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| You want intuative? The M84 delivers. |
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Killer Instinct: Northstar M 84
Like any other red-blooded American male, I have a taste for beef, gas-guzzling trucks, and hot new marine electronics—but I also have a serious aversion to reading instruction manuals. Lucky for you, me, and the alpha-male in all of us, you can get a modern chartplotter/fishfinder/radar all-in-one unit that is so simple to operate, you’ll be using the instruction manual for tinder at the next beach bonfire.
I tested Northstar’s M 84 for an entire season, and never once had to crack the booklet. A simple “screen” key lets you alternate between fishfinder, chartplotter, radar, or a combination of the above in split-screen modes. Overlaying the radar over the chartplotter—a complex maneuver on many machines—is as simple as turning on the radar, then shifting to the chartplotter screen. And even installing the unit is easy, thanks to color-coded dots on the cable ends and unit plugs. That goes for both binnacle-mounting and flush-mounting options, too, because this unit is a mere 3” wide; it will fit in slim dash spaces, without a problem.
Simple is great, but if performance isn’t up to snuff, it’s to no avail. Not a problem, with the M 84. With a 50/200 khz transom-mounted transducer it gives a solid bottom reading all the way down to 750’ (a through-hull transducer would doubtlessly boost this number, and the manufacturer claims a 3000’ maximum) and it’s sensitive enough to pick up schools of squid 600’ down. The processor is built into the head unit, so no additional “black box” (read: more wires, cables, and rigging hassles) is necessary. The 8.4” diagonal 800 x 600 hi-res full-color SVGA screen is viewable from up to 170-degrees, so you can see it clearly even when you’re not posted directly in front of it. You demand more data? Fine—the M 84 can take video inputs, and AIS and fuel management transducers and gauges can be added. And you can boost the detail level of the 32-MB background chart with C-Map Max chartography. The radar is also top-notch, and Northstar claims the hi-def radar imaging is excellent at detecting storms as well as boats and landmarks. Are they correct? I’d say so, considering that I spotted a rainshower from 24 miles away on the open ocean, tracked it, and eventually dodged it.
Price: $1,800 and up, depending on accessories added.
The Highs: Extremely intuitive to use, spots fish both shallow and deep, and can be seen clearly from the sides.
The Lows: Mounting and wiring is so darn easy, you’ll be tempted to do it yourself.
Who Wants It: Anyone looking for a oceanic-capable electronics system for a mid-sized center console or walkaround fishboat.
Contact: www.northstarnav.com
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