Simrad Cruise 5

The Cruise series was released by Simrad in 2019, so they’re pretty new models. All the units in this series are chartplotter and sonar combos. However, they offer fewer features than the older XSE models. For example, they lack the structure scanning sonar and the extra networking features but are considerably more affordable.

In this post, we’re going to address the Simrad Cruise 5 part number 000-14998-001. This unit has standard dual-beam sonar, GPS, and basic mapping.

Key Features and Specifications

• Display: 5″ diagonal, 800H x 400V pixel resolution, LED backlight
• Sonar: Dual-beam CHIRP sonar
• Transducer: 000-0106-72
• Frequency and Coverage:
  200 kHz / 22°
  83 kHz / 52°
• Max. Depth Capability: 1,000′ (305 m)
• Supply Voltage: 10 – 17 VDC
• Power Output: 500 W (RMS)
• GPS: 1 Hz, Internal
• Maps: US Coastal and WorldWide Basemaps

Sonar features

The Simrad Cruise 5 is a pretty standard fish finder offering basic Dual Beam CHIRP sonar, without structure scanning sonar such as DownScan or SideScan. Also, although its sonar is dual-beam, you can only use one of the beams at the time, not both of them in split screen.

The unit supports two main frequencies, these being 83 kHz and 200 kHz. And since the internal sonar has CHIRP technology for superior target separation, it basically uses Medium CHIRP and High CHIRP. The exact CHIRP ranges are not specified.

The Simrad Cruise 5 includes the 000-0106-72 transducer which supports both 200 kHz / 83 kHz frequencies provided by the head unit. It casts two conical beams; their coverage is 22° @ 200 kHz, and 53° @ 83 kHz. The maximum depth capability that can be achieved by this Simrad fish finder with the included transducer is 1,000 ft. (305 m) when using the 83 kHz beam.

The transducer is plastic-made and includes a metallic transom mount. It’s equipped with 20′ (6 m) of cable featuring an 8-pin connector and integrates a temperature sensor. The unit also has a temperature reading and will show the water temperature at the depth of the transducer.

The unit offers the full range of standard sonar features and functions. The list includes Fish ID, A-Scope, Bottom Lock, Auto Range, Split-Zoom, Noise Rejection and more. It also has a Sonar Recording function. Therefore, you can either record the sonar log into the unit’s memory or on a microSD card.

Navigation features

The Simrad 5 Cruise has a built-in GPS receiver. It supports WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS data, and also has a GPS speed function which enables it to calculate and display the speed of your boat based on the GPS input.

The unit has waypoint creation, route creation, and track plotting functions. This being said, you can save multiple waypoints in its memory and assign various icons to each waypoint in order to make them more suggestive. Also, if a waypoint is created on the sonar application, the unit will also show the water depth at that particular location along with the coordinates.

As long as you have at least two waypoints saved in the unit’s memory, you can create a route between them. Also, you can record each one of your trips via the track plotting feature and later on convert the tracks to routes and add waypoints to them.

The unit is equipped with the Simrad US Coastal and Worldwide Basemap chart platform. These are basic charts but offer plenty of information for navigation and are pretty reliable. But nonetheless, the unit is compatible with Navionics and C-MAP charts. It also supports the SonarChart application from Navionics. Therefore, if you equip it with a Navionics+ map card (not included), you can also create bathymetric maps with depth contours.

The unit has the Trip Intel Lite feature. Trip Intel shows you a graphical representation of your trip on the charts as well as various other trip data such as distance covered, time spent on the water, maximum speed, average speed, and more. It also keeps a historical record of your trips, so you can compare data if necessary.

Last but not least, it is important to mention here that the Simrad Cruise 5 doesn’t support Radar or AIS units. It doesn’t offer weather data and does not support AutoPilot units.

Control unit features

The Simrad Cruise 5 features a 5-inch color display with a pixel matrix of 800 x 480. It has LED backlight (800 nits) and offers an excellent angle visibility up to 70° top/bottom/right/left even in direct sunlight. It is also IPX6 and IPX7 waterproof which essentially means it can withstand incidental water exposure and even immersions in freshwater.

As opposed to the older Simrad GO5 XSE, the Cruise 5 model doesn’t have touchscreen technology; it is keypad operated. It has buttons for Home, Menu, Exit, MOB, Cursor (Arrow Keys), Zoom (Rotary Knob), Enter, Quick Waypoint Creation, and Power. Its interface is highly intuitive and easy to use. Its homepage has preset split-screen pages and quick access for settings, storage, waypoints, trip intel and more. The split-screen modes can be viewed in a horizontal or vertical format.

The unit does not have networking features. It does not support NMEA and has no Ethernet ports. It only has two connectors, one for the transducer, the other for the power cable. It also does not have wireless connectivity. However, it does have a microSD card slot. Therefore, you can upload Navionics or C-MAP charts for an improved navigation experience.

Finally, in terms of mounting, the box includes a classic tilt mount and unit corner clips. In-dash mounting kit and unit cover are not included.

The Pros

• Dual-beam sonar 83/200 kHz;
• Medium CHIRP and High CHIRP;
• Dual-beam skimmer transducer with built-in temperature sensor included;
• Multiple standard sonar features such as Fish ID, Bottom Lock, Split Zoom, A-Scope, various alarms, Auto Gain, Noise Rejection, etc;
• Sonar Recording function;
• Internal GPS (WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS capable);
• Preloaded with US Coastal and Worldwide Basemaps;
• Compatible with Navionics and C-MAP charts;
• Supports the SonarChart feature from Navionics;
• Trip Intel Lite page;
• Waypoints, routes, and tracks;
• MicroSD card slot;
• Pre-defined split pages for quick access;
• Easy to install;
• 2 years warranty.

The Cons

• The unit cover is not included;
• No structure scanning sonar;
• No networking features.

Summary

The Simrad Cruise 5 is a fish finder and chartplotter offering dual-beam CHIRP sonar, GPS, and base mapping. It also includes the 83/200 kHz skimmer transducer. It doesn’t have networking features such as NMEA or Ethernet, but does have a microSD card slot and can be uploaded with Navionics and C-MAP charts. It’s an excellent combo unit for both inland and off-shore fishing, perfect for a wide array of boats.