Depends exactly what you use your sounder for.
The narrower the cone the more detail you'll read of the bottom. If you are
looking for "holes" to place cray pots etc then you need a narrow beam. On
the other hand to look for fish maybe a wide beam will give you more info of
what is "around" the boat & not just under it. Some of the wide ones will
even let you know if the fish is on the right or left side.
Therefore if you want both then get a "dual" beam one for sure.
Imagine a flat bottom with a 100 ft deep hole in the middle of it that is 10
ft across. If a "ping" from your sounder won't fit "inside" the hole then
you won't see it at all. The echo will return from the edge of the hole. Now
if you have (say) a one degree cone & it fits inside, then you'll see it. A
bit clearer?
BruceM


"LD" wrote in message
news
Can anyone tell me how beneficial a "dual beam 24/60 would be vs. a single
24deg?
Also, any opinion on the Hummingbird Matrix 17/20/25 finders?
Thanks,
LD
ì