Some bass fishermen in the United States (U.S.) are led to believe that inventors from the Midwest U.S. invented the original fishfinders. Think again. As early as 1948, the Japanese firm of Furuno Electric Shokai Ltd., which was founded in Nagasaki, Japan in 1938, created the first commercially viable fishfinder.
Furuno started selling their products in Argentina, Australia and China in 1958. Today, Furuno sells marine electronics worldwide, with subsidiaries in the three previously mentioned countries, plus in Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S.
Furuno fishfinders are available that fit in small, open fishing boats, as well as those appropriate for large ocean-going vessels.
Furuno’s lowest priced fishfinder features a five-inch, or a 12.7-centimeter Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) silver screen with a 240H x 320V resolution.
There are 10 separate backlight adjustments and five color choices to create the perfect clarification for any light condition.
Using 2,400 watts of power, this unit can reveal fish up to 3,000 feet, or over 914 meters, deep. A fishing enthusiast can input up to a dozen locations in the Global Positioning System (GPS) unit built into the Furuno fishfinder, and store them for return trips. Since this leading marine electronics manufacturer makes a number of products that fit larger vessels, the smallest Furunofishfinder contains standard connectors that allow for the addition of several temperature and speed sensors.
Now, if you’re in the market for a complete navigational system for a larger vessel that just happens to include a fish finding capability, Furuno has your marine electronics, too. With their multifunction display, you can tie in GPS receivers, 3D radar sensors, satellite weather receivers, your own on-board weather station, autopilots, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking device, navigational charts, and a variety of associated instruments, along with a fishfinder.
There’s no second-guessing when you purchase this top-of-the-line piece of electronics. The 12.1-inch, or 30.7-centimeter, monitor features a 262-page instruction manual.
There’s a definite learning curve with this product. But, the onscreen menu choices come in the hundreds. You get a full 3D chart capability that literally changes how you electronically view maps. Plus, satellite imagery combines with mapping to show you visual positioning,which gives you a perfect idea of your vessel’s location.
Most high-end fishfinders pre-select the charts and maps for you. That’s not so with Furuno fishfinders. Your marine electronic device is pre-loaded with scanned paper charts that are converted to the 3D format of this unit. From there, you have the choice of a number of chart and map venues for filling out the mapping in your Furuno fishfinder. Plus, satellite photos can be blended into the cartography mix, so that high-resolution satellite photography helps reveal types of sea beds, or identify current coral, rock, or sand obstructions.
Because you receive a digital fishfinder through Furuno, your unit comes with advanced filtering resources combined with digital automatic tuning to filter out sonic noise. The result is that you can pick out individual fish that look clear and detailed. This digital Furuno fishfinder is amazing.
The menu key system on the Furuno fishfinder takes just a simple turn to open up complete access to the 3D capabilities. A point-and-click interface makes for simple, intuitive navigation through the electronic device’s software.
You get other unique features with a Furuno fishfinder, such as a Man Overboard (MOB) button. Hit it and there are onscreen data boxes that open to give you precise navigation information enabling you to return to the exact spot. When you’re looking for the very finest in electronic fishfinder technology, Furuno has it.