Called today, but they couldn't tell me, have any of you lowrance guys heard any updates on a side imaging sonar coming out. Wife gave me the ok to buy one. All my other of electronics are lowrance and i've had great service out of the ones i own and would rather not change brands but i'm to the point where it's gotta happen soon. Like i told the lady i talked to today, I would just like to know if one is coming and about when. If there is one coming out for 2009 then i'll just wait, but if nobody can tell me anything, I might as well buy a humminbird and get to learnd about it.

Thanks for any help.

Everyone says Lowrance won't have an SI. I don't know why unless they are just concentrating on what they do best which is color 2D and GPS. The SI's aren't the cure all end all, but they are pretty sharp.

Oh yes they will! Sooner than you think.

I was told it was copy writed and will only be produced by Hummingbird. I bought the smaller unit and finding structure is obvious with it. But with all electronics get prepped for some good manual reading while on the lake. Oh yeah! You might just find youreself cruising the lake looking at side imaging rather than fishing. It will have to take a solid season to learn all options plus you need to link it to your front unit so more manual time amd Lowrance and Hummingbird dont talk. Although navionics makes software that will merge data. So now you need a lap top too. Boy oh boy this electronics bag sure is getting costly.
Maybe my Dad is write. Going to the grocery store for fish sure is cheaper. Unfortunatly they dont put 10 pound black bass on the end of the line for you.

Just do as some of the pro's do, keep your lowrance and mount the Bird under the dash! then you get the best of both.

Kevin, do you really know something or are you just hoping like me. The technology has been there for a while, just for comercial use, so i don't know how humminbird claim it, they just found a way to make it cost affective. I called lowrance and told them i was wanting to upgrade my unit and told them i wanted one with si and was willing to wait alittle while if they could tell me one would be coming out in the near future but the lady could tell me anything. I also know someone else that has some dealings with them and he couldn't tell me anything. Thanks for any help.

I can't see how they can wait much longer, I think they are losing alot of bussiness

I made the switch to HB and will never look back. If Lowrance makes a better one some day, I will buy it. Until then, the bird it on my boat.

+1 (987si on console, 957c on the bow)

I will be switching on my new boat. Can't wait on Lowrance to lag behind.

Lowrance is going to take a big hit if their new product development team cant figure something out. Lots of people switching over, to humminbird. I would still like to have the lowrance on my boat for mapping, and put the SI in the dash when I can get my hands on one

997's 0n the bow and console!!

Jvon, was wondering if you mounted the 997 si transducer through the hull? I was wondering if you loose anything by doing so? I hate mounting out on the transome. thanks

What cant the SI do as good as Lowrance right now? What is the reason that the pros still have both units mounted?

No, I have a transducer mounted in the rear of the boat, up in the jack plate, dont see how the thru the hull would work. I have a second puck type transducer mounted inthe hull for high speed 2-d readings(the si transducer is out of the water on plane). Some guys mount them where they are always in the water, but the are really large and dragging them in the water, on plane is not desireable to most people. I also have a 997 on the bow with a transducer on the TM. by the way no switch is require for the rear transducers ,HB makes a y cable that automatically picks the correct transducer for the application.