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Humminbird PiranhaMAX 176i Review

Rating
3/5
 
Humminbird PiranhaMAX 176i has an average rating of 3 out of 5 based on 4 user reviews.

humminbird_176i

VendorPrice
WestMarine$129.99
FactoryOutletStore$139.99
ISave$139.99

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 176iLowrance Mark-4Humminbird 581i DI
pirnhamax176ilowrance_mark-5xdsi1humminbird_570di
Screen Size4 in3.5 in5 in
Screen Resolution240 x 160 pixels320 x 240 pixels640 x 320 pixels
Display Type16-level grayscale16-level grayscale16-level grayscale
Imaging2D2D2D and Down Imaging
Transmit Power200W RMS
1600W Peak-To-Peak
262W RMS
2100W Peak-To-Peak
300W RMS
2400W Peak-To-Peak
Sonar Frequency455/200 kHz83/200 KHz200 kHz 2D Sonar
455/800 kHz Down Imaging
Maximum Depth600 ft250 ft250 ft (DI), 600 ft (2D Sonar)
Waypoints Storage50030002500
Routes010050
Trails010050
Map CompatibilityHumminbird UniMapFishing Hot Spots, NauticPath & Navionics
(Hotmpas, Premium and Gold)
Fishing Hot Spots, NauticPath & Navionics
(Hotmpas, Premium and Gold)
MSRP$129.99$199.99$299.99
ReviewReviewReview

User Reviews

Posted by David Lashomb

  • 2/5
2

This fishfinder is not very user friendly. There is no memory so you have to set it up every time it’s turned on. Getting the settings right is not easy either, it’s really difficult to get to work right. The only upside of this fishfinder is the price.

Posted by ANGRY ANGLER

  • 1/5
1

THE GPS ON THIS FISHFINDER IS VERY BASIC. IT DOESN’T LET YOU NAME YOUR WAYPOINTS AND YOU CAN’T LATER NAVIGATE TO THEM. WHAT’S THE POINT OF HAVING A MARINE GPS WITHOUT FULL WAYPOINTS SUPPORT?!!!

Posted by john

  • 5/5
5

It is what it is. A cheap “depth finder”. The pluses are it sees fish and the GPS will let you find your way back home. Well worth that $129 price. Excellent choice for the frugal who want the best for the price.

Posted by jamo002

  • 4/5
4

There are units with more features and better displays but for me and my kayak this one is perfect. It gives good readings for depth, structures, and bottom composition as well as water temp. I don’t use a map so the GPS’s ability to mark waypoints and tracks works perfectly in my setup. It is low power enough to run off 10 AA’s for over 20 hours of use. My entire setup weighs right at 3 lbs. If it had a split screen or a way to swap between GPS and sonar easily it would be absolutely perfect. For my application this is a great unit.

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