Bottomline Tournament 480 Fishfinder?

[paleocaver]

Needing a new fishfinder. Wanting the highest watt unit I can afford for less than $200. The Bottomline 480 touts 3200 Watts for about $150. That's much better than the Hummingbird Matrix 17 at about 2000.

What's the story on that brand? Anyone use one and could tell me?

Thanks

[paleocaver]

By the lack of response and the fact that I can't find much on Bottomline brand in a search of this site, I take it it's not a popular brand? I figured the price was a too good to be true thing.

So that takes me back to a problem. I have a $200 budget. Anyone cave give me a recommendation for a Eagle/Lowrance or Hummingbird unit?

Thanks

[Mr.T]

The Bottomline 480 has 2000 watts peak-to-peak power according to Cabela's web site. I don't know much about it, but it looks like a pretty low-end sonar to me.

For the money, Eagle seems to be a pretty good deal - they're nearly identical to the Lowrance units and are made in the same factory. The difference is usually only in the amount of output power.

And (being a ham radio operator who knows just a little bit about "power"), I'm not convinced that you or I can tell the difference between 1200 watts peak-to-peak vs 2000 watts peak-to-peak in the images displayed on the screen. "Peak to peak" is a misleading number anyway - what you really care about is the RMS power, which is a true measure of "how much" power the unit has.

From the Bottomline web site:

The output power of a fish finder's transmitter is stated in watts RMS or in watts peak-to-peak (P-P). The two terms represent different ways to advertise output power, and all you need to know to compare units that advertise different ratings is that P-P equals watts RMS times 8.

Power's importance is based on the perception that more power always produces a better echo. In reality, it is the combination of the unit's power and receiver sophistication that determines the unit's ability to find a fish and display an accurate image.

So, suppose you're comparing a 1500 watt peak-to-peak depth finder with a 2000 watt peak to peak unit. The real difference in power is just 62 watts (500 watts divided by 8). That's not much - if you double or triple the power between two units, then you've done something. But to add 33%? Not so much.

If it was my money, I'd find the unit with the best *vertical* resolution and the most features that I'd be likely to use (many units have a dozen features nobody will ever really use but they sound great on marketing material), *then* I'd worry about power.

Unfortunately, $200 just won't buy you very much in any case - if you can possibly save up another $200, you have a lot more options.

[paleocaver]

Thanks Mr. T.

Bass Pro lists the Bottomline 480 at 3200 Watts. Either way, you're right, it looks like a cheap unit. Can't even find a supporting website for it.

Hummingbird has recently come out with the 727. It has 500 Watts RMS and all the feature I'd like (and then some) for about $280. I may go that route.

BTW - the $200 budget was my wife and 6 year-old sons as this is to be a fathers day gift.

[Mr.T]

Took another look at the Bottomlnie website, and they show that the Tournament 480 MAX does have 3200 watts RMS. Not sure that's the same unit Cabelas is selling, however.

http://www.bottomlinefishfinders.com.../bl/480MAX.htm