FL18??

[IceC]

My buddy was going to buy an FL18 at Cabela's today,and they said that the FL18 had been pulled from the shelves due to a legal issue with the batteries.Anyone else hear this? Or is this just an issue with Cabela's??Sounded weird to me so I went to Cabela's online live help, they told me the FL18 was discontinued.

My buddy needs a vex soon Has anyone had a chance to use the Marcum LX3 yet??It looked like a great unit at Cabela's,very crisp and clear.Any info would be great Thanks

[This message has been edited by IceC (edited 12-01-2002).]

[Guest]

I don't know aboyt the battery issue, I'm guessing it is a cheap battery/ overcharging issue that leaked acid. In the new In-Fisherman Ice fiishing guide there is an article on the Vexilar and Marcum, it was tough to make heads or tales out of which one was better, On of the points was about the sharpness of the line. The Marcum was sharper but with the Vex you read the flicker as movement as well as seeing fish below the bottem. Interesting article. I don't live in ICE country but I just went and ordered a Vex fl-18 last week. I'm shure you could not go wrong with either but I like that the Vex is in year 2 of development. I have a Lowrance that I bought the first year and it has never worked right and has gone through like 10 software upgrades. I have never even seen a flasher in action in real life, but from the clips I have seen on tv and this site I will go with the Vex. The Marcum other strong point was the adjustable zoom level as I recall.

[Pig_sticka]

aight guys here is what i heard. from thorne bros. i went there to buy the vex fl18 and he said that cabelas has been screwing it up for everyone telling them wrong things and selling bad stuff. the fl18 is not discontinued but they will no longer be able to be bought seperatly. they will be sold as pro packs and as boxes from now on. so they will still be sold but i strongly urge u to buy from someone else. cabelas doesn't deserve anyone buying from them. my advice check out thorne bros online and see about their deals. i am not from thorne bros so this is just by them being extremly nice to their customers. thanks, great fishing.

[IceC]

This came from the salesman at Cabela's.There were no FL18 at all,Thre were plenty of LX3 on the shelves.They even had a bunch of old colorpoints on display too.This must just be an issue with cabela's.

Does anyone know a good reasonable place to get one??He wants an FL18 softt pack w/dual beam iceducer.

Thanks for the replys

IceC

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Here fishy,fishy

[RK]

Cal,
Nice of Vex to get back to you that quickly, but, as far as their assessment of the LX-3, consider the source... The LX-3 isn't a 'copy cat' - it's a different technology altogether. It's the same technology that was around with the Clearwater Classics, PRos and LCF-40s (MarCum is in part run by the people that started Zercom). By that yardstick, the FL-8 is a copycat of a Lowrance or Eagle Flasher.

Not a knock on Vex units at all here - they are great, but to me, sounds like someone there was doing a little smear job on the competition. Kind of low rent tactics, IMHO.

RK

[IceC]

Just curious,Why not buy from Cabela's? this is the first problem i've had with them.Excellent customer service.must be something I dont know?

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Here fishy,fishy

[Pig_sticka]

i donno but check out that thorne bros, their doing 5% off all vexilars and with those prices ur saving 20 dollars plus. there is no cabelas near me so i dont really know but i do know they messed it up for all vexilars over there. good luck.

[IceC]

Thanks pig_sticka.I will check out thorne bros,gotta get one soon

IceC

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Here fishy,fishy

[Pig_sticka]

yea i got a fl18 blue box special with a johnny ray and 5 1 dollar packages of special jigs for 388 not too bad. just a week ago. they deliver off the site too, if i am not mistaken. good luck.

[Guest]

IceC,

I got my FL-18 last year online from Reed's. I've bought a couple of things from them, and the owner (I forget his name right now, but a really nice guy on the phone) beat Cabela's price by $20 on a Minn Kota Auto Pilot. At the time I got my Vex from Reed's, Cabela's told me it would be on backorder for about a month! Not bashing them, but you ought to check around as their prices are often not as good as you might think. Is that Marcum basically a Zercom? I had a terrible experience with Zercom's customer "satisfaction" policy, and won't deal with them again. The Vexilar works SWEET and I'm very impressed with how quickly their tech support responds via e-mail (thanks Mitchell!!!).

[Guest]

IceC,

I just checked and Reedssports.com has their FL-18 "Reed's Pack" for $379.99, and this includes FREE shipping (try and get that out of Cabela's). This is the one I bought, and it came with the 12-degree Ice-Ducer, battery w/charger, LED battery indicator and the standard P-100 ice-fishing carrying case. The only thing I can see different from the $399.99 "Pro Pack" is that it comes with a P-160 case, which I'm not familiar with. Maybe someone else can say whether this is worth another $20 or not.

[bigeyes]

made a call to cabelas cause I was giving one for a gift this year, seems they are out of just the units and won't be getting anymore in but have plendy of the soft packs for 375. The guy said there was a supplier problem but also made it sound like vexilar is choosing not to send them anymore single units. I think they did get into trouble. This was the owatona store.

[Guest]

I ordered/received an 18 from Cabela's last week. The econmy pack. Only complaint is it was an older unit that I sent in for the upgrade. That and I think the transducer is a 19 degree one as oposed to the advertised 12 degree. No big deal though as I'm putting a dual beam ducer from my SLT on it anyways.

[IceC]

Thanks farginicehole!!(that name cracks me up ) I'll check out that site to. That is a good deal.Cabelas is close to me so shipping wasnt an issue,although i'm sure if i needed it shipped it wouldnt be cheap.

IceC

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Here fishy,fishy

[bigeyes]

pig_sticka are you sure about the 5% off, that would be pretty good. I was told they are regular price?

[Pig_sticka]

i just went in the store not even a week ago. and i got what was it like 22 dollars off. so yea i am very shur, maybe it is an instore thing i donno but i am not whining i went to the fridley one.

[CNY Tim]

RK - Let them knock the MarCum. When I get some ice here I will be testing the LX-3.

My previous post:

The competition for the best flasher is awesome think about it a few years back, it was the tried and true Vexilar FL8SLT with the sporadically working interference rejection and crappy target separation, compared to the colorpoint with quality control issues, lack of an interference rejection, and crisper display. Both units have there positives and negatives. Durability has been Vexilars and understandably, they are the top dog and there customer service is above reproach along with there reputation, but even they knew to stay the top dog they needed to make some refinements, hence the FL-18. I don't have an FL-18 so I can't compare the new Marcum LX-3 to it but I owned an FL8SLT and was very satisfied with it, but noticed some improvements that needed to be made with this unit. The professional ice fisherman demands a multi level functioning system that is durable, user friendly, and is effective on multiple species.

Remember fella's competition is a good thing.

If you think that this unit is like the old Colorpoint your sorely mistaken, the basic technology has been there with it's target separation and display, the refinements with the MarCum LX-3 are an adjustable zoom which in any unit with flasher technology has not been achieved, until now! A zoom window that's adjustable in size as well is a first! In the 20' setting you can have a 5' or 10' window with the push of a button, and adjustable for the ENTIRE WATER COLUMN, not just 6' on the bottom FL-18 users. Not all fish reside in the bottom 6'!!!
This technological break through will help me when I am fishing crappie suspended in deep water most of the fish I catch are in 34' of water and the crappies are at 23-26'. If I push zoom on the FL-18 I am not going to see these fish in the FL-18 zoom mode. With the MarCum I can push zoom once and have a 5' window, push it twice and have a 10' window and then just hit the down arrow twice and I have 1" target separation and there are my fish... Now thats technology!!! and will be another used feature with my deep water bluegill fishing...
And if you like lake trout this technology you CANT LIVE WITHOUT, you need that adjustable zoom, you demand it!
The new MarCum patented digital charging system now enables one plug technology no more clips and leads. A large LED read out with a clear display that let's you monitor your batteries charge level hands free. An interference rejection that has 6 zone settings and hopefully one will work. Just the soft case alone is a work of art, insulated, fully accessible, rubber feet to keep the unit off the ice. A huge improvement as compared to the tippy vexilar econo soft pack. This unit is whisper quiet not like my FL8SLT that sounded like an approaching huey landing at times. I will be able to actually hear what's going on with my buddy's outside my fish trap.
I am an icefisherman that fishes hard like alot of others and I demand durability and customer service, this question has yet to answered by the MarCum but I will find out. Vexilars durability is fantastic I would like to hear what user's are saying about the FL-18. I know that the FL-18's had to be tweaked and Vexilar answered the call in fine fashion upgrading the software and getting them back quick to there customers. All I can say is if you owned a Colorpoint and liked it your gonna love the MarCum. If your still using your FL-8's and don't mind waiting for that upgrade I will be posting honest assesments of this unit as I use it through the season. Both units are competitevly priced. But I agree that they should have provided an incentive deal of some sort for the loyal colorpoint users. 2 year full warranty as the FL-18. and 20 degree transducer, I think the FL-18 comes with a 12 degree?

Remember that a sonar is just a tool alot of other variables make you a successful or unsucessful ice fisherman.

MarCum Technologies is a respected leader in Military Technology. They knew they had something there when they started the colorpoint but sold the rights to Zercom before the refinements could be made. Now that they have the rights back they have finished what they started.
All these new developments have been tested by there personnel and I am confident knowing there reputation in defense contracting that this unit is ready to compete. Will it knock off the FL-18, only time will tell.

The Vexilar fans that knock the Colorpoint should really thank them because the new and improved FL-18 is a direct result of a competition drive by Zercom's product line. As far as technology right now the FL-18 is a dinosaur compared to the MarCum LX-3 will this spur Vexilar on to develop the FL-28? Time will tell.

Let's see how these unit's play out before we jump to conclude. MarCum has an up hill battle... Will they answer the call? Can they be as good as Vexilar's service? Who knows but it will be interesting to find out,eh...

You have heard the things I liked about the MarCum LX-3 now I will discuss some smaller yet issues that need to be noted. Cabelas shipped my LX-3 and the transducer was never secured in the protected bubble pack when received, I would make sure that they taped the plastic sleeve closed so that the transducer is protected during shipment. The zoom, I.R. down and up buttons are small so if you have sausage fingers it will be slight inconvenience. The uni connectors for the power head and DCS(digital charging system) had to be modified slightly to slide on to the terminal battery prongs...

I will tell you this, if this thing is junk you will hear it here first.

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 11-24-2002).]

[CNY Tim]

cal - FL-18's are not perfect from what I have been reading...
Good thing I still have my Colorpoint and sold that FL8SLT, wavy lines in the bottom what kinda technology is that? The colorpoint bottom target separation was far superior to my vex especially in deep water. Vex boasts of a .5" target separation in the zoom mode on the 18. Has any one seen that? .5" in there dreams... You wanna throw stones better watch your glass windows.

[Dark Cloud]

I just ordered two from Reeds yesterday. One pro-pack for $399 with free shipping and one just the unit and 12 degree ducer $319 ~~ I plan on putting it on my blue box and I have three batteries already.

Geeman - I went with Reeds cuz they had free shipping and gauranteed that the units are the new ones and wont need to be sent in for the up grades. They should be here wednesday and I'll definatly be on the ice either wed or thursday. AB and I are going scouting for ice tomorrow.

CNY Tim - With all your talk about the Marcums buddy you better hope they dont have any problems this winter. I got a deal for ya ~ If anything is not up to par or goes wrong with your Marcum you have to promise me a date with your daughter Krissy....

[Guest]

Alright, i read what everyone had to say but I'm still confused. It doesn't effect me at all but I find it interesting. SO cabelas no longer carries Vexilars? (Well they do now but they're not getting any new ones)? Right? Wrong? So marcum bribed em or what?

[fiskyknut]

I hope these Marcum units are something better. I'd love to upgrade my Clearwater classic but I still say I have'nt seen anything that works any better to date. I'll just keep waiting till something truly better comes on the market with good reviews and no glitches.

Fisky

[Guest]

I tested the FL-18 the season before it came out. It hands down marked fish laying on bottom that were not seen on a FL-8. How many holes would you or have you passed up?

As far as the Marcum, i don't think there is a market to zoom in on suspended fish 25 feet below the ice, it can only hurt you to narrow your cone. The problem i found with the Zercom units was the sensitivity. Too much, even when turned down, was hard to tell what your looking at unless the fish was right in the cone.

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[Guest]

I love my fl18 wiht absolutely no problems

[CNY Tim]

Dark Cloud - Your asking alot bud...

D-Man - with a 20 degree transducer I am not worried about narrowing my cone. Sorry you had that problem with the colorpoint it can be overpowering at times. Just have to see how this MarCum plays out. Are you getting .5 with your 18? Simple test to find out, set the zoom and drop that jig down to a flat bottom and raise your rod in zoom and tell me if your getting .5" Since you tested this unit is it true?

[Guest]

Alright, maybe its 5/8. Heres the way to see. Just take the biggest split shots you can find and put em at the desired distance apart. Dropping it on the bottom isn't going work. i have yet to encounter a lake bottom as flat as a concrete driveway. They its 1/2 inch Target separation(not bottom to target) Its close though. Turn that gain down maybe you'll see it.

[vern]

With the Marcum, I agree with D-man about zooming in on suspended fish. I don't see much of an advantage in that. You already know those fish are there. It's all about working those fish and feeling for a hit at that point. And if you're focused on only 5 or 10 feet of the water column, you might be missing out on a lot of fish coming through at different depths. Obviously, zooming in on the bottom makes a lot of sense. Now you're getting that target seperation & seeing those fish hugging the bottom that you never would have known were there with the old units. CYN Tim, I agree that competition is important & both products are better because of it. But for all of the talk you do about the new Marcum LX-3, its hard to believe that you don't work for or have a financial interest in the company. It sounds like you haven't actually used one yet. Thanks for all the info though & I'll be waiting to hear some on-the-ice reports. Vern