Marcum, Vexilar or Lorwance

[meadowcreek]

I'm going to add a couple flashers to my inventory for rentals this year.  It never fails that thier is one guy in the group without a flasher.  What flasher do you think is easy enough for a novice to pick up and use easily. 

[JohnWester]

fl-8s or marcum3 are easy... fl8 probably the easiest. 

[TMT]

I would have to agree you can't go wrong with the fl-8.  They have been around long enough that most fishermen can run one without any issue.

[Fawkinnae]

Hey Meadowcreek.
I'm that guy and I would love to be able to rent a flasher from you. Great idea.
What would you rent something like that for?

[The General]

I have both an fl-8 and an fl-18.  The fl-8 I baught the week they very first came out.  It has been running like a champ ever since.  I have also heard good things about marcum but never owned one. 

[meadowcreek]

I would rent them for $20 for a day or $30 for  2 1/2 day weekend.

[Mayfly]

I would rent them for $20 for a day or $30 for  2 1/2 day weekend.

Wow.....That would be nice. Good idea Meadow!

[iceman]

well i do have to agree the FL8SLT is on of the easiest locater's around ..
I have had the FL8 and FL18 till now i have moved up to the FL20 they all do the same things just a little better then most ..

If i was a newbie to use a vexilar i would pick up a FL8SLT

[TMT]

Medowcreek,
Have you also considered getting a couple of the loaded (more bells and whistles) models, for the more avid ice fisherman to rent? I know if I was thinking about buying a new flasher I would rent one just to verify that I like it before I spend the money on a new unit.
Just a thought.

[meadowcreek]

I was looking at the Ice Machine from lawrence.  For personal and rental.  Usually when I'm guiding I don't have time to mess with a lot of gadgets, and if I do the day is going very bad!  I like the ice machine with the gps, so I can mark spots.  I Like to give cabin guest GPS coordinates for them to start out with. 

[Woody]

I've got the Lowrance Ice machine, it's nice, but does have alot to learn (at least for a first timer).  So far I've liked it alot-and I also mounted it in my boat for softwater season.  I am considering however buying a Marcum LX-5 for this season once my finances get in order (the Mrs. ok's said purchase).  This way I can compare them honestly and have more than one highly sought after machines!  I know my son would appreciate being able to use one or the other! 

[thunderpout]

You guys probably dont want to hear this, but Im still in love with my clearwater classic(their no longer being made) and the only reason I got that was because my Humminbird super sixty fell off a shelf and broke into a jillion pieces!  But if yer gonna rent em out get the simplest models out there...somebody came out with a vertical screen model last season, so youre lookin at your line,hook and fish like they are in the water...what a concept!  I believe they are even cheaper than the marcum.  It may have been made by one of the underwater camera mfgrs.      -thunderpout 8)

[Woody]

Thunderpout-guess what?  I run a Clearwater pro in the boat!  It can't get any simpler than that lil unit!   happy2.gif  I haven't used it ice fishing-yet, but I might consider it this year.  However I have a small dilema, I've got too many depth finders! 

I bought the boat, it had a Lowrance X70A & Zercom Clearwater Pro in it.  I took out the Clearwater pro (dash mounted) and replaced it with my Lowrance M68c Ice machine.  I hope to find a transducer cable (longer) to mount the Clearwater pro on the bow.  Then the X70A needs to be moved from the dashmount to the rear of the boat. 

So I have no idea where I'd put another one-if/when I buy one, but I'll figure that out when it happens.    :ROTFLMAO:

[thunderpout]

Yo Woody... Try to set it up for hardwater...They draw so little that ya can run em off a single little gel cel for days!  my Vexilar buddies are allways using my back-up battery! :ROTFLMAO:     -thunderpout 8)

[Woody]

I forgot to mention, I also have a Humminbird Super Silent 60 depth finder.  (Collecting dust at the moment). 

I am not sure of this particular model-I'll probably stay away from it however! (Read the title carefully)  :hang: :ROTFLMAO:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/spo/426117623.html

[Spinach]

Marcum flashers without a doubt! I switched from Vexilar about 5 years ago after being a Vexilar/Hondex owner since the 1980's.

Marcum always seems to be a step ahead of everyone else with their cameras and flashers. Marcum also has a full line of flashers starting at about $200.

As far as using them side by side, Marcum and Vexilar are very similar, both models being very simple to use. The difference comes in total watts and zoom, with Marcum being superior to all others. www.marcumtech.com

Lowrance does make the best open water locaters though.

[XpensiveHbts]

This may be the wrong place to post this but I want to say that I had a lot of success with my lowrance last season, outfishing buddies with vex's and marcums on the big pond.  But I did have problems with interference from other units as it puts out less power, something to consider.  I am hoping others with this unit might share their preference for settings as I am constantly adjusting mine but don't really have the time for it.  Any reccomendations?

[GreenHat]

I don't really see a difference in learning a Marcu vs Vexilar.  Both are not too bad to operate.  I bet you can train a newbie in 10 minutes tops.  I would go Marcum.  Not sure about the others, but Marcum has OUTSTANDING service.  My handheld flooded due to a battery door that was not so good and they helped me out.  My buddy had a problem with a flasher and they helped him out even though it was WELL used and out of any warranty period.  Good stuff.  When we switched from Vexilar, which we thought was unbeatable, to Marcum, it was like.....WOW!

[jigglestick]

meadowcreek, I have had fl 8's, (old and new) a new lx 5 and two fl 18's. for simplicity, the fl 8 is hard to beat. the lx 1-2- or 3 are pretty simple too.
the big difference in your situation, is I would say most guys have the vex's as to the marcums. more guys are picking up marcums, the longer they are on the market, however, the marcums have so much wattage, more than they need really, that they often cause interferance with the vexilar units.
in your line of buisness, you want to keep the customer happy, so if all you have is marcums and the rest of the guys in the house have vex's, they are going to get pretty anoyed with the marcum. I know, I've been there. that is why I run to 18's now.
I'm not saying buy one or the other, I'm suggesting you buy a couple of each maybe? give them the option.
I would think you should be able to work out a deal with either company. you are essentially a salesman - spokesperson for the company when you think about it. maybe you could become a dealer. you'd be surprised how many people would buy a new one from you after having used one for a day

[GreenHat]

Jiggle makes a good point about the interference - I had forgotten about that since we all have Marcums now.  You can get the interference out by screwing with the IR buttons on BOTH units (M & V), but it does not always work completely.  One Marcum in a fleet of Vexilars could cause more touble than it solves. 

[thunderpout]

I used my Humminbird super sixty for years, and I swear I'd still be using it today if it didnt do a nosedive off the hood of my truck to its death...   now Im still living with an old clearwater classic that I would never part with, say for another mishap....(knock on wood) I love my clearwater...but I like those marcums, I also really like this new verticle screen flasher I saw...I think made by naturevision or one of the camera companies...Its really small, and the vertical screen is way cool as your lookin at the fish, lure/bait and the water like you'd look at it in the water...straight up and down!  Kind of a no-brainer eh?  That'll be my next flasher no dought....               -thunderpout

[TMT]

I am a Vexilar kind of guy.  FL-18,  easy to use.  I have not had a lot of interference issues with it either.  I love the zoom feature.

[thunderpout]

I forgot... the best thing about is the draw...there is hardly any, my buddies go thru a couple gell cells a weekend with their FL's, Marcums and the like.  I use one.  That and another for my lites in the trap.  I like keepin things simple as possible.... If fishing just over nite, I can run my clearwater and my lighting all off the one gell cell no prob......    thunderpout