Should I buy the Hummingbird 798i?

A

AnthonyA

New Member
Aug 17, 2010
48
LIS
Boat Info
300 Sundancer 1996
Engines
twin 350 mercs with Aplha drives
I need some opinions on the Hummingbird 798 GPS/sonar combo unit. Does it work well? Is the screen big enough? Does the internal antenna work well 20 miles offshore?:huh:

I have an opportunity to buy this from a local LI vendor who is closing up for the winter and looking to clear out his inventory i just dont want to make the wrong impulse buy. I did a search and could not find any previous links on this unit.

I was looking to buy the compatible Garmin but this unit is $400 cheaper.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Does it come with the detailed maps built in? Those will be designated as Navionics Value Bundle (NAV) and includes some of their HotMaps lake maps and other detailed maps off-shore maps. If it isn't an NAV package you'll probably end up springing for additional map cards. I've been thinking about getting a 788CI with the NAV and have read a lot of reviews which were for the most part very positive.
 
AnthonyA said:
I was looking to buy the compatible Garmin but this unit is $400 cheaper.
Click to expand...

You might ask yourself why it's $400 cheaper. The Garmin's are more popular and better supported with upgrades, etc. Hummingbird is entry level.

I have a Lowrance unit which is a cousin of the Hummingbird and I would go Garmin if I were to do it again.
 
It does have the Nav value pack built in so that is an added benefit, one of my major concerns is the internal antenna. I have also read very positive reviews on the unit with the exception of mixed signals on the internal antenna. In fairness to HB the antenna issue was a concern with all units with an internal antenna. So I am unsure about that aspect of the unit.

As for the qoute of being $400 buck cheaper, I would chalk it up to I am am a familiar patron of his store, the economy sucks and he is looking to move the inventory. It is new in the box and not used for display or anything. I have seen the hype around the Garmin but the unit seems to compare fairly well against the hummingbird. I am not knocking the Garmin it is a great product but $400 goes along way these days.
 
I cannot speak about that particular unit but I have been using Humminbird for over 20 years, mainly depth/fish finders. I am on my third one, which is a gps/chartplotter/depth/fishfinder, they have all worked well. The original still works, at least it did the last time I used it. I do have the external antenna for gps and it hooks up quick. They are American made in Alabama, support is a phone call away and you get to talk to an English speaking Southern American. :grin: The only problem I have had was with the second unit and that was not anything to do with the unit, boat wiring problem, solved by running wire straight to the battery. Their phone support helped solve that problem. My experience has all been good.
 
I have the 788ci and I love it. In fact I took it off my previous boat and I'm going to use it on the lower helm station in this boat. I'm planning to buy a 958c or maybe the 998si for my upper helm station.

Mine has worked great, easy to use and easy to see (even from the back of my 24' boat when I was trolling and steering with the tiller)
 
Yeah i like the 998 but abit of a $$ stretch for me. Do you have an internal or external antenna? Do you have a preference?
 
In my case I now have an external antenna, it is quick to connect. I still have my original gps which is a handheld (Magellan Meridian Gold) with internal antenna and run both. The HB will connect to satellites much quicker than the other. When I installed it in my yard under the trees it connected where the handheld would not or took a long time. I know I am talking two different brands here so it is not apples to apples. I have always turned on blower, gps, fishfinder and by the time it was ready to go when I was, so I think the internal should do the same, usually it did not take long on the water sitting still at the dock for the handheld to connect to the satellites and be ready. I don't think the internal antenna would give you a problem as long as it has a clear view of the sky. A friend of mine took me out in the Gulf of Mexico, he had two Garmens, one external antenna, one internal antenna, both were mounted side by side in an opening in the console with a fiberglass top to the console and under a T top, the internal antenna unit lost signal,at times, the external antenna unit kept its signal all the time, a unit with a clear view of the sky should maintain contact with satellites at all times. The HB should give you good service.
 
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