The new Humminbird PiranaMAX 176i fishfinder features an easy to read 4″ display and a powerful dual beam transducer allowing a detailed narrow angle view, a wider angle view to cover more water, and a view that melds the two views into a single screen display. The PiranaMAX 176i incorporates a water temperature sensor, Humminbird’s trademarked Fish ID technology, and a GPS system that tracks the boat’s course, allows the entry of waypoints, and determines actual GPS speed over fish and bottom features. Humminbird PiranaMAX 176i comes with a sturdy transom mount, and also includes instructions for “through the hull” mounting.
Humminbird has developed a loyal following of satisfied customers for its PiranhaMAX line of fishfinders including the Humminbird PiranhaMAX 165 and the Humminbird PiranhaMAX 175. With the 175, Humminbird stepped up to a sixteen grayscale FSTN LCD screen, and went from 800W peak to peak power/100W RMS, to 1600W peak to peak power/200W RMS. The resulting improvement in image resolution and clarity was applauded by users.
The PiranhaMAX 176i uses the same trusted 4″ FSTN LCD display and XNT-9-28-T transducer and transom mount set-up as the Humminbird PiranhaMAX 175, but adds a very well received full function GPS capability. With these changes, users consistently note that the PiranhaMAX 176i is a lot more machine for just a little more money than the popular Humminbird PiranhaMAX 165s and 175s.
Humminbird PiranaMAX 176i users who have utilized the “through the hull” mounting instructions have reported satisfactory results for specified solid hull materials, as long as no air bubbles were allowed to form during the gluing process. Some loss of image resolution is unavoidable when mounting through the hull, but for many users, the reduced resolution is an acceptable price to pay to avoid the requirement of additional hull penetrations.
Kayaks and canoes are especially susceptible to drag created by transom mounting fishfinders. Satisfactory permanent installations of Humminbird Model XNT-9-28-T transponders (the transponder used in the Humminbird PiranaMAX 176i ) have been detailed for kayak users. Some users of car top canoes, who wish to completely remove the transponder and other fishfinder components prior to exposing their canoe to highway force winds, report success by cutting out tight fitting foam transducer holders that can be glued to the canoe hull.
Prior to squeezing the transducer into position, a layer of water is dripped into the holder to improve transducer hull contact. Performance was indeed compromised in comparison to a transom mount, but the ability to remove the transducer (and other components) when the canoe was being transported on car top racks made the performance loss worthwhile. One user reported that despite the performance loss, the Humminbird PiranaMAX 176i’s performance was more than satisfactory for his needs as an occasional canoe fisherman.
The Humminbird PiranaMAX 176i transom mount kit includes a built in “kick-up” feature to protect the transducer and hull in the event of low speed contact with floating objects such as floating logs, stumps, or docks. Users report that in cases of high speed contact with heavy floating logs or stationary objects, the Humminbird PiranaMAX 176i transom mount kit sometimes needed to be remounted to restore full stable functionality. High speed contacts with stationary objects should be avoided as a matter of course, but users experiencing such contacts have noted that the mount did protect the transducer.
You can get a great deal on Humminbird PiranhaMAX 176i here.
| Humminbird PiranhaMax 176i | Lowrance Mark-4 | Humminbird 581i DI | |
|---|---|---|---|
|  |  | |
| Screen Size | 4 in | 3.5 in | 5 in |
| Screen Resolution | 240 x 160 pixels | 320 x 240 pixels | 640 x 320 pixels |
| Display Type | 16-level grayscale | 16-level grayscale | 16-level grayscale |
| Imaging | 2D | 2D | 2D and Down Imaging |
| Transmit Power | 200W RMS 1600W Peak-To-Peak | 262W RMS 2100W Peak-To-Peak | 300W RMS 2400W Peak-To-Peak |
| Sonar Frequency | 455/200 kHz | 83/200 KHz | 200 kHz 2D Sonar 455/800 kHz Down Imaging |
| Maximum Depth | 600 ft | 250 ft | 250 ft (DI), 600 ft (2D Sonar) |
| Waypoints Storage | 500 | 3000 | 2500 |
| Routes | 0 | 100 | 50 |
| Trails | 0 | 100 | 50 |
| Map Compatibility | Humminbird UniMap | Fishing Hot Spots, NauticPath & Navionics (Hotmpas, Premium and Gold) | Fishing Hot Spots, NauticPath & Navionics (Hotmpas, Premium and Gold) |
| MSRP | $129.99 | $199.99 | $299.99 |
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