Garmin echo 300c Dual-Beam Fishfinder (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

I looked at several similar models in various local stores but had not seen the Garmin Echo 300c in person. Based on very few reviews, and the product information from Garmin, I decided the Echo 300c was probably the best combination of compact design, bright color display, sonar technology, and price.DisplayThe color display isn't the highest resolution you can get in a fish finder, but it is likely the highest resolution and brightest you can find for its price. I had no trouble seeing the display on a bright sunny day at 9000' in the mountains of Colorado where the sun is even brighter than usual because there is roughly 2 miles less atmosphere, and almost zero humidity blocking the light. (If you've been there, you know what I mean.)Power ConsumptionSince I am using this fish finder on a kayak, its power source will be a battery that cannot be recharged while I'm out (unless I rig up some kind of solar charger), so power draw was one of my concerns. I took my DC ammeter with me to the lake to measure the actual amperage draw, and found that it averaged a bit over 0.9 amps. Rounding that up to 1 amp, I calculated I could run it on a 4.5 amp hour sealed lead acid battery for around 4 hours before I needed to recharge the battery. That adds about 3 lbs to what I'm carrying on the boat, so I might try to find a more weight-effective battery solution like lithium-ion or NiMH. Still, 1 amp at 12v is only 120 watts, so there should be several acceptable power options for non-power-boat use.Base / MountOther reviewers have mentioned that the swivel/tilt mount leaves something to be desired, and I agree that it could use some improvement. The issue that worries me a little is that it takes some effort to detach the 300c from its mount base. I could see it slipping from my grasp in the struggle to pry it loose, and that would be a big problem if the water were more than a few feet deep. I'll probably glue a nylon tie-wrap base to the back of it and attach a tether of some kind (maybe some heavy leader-wire) between it and the base just for safety.WiringThe wire length on the transducer cable is meant for a regular size boat. There is no way to adjust the length so the excess wire must be coiled up and secured on a very small boat like a kayak. The power cable is thick enough, but the individual wires within it are VERY thin, so they must be secured to prevent movement or they will likely break in a very short time, which is probably a concern on any boat. The plugs have a notch on one side to align the connector, but both the power and the transducer use the same type plug, which isn't the best design, and the notches aren't distinct enough for 100% assurance that the plugs are inserted correctly. Normally I'd deduct a star from the rating for that, but the 300c has enough else going for it that this annoyance can be overlooked.FunctionsThe sonar technology and display modes are very typical of a fish finder in this price category, so just read the product description and you'll know most of what is interesting on that topic. If the transducer isn't connected correctly, there is no warning message. The 300c just starts up in demo mode, assuming it has been connected in a store display with no transducer connected at all. I'm mentioning this because there is no "setup option" to switch between demo and "real" mode. The 300c automatically starts in "real" mode when everything is correctly connected, and the plugs are _fully_ _inserted_.The Bottom Line (pun intended)This is a VERY good choice for a kayak fishing rig. The compact size, bright display, relatively low power consumption, and price are one of the best combinations of those things you're likely to find.

I picked up the 300C for the family boat last summer after over-researching low priced sonars. I came to the conclusion that the 300C smokes anything under $300. Great display, very fast, very low power requirements, great mount, and great instructions. A few notes: calibrate the keel offset or your depth will not be super accurate (this is kind of a "duh")- mine is accurate to 1 inch; confirmed with a yard stick. When you open the clamp on the mount, use your middle fingers to spread the mount ears just a bit and it lifts right out with a pop. The speed sensor, power, and depth/temp finder cables are indexed so they plug right into only their holes. I have a digital volt meter on the boat, and this sucked almost no juice from the battery with the motor off over a few hours; the 300C would be great for a small boat, canoe, or kayak with a battery and no recharge capability. Spring the extra $35 for the speed sensor if you have a power boat...it totally rocks. The display has excellent contrast; there are a bit higher resolution displays, but the 300C has more than enough resolution, and great contrast...and an excellent night display mode. You can set the 330C to power up with a remote switch, which is a nice feature. There is also a display setting where you get large font depth, water temp, voltage, and speed, without the sonar display. Get the $9 hard plastic cover to protect it. In sum; nothing beats the 300C for the price.The next real step up in Garmin is the 550C with a larger display, but almost double the price of the 300C, and its physical footprint is bigger. If you wanted to spend $600 and above I would take a very hard look at Lowrance; I thought their displays were very detailed in the higher priced units.Note: the Lowrance Elite 4x was not out when I purchased my Garmin 300C, it is very nice as well, but I would still take the Garmin given the display contrast in daylight and outstanding night mode.

Great little unit. Easy to read in bright dierect sunlight. I have it mounted on the deck of my boat on a RAM mount. I am 5ft 10" and have no trouble at all viewing it while standind up. I had thought about buying the echo 500 for the larger screen, but I'm happy with the exho 300c screen size. It's just so clear. Very easy to operate. I have the transducer mounted on the trolling motor. It was simple to calibrate the depth. The transducer is 2 feet below the water. I found the calibration screen on the finder and put in negative 2 feet and its right on the money. It give the same depth as My other sonar thats mounted on the rear of the boat. I would buy another in a heartbeat if I had another boat to put it on.

This fish finder was easy to install. I did an in dash installation, and it was scary to cut into a 3 month old boat. It appears to be very accurate with the depth readings even when traveling at 20 to 30 knots. You must be right in front of it to see the depth, if you are off to the side even a little, you can not see the numbers. I fish, however I only use it to find out how deep I am. It does show any any structures on the bottom. I only installed it 2 months ago, but no problems as of yet. Not bad for the price.

Well builtThis is very good unit for the price.Tried it yesterday for the first time and was very happy with the color screen.Negatives was the alarm is not very loud and have to buy speed sensor seperate.Would recommend to a friend

I really like the color scheme, it is visible even in bright daylight. It is hard for me to differentiate what I am viewing, but that maybe me as this is my first fishfinder