Hi lads. I am looking at purchasing a boat and seeing as there are so many variations and cost and companies out there at the moment looking for some advice.
I used to own a Angling Technics Microcat which couldn't fault at the time but things seemed have moved on a bit since then.
I am looking at 1300 max
I would prefer one with a graphic sounder. Not that bothered about a GPS.
Like the look at the future Carping ones.
Just after some advice and pros and cons of each.
Thanks
Brent
I used to own a Angling Technics Microcat which couldn't fault at the time but things seemed have moved on a bit since then.
I am looking at 1300 max
I would prefer one with a graphic sounder. Not that bothered about a GPS.
Like the look at the future Carping ones.
Just after some advice and pros and cons of each.
Thanks
Brent
In reply to Post #1
In reply to Post #1
I looked at the Future Carping ones, the Baron in particular which has everything built into the handset for around your budget....I was close to ordering one but decided against it after speaking to a couple of aftersales Baitboat experts who said although the boats were very good the echo sounder graphics were akin to a 90'S Nokia
A couple of hundred more gets you an X Boat with TF500 fish finder....👍
I looked at the Future Carping ones, the Baron in particular which has everything built into the handset for around your budget....I was close to ordering one but decided against it after speaking to a couple of aftersales Baitboat experts who said although the boats were very good the echo sounder graphics were akin to a 90'S Nokia
A couple of hundred more gets you an X Boat with TF500 fish finder....👍
I know someone that had an Rt4 sold it to buy an X-boat that he says is a much better boat 
In reply to Post #4
I've got the X boat, love it, coupled with autopilot and fish finder, not the fastest, but great so far.
I've got the X boat, love it, coupled with autopilot and fish finder, not the fastest, but great so far.
Don't bother looking at anything else, buy an ND2 + their App and self fit a Raymarine Dragonfly to it and a speed kit. You can buy the Dragonflies and the speed kits from Fish Eye Camera ready to install which is a piece of pee to do, you then basically have a mini RT4. You could also buy the ND2 boat with an already fitted Deeper Chirp+ for £1100 or something near that all in. If ordering the Dragonfly, order by phone and get them to cut the plug off and solder the transducer wires to the board and tell them it's to fit an ND2 and not leave the transducer wires nutty long.
The problem as I understand it with the RT4's is the speed controller they use is very noisy and causes interference with echo sounders, the ND2's don't suffer from this problem.
The ND2's are a serious piece of kit, they are a lot of boat for the money, don't be put off by the price, ask the Fish Eye Camera guy what he uses all the time, it certainly isn't his RT4 or any of the other unnecessarily expensive boats he's got. The Autopilot feature on the App is the nuts; find a spot with your boat you like the look of, mark it as a spot on the App, send it back to the same spot or spots time and time again, so easy, unlike some of the clunky Autopilot/fish finder systems out there ala Toslon...80's Atari...lol.
£550 for the boat
£200 for the App
£50 for speed kit
£550 for a modded Raymarine Dragonfly
The problem as I understand it with the RT4's is the speed controller they use is very noisy and causes interference with echo sounders, the ND2's don't suffer from this problem.
The ND2's are a serious piece of kit, they are a lot of boat for the money, don't be put off by the price, ask the Fish Eye Camera guy what he uses all the time, it certainly isn't his RT4 or any of the other unnecessarily expensive boats he's got. The Autopilot feature on the App is the nuts; find a spot with your boat you like the look of, mark it as a spot on the App, send it back to the same spot or spots time and time again, so easy, unlike some of the clunky Autopilot/fish finder systems out there ala Toslon...80's Atari...lol.
£550 for the boat
£200 for the App
£50 for speed kit
£550 for a modded Raymarine Dragonfly
In reply to Post #1
There are a couple of FB groups (if you do FB) which are very interesting and can open your eyes a lot to what's available at decent prices. Matt from Fisheye is a very helpful chap.
Re the RT4, out of your price bracket new so pointless.
I would sit down and have a think about what you need over what you want. I'd agree fish finders/sonar have moved on but boats..hmm...not so sure, other than the fact there is more choice and thanks to China it can be a lot cheaper.
There are a couple of FB groups (if you do FB) which are very interesting and can open your eyes a lot to what's available at decent prices. Matt from Fisheye is a very helpful chap.
Re the RT4, out of your price bracket new so pointless.
I would sit down and have a think about what you need over what you want. I'd agree fish finders/sonar have moved on but boats..hmm...not so sure, other than the fact there is more choice and thanks to China it can be a lot cheaper.
In reply to Post #4
Gerry if someone is claiming the xboat is better than the rt4 they need to see a doctor or perhaps they have been reading the spammers from other companys and their arse lickers .It really isnt in fact its not even a comparison it might be better than some of the absolute gash knocking about but even the sb boats are better than the xboat.
Gerry if someone is claiming the xboat is better than the rt4 they need to see a doctor or perhaps they have been reading the spammers from other companys and their arse lickers .It really isnt in fact its not even a comparison it might be better than some of the absolute gash knocking about but even the sb boats are better than the xboat.
In reply to Post #8
interesting what didnt you like about yours then ? apart from slightly slower speed ?
interesting what didnt you like about yours then ? apart from slightly slower speed ?
https://www.carplounge.co.uk/rt4-baitboat/rt4-int.-1-baitboat/rt4-set-deals-configure-now/
RT4's are pretty close your budget Brent... Why would you pass up the opportunity to get one?
You'll only be looking at your makes one and be wishing you'd taken the plunge and got one yourself...
RT4's are pretty close your budget Brent... Why would you pass up the opportunity to get one?
You'll only be looking at your makes one and be wishing you'd taken the plunge and got one yourself...
In reply to Post #6
Having owned an RT4, mate has an x boat (used it a few times myself as well) and now the ND2 here's my thoughts
1. RT4 awesome but way too expensive unless you use it every week hard to justify the expense
2. X Boat very good boat and cheaper than the RT4
3. ND2 so far so good (maybe 4 trips all seamless) Cost effective and 9/10 of an RT4 at approx half the price
Choice as they say is all yours
Having owned an RT4, mate has an x boat (used it a few times myself as well) and now the ND2 here's my thoughts
1. RT4 awesome but way too expensive unless you use it every week hard to justify the expense
2. X Boat very good boat and cheaper than the RT4
3. ND2 so far so good (maybe 4 trips all seamless) Cost effective and 9/10 of an RT4 at approx half the price
Choice as they say is all yours
Iv had numerous boats angling technics,waverunner, carptecnics sb4 that is the best small boat on the market imho I still have this for short sessions but i bought a second hand RT4 with v3 autopilot mapping and dragonfly fish finder an wow what a boat. I would honestly recommend to anyone. My mate has the xboat with the Toslon tf740 and he is wanting to sell it to buy the rt4.
In reply to Post #1
I set myself a budget of £1200 max recently and was dead cert on the ND2 with a few added extras. If you're absolutely certain that £1300 is your max then go for the ND2. Or.. you could get a 2nd hand RT4 Exclusive boat. That's where I started going, but ended up at the Elements instead. The way I justified it was that it has all the latest tech and future proofs myself for the next 5-10 years. It can be a sloppy slope with buying a bait boat imo.
I set myself a budget of £1200 max recently and was dead cert on the ND2 with a few added extras. If you're absolutely certain that £1300 is your max then go for the ND2. Or.. you could get a 2nd hand RT4 Exclusive boat. That's where I started going, but ended up at the Elements instead. The way I justified it was that it has all the latest tech and future proofs myself for the next 5-10 years. It can be a sloppy slope with buying a bait boat imo.
In reply to Post #11
Re
Having owned an RT4, mate has an x boat (used it a few times myself as well) and now the ND2 here's my thoughts
1. RT4 awesome but way too expensive unless you use it every week hard to justify the expense
2. X Boat very good boat and cheaper than the RT4
3. ND2 so far so good (maybe 4 trips all seamless) Cost effective and 9/10 of an RT4 at approx half the price
Great feedback Spencer
nice to have an informed unbiased opinion by someone who has owned and used these boats
Re
Having owned an RT4, mate has an x boat (used it a few times myself as well) and now the ND2 here's my thoughts
1. RT4 awesome but way too expensive unless you use it every week hard to justify the expense
2. X Boat very good boat and cheaper than the RT4
3. ND2 so far so good (maybe 4 trips all seamless) Cost effective and 9/10 of an RT4 at approx half the price
Great feedback Spencer
nice to have an informed unbiased opinion by someone who has owned and used these boats
In reply to Post #7
Just to add to my post from before, would you consider a none built in sonar?
I have a basic RT4 with a Deeper Chirp mounted on the back, principally because I want to have the ability to use the Deeper on a rod or possibly a dingy and can't justify multiple sonars. At £250 odd quid for the Deeper, a bracket for £10 or so and the screen being a smart phone or tablet you probably already have, it might give you more freedom on your boat choice. Matt at Fisheye makes range extenders for the Deeper, I bought 1 on offer at £100, if you needed it, you can also diy a range extender for around £50.
Just to add to my post from before, would you consider a none built in sonar?
I have a basic RT4 with a Deeper Chirp mounted on the back, principally because I want to have the ability to use the Deeper on a rod or possibly a dingy and can't justify multiple sonars. At £250 odd quid for the Deeper, a bracket for £10 or so and the screen being a smart phone or tablet you probably already have, it might give you more freedom on your boat choice. Matt at Fisheye makes range extenders for the Deeper, I bought 1 on offer at £100, if you needed it, you can also diy a range extender for around £50.