# Best 9-10" Unit for FMT



## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

I just bought a skiff that was mostly used in fresh water and currently has a Humminbird Helix 12 on it. Has transducer with side scan and bottom scan and a bunch of stuff I will honestly never use. 

I am looking to sell the current unit/cables/transducer/mount and want to try and get into a 9 or 10" unit that will run FMT. Anyone have any idea if I could sell the humminbird and come out close to even with a new (or used) unit and an fmt chip? Thanks.


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## g8rfly (Oct 9, 2011)

I think you can get close. I have a 9" carbon hds brand new for 700 with no transducer if you're interested, shoot me a pm.


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## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

You will endlessly thank yourself if you step up to 12" for FMT. I recommend Simrad.


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## Brandon Alexander (Jun 6, 2017)

My go7 kicked the bucket late last year. I ended up upsizing to the Lowrance Elite FS9 after talking to one of Simrad's sales reps. The price was right for me (849) for the unit itself and it would run FMT.

Most importantly for me it has buttons to navigate so if the touch screen goes out I can still get back to my maps when I'm 40 miles from chokoloskee in the glades. I don't use the sonar much. Just need my old tracks to keep myself off the rocks on the nature coast and back to my campsite in the glades.


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## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

What did you get?
This is what I’m putting on my Cayo build-https://www.russellmarineproducts.com/new-lowrance-hds9-carbon-with-active-imaging-3in1-transducer-000-15891-001


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I believe FMT recommends Simrad.


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

ifsteve said:


> I believe FMT recommends Simrad.


He does as being the "best" and i agree Simrad is the best, but he also advises Lowrance units will run FMT just fine.

I can't afford or justify $2k-3k for the Simrad 12inch displays...just bought a new 12inch Lowrance hds carbon for $1200...a little closer to my budget and runs fmt just fine.


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

finbully said:


> You will endlessly thank yourself if you step up to 12" for FMT. I recommend Simrad.


I have a 12" screen now, I want to go down to a smaller screen so I can flush mount into my console


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

There is a big difference in both Simrad and Lowrance screen resolutions between 9 and 12 inches....it's why I went to the 12 after my 9 shit the bed. 
The resolution when you zoom in is WAY better on the 12's....you can look up the resolution specs on the manufacturer websites.
It's really kind of night and day 12in vs 9in...in either brand


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Forgotten... you might want to reconsider that nice looking flush mount... More than one guy has had heat build up issues with flush mounted machines... If you overheat a device it starts to malfunction.. Go to the search function and look up threads on simrad, lowrance, or FMT - within the past month there's been quite a bit of talk about it here... 

Me, I'm still back using very old - and cheap units entirely, but one of these days...


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## tide_runner (Aug 1, 2021)

lemaymiami said:


> Forgotten... you might want to reconsider that nice looking flush mount... More than one guy has had heat build up issues with flush mounted machines... If you overheat a device it starts to malfunction.. Go to the search function and look up threads on simrad, lowrance, or FMT - within the past month there's been quite a bit of talk about it here...


I had a flush mounted Simrad NSS Evo that did that. Very frustrating. My new one is on top of the console and way better for 2 reasons. 1. I can see it better and rotate as needed 2. Does not overheat and freeze up.


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

I have a 9" HDS Carbon on my console, with a windscreen in front of it. It still gets HOT, even though it is in the open. The windscreen blocks much of the airflow around the unit. I've toyed with the idea of a small 12v fan or some other way of getting air flow around it.


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

Well the humminbird got sold today, now on the hunt for a new unit. Lemme know what yall got


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## Gaudy (May 10, 2020)

Simrad 12" NSS EVO3 w/FMT chip.


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## ISLA Mapping (Jan 12, 2020)

Forgottencoast said:


> I just bought a skiff that was mostly used in fresh water and currently has a Humminbird Helix 12 on it. Has transducer with side scan and bottom scan and a bunch of stuff I will honestly never use.
> 
> I am looking to sell the current unit/cables/transducer/mount and want to try and get into a 9 or 10" unit that will run FMT. Anyone have any idea if I could sell the humminbird and come out close to even with a new (or used) unit and an fmt chip? Thanks.


ISLA never recommends a Flush Mount on any skiff. See the posted video - "Unit Recommendations" which covers the topic along with many others.


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## Oletimer (6 mo ago)

Simrad go 12, got it after original owner said it overheats. He had it mounted in small console. 
I moved it topside, no trouble in 3 months.


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