers for Helix and SOLIX models.

A CHIRP model does 2D sonar only.
A DI model does 2D and Down Imaging.
A SI model does 2D, Down Imaging, and Side Imaging.
Each model comes with a transom transducer that does all the unit model is capable of.

[haus9393]

Using both hds carbon and solix units I would 100% go with solix. I’ve used the helix units and it’s a pain compared to solix as far as ease of touch screen. And solix just seems to be a cleaner image. Only downfall is the waypoint system on solix. I never use mine for waypoints as it’s a dedicated 360 screen but I think there’s only 1 waypoint icon so if you have 10 waypoints close together you have no idea what is what.

[exx1976]

Using both hds carbon and solix units I would 100% go with solix. I’ve used the helix units and it’s a pain compared to solix as far as ease of touch screen. And solix just seems to be a cleaner image. Only downfall is the waypoint system on solix. I never use mine for waypoints as it’s a dedicated 360 screen but I think there’s only 1 waypoint icon so if you have 10 waypoints close together you have no idea what is what.

Yes, solix will have better display since it is higher resolution size-for-size.

Can't you name the waypoints?

[Wayne P.]

Using both hds carbon and solix units I would 100% go with solix. I’ve used the helix units and it’s a pain compared to solix as far as ease of touch screen. And solix just seems to be a cleaner image. Only downfall is the waypoint system on solix. I never use mine for waypoints as it’s a dedicated 360 screen but I think there’s only 1 waypoint icon so if you have 10 waypoints close together you have no idea what is what.

There are five catagories of waypoints and 20 choices in each category.
There are fifteen color choices for each waypoint icon.

[Nattyboh74]

Keep in mind that the smaller Helix 9 did get a screen resolution upgrade this year along with a redesigned bezel and not one that is shared with the 10"

[Wayne P.]

Keep in mind that the smaller Helix 9 did get a screen resolution upgrade this year along with a redesigned bezel and not one that is shared with the 10"

The 8 and 9 share the same cabinet size like the 800 and 900 series units used to.

[haus9393]

There are five catagories of waypoints and 20 choices in each category.
There are fifteen color choices for each waypoint icon.

good deal. Because everyone I see just uses the yellow flag deal and I’m like damn how can you even navigate with that.

[ntslam]

good deal. Because everyone I see just uses the yellow flag deal and I’m like damn how can you even navigate with that.

When navigating I usually run a 3 pane screen. A chart/chart/2d screen. I will zoom in on one of the chart screens to where the waypoints breaks up and dispaly individually and stay zoomed out a bit on the other chart. Makes it a lot easier for me to navigate to waypoints