garmin 7610xsv

Will Fish

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
164
Looking to upgrade electronics on my boat and looking at the garmin 7610xsv with built in downvu and sidevu. I'd also be adding a garmin dome for radar. Any experience with this unit? Pros/cons? I'm mostly inshore with a handful of trips a year to blue water. Thanks in advance.
 

StingrayMike

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
355
Pretty good setup. If you are a fan of Garmin, then you will love these units.
the only cons is if you have multiple units connected on the network, then the system gets buggy, ie:;multiple mfd's, sounders, radars, then the system doesnt like to talk to each other and adding a GMS10 helps.

I have installed lots of these and everyone so far has nothing bad to say aabout them. Sofar only good comments.
 

Will Fish

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
164
Thanks. When you say it gets buggy what exactly happens? I'd be installing 2 units in my dash, I believe I have to install 2 thru hull transducers because I have a 20deg deadrise in order to obtain chirp, sidevu and downvu? Radar done, and connect to my motors. I'm told I will not need an external gps as the units have built in gps antennas. I will install a gms10 to help out. Is there anything I need to install for the motors? They are crusader 5.7 mpi captains choice.

I may add auto pilot later on, but not anytime soon.
 

BustedKnuckles

Recruit
Joined
Dec 10, 2005
Messages
3
Will Fish , You wont have any issues. In order to get Down and Side Vu in a thru hull with a 20 degree deadrise will require the pair of either the GT50 or GT51 transducers from Garmin. Are you looking at the GMR 18 or the GMR 18XHD? The greater color and dual range being the major upgrades. The built in antenna is a 10 Hertz unit and is capable of good results
 

StingrayMike

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
355
Thanks. When you say it gets buggy what exactly happens? I'd be installing 2 units in my dash, I believe I have to install 2 thru hull transducers because I have a 20deg deadrise in order to obtain chirp, sidevu and downvu? Radar done, and connect to my motors. I'm told I will not need an external gps as the units have built in gps antennas. I will install a gms10 to help out. Is there anything I need to install for the motors? They are crusader 5.7 mpi captains choice.

I may add auto pilot later on, but not anytime soon.

you should be fine. I did a couple of boats that had 4 mfd's, 2 sounders, radar, and A/P. Did not have any GMS 10's. They were networked to each other and pperiodically the units would lock up. Once we installed 2 GMS -10's it was fine.
not sure sbout your engines, but on some you have to connect a computer through a n2k gateway to tell it what information to send out.
 

Will Fish

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
164
Update: I purchased a pair of 7610xsv MFDs. I've ordered a pair of Garmin GT51 transducers (I have a 20deg dead rise). Also ordered the Garmin GMR18x radar. I want to network all of these along with connecting to my engines. I've been researching and researching and my mind is spinning. I know I need a NMEA 2000 starter kit and probably additional tee and drop cable, but how do I connect these to my motors. They are 2007 Crusader MPIs? I've checked with crusader and they say the motors are capable. I've researched maretron and from what I gather my engines output j1939 and I will need to purchase a gateway to convert to NMEA. I'm not sure. Also will I need 2, one for each motor? How would I wire all this up and what engine data will get displayed? Is this a simple plug n play system or is wiring required from the motors?

I need a marine electronics/network for dummies. I'm not sure what I need or don't need, or what will display on the garmin mfd or how to connect all of this. Maybe I need an electronics installer to handle all this but the problem is I cannot bring outside mechanics into my marina, which doesn't have anyone qualified to do anything but paint bottoms.
 

WFO

Recruit
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
1
I installed 2 7610 dxv, garmin 51 TM, garmin 18 radar and series vm antennae with no problem. if I wanted to bring in someone to my marina I would say it was a friend, not a mechanic. I also installed a standard Horizon AIS radio and tied them all together. What a package for the bay fishing guy.
 
Top