Review of boat rigging On January 30, 2017

 

It’s that time of the year, many are getting a new boat with electronics or are outfitting an existing boat with new electronics. Here are some things to think about when looking at purchasing new electronics.  Use this as a checklist to help you make a educated decision.

And a few install tips are also thrown in.

 

  • What is your budget?
  • Prices range from 100.00 up to the sky is the limit.

 

  • Get the biggest screen you can afford. A common comment at shows is “I wish I would purchased a bigger sonar screen when I bought my boat last year”. Many dealers will throw in 3” screen and you think oh boy a sonar and GPS! After you become experienced with the boat that 3” screen will not cut it.  7” screen size minimum size IMHO.

 

  • What kind of boat?
  • Tiller or console? This can affect what units will be right for your situation and you may save some money.

 

  • How much room or clearance do you have to mount a unit?
  • If you have a walk thru windshield you may not be able to fit a 12” screen like a tiller or side console.

 

  • What do you have currently on your boat?
  • Maybe you can repurpose this to another location or 2nd unit to serve as the GPS/Map screen or a bow unit.

 

  • The 2 networking systems are-
  • Ethernet (High speed data transfer, sharing screens, maps, waypoint management)
  • NMEA 2000 (Data transfer, monitoring engine data, GPS modules, trolling motor control)
  • Not all sonars have these capabilities.

 

  • Do you own a Smart Phone or Flip Phone? The old keypad sonar technologies are similar to operating a Flip Phone! Try a touch screen sonar like the Elite Ti and Gen units and you will note how fast they are to navigate around the screen and menus. You will be amazed! And yes Lowrance work cold or wet unlike a smart phone. Go find a flip phone and try and text someone you will be looking for your smartphone right away.  And the prices on the touch screen units such as the Elite Ti starting at 499.00 and up.

 

 

 

  • Do you plan on networking to another sonar now or in the future?
  • If you plan on just having a single unit now and forever why spend the extra money on units that have the networking capabilities? Example Lowrance Elite Ti without networking –vs.- HDS Gen units with networking capabilities or some Humminbird Helix Gen 1 models vs. the Gen 2 models.
  • If you are buying a tiller and never plan on networking to another unit get a unit like the Elite Ti, Hook or Gen 1 Helix without Ethernet and you can spend the extra money saved for a bigger screen
  • If have a console boat and plan on networking to another unit on the bow or in the future get a unit such as the Helix Gen 2 series or HDS with Ethernet so you can hook to another Gen unit and share data back and forth. Why waste the money on a non-networkable unit now then only to add another unit to the bow later and lose out on the networking bonuses.
  • Do some research on how the networking works.

 

 

  • Is the unit mounted in such away that the built in GPS module will be obstructed from the sky and satellite’s?
  • You may need an external antenna to get a signal.

 

  • If you fish slow or like to cast a heading sensor like the Lowrance Point-1 or Humminbird AS GPS HS will greatly assist in boat control and fishing by always showing which way the front of the boat is facing.
  • The internal GPS antennas are excellent but do show which way the boat is facing until you start moving forward.

 

  • Look at incorporating the latest sonar technologies such as-
  • DownScan/Down Imaging
  • SideScan/Side Imaging
  • Chirp Sonar
  • Radar
  • Radio

 

  • Bowmount trolling motor control? Many types of sonar can control a trolling motor and steer the boat with an autopilot feature or route programmed into the sonar. Anchor mode/Spot Lock saves your back or your partner will thank you for not having to pull an anchor.

 

  • Do you troll with the main motor or kicker? Add an autopilot feature that will steer your boat while you fish. It will keep your boat on a course while you are reeling in and netting fish or deploying lines.

 

 

 

 

  • If you are unsure about installing a system utilize reputable installer. It will make your time on the water much more enjoyable when it all works correctly.

 

  • Getting the transducer at the correct placement can be a trial and error task to get a good signal at high speed.

 

  • Use a plastic transducer board to mount transducers. It’s easier to drill more holes in the board than your boat if you make a transducer location mistake.

 

 

  • Make sure to add a mapping card with more details. Units come with base mapping and it’s just that 3’ to 6’ contours or just a lake outline. Cards from companies like Navionics, Lowrance and LakeMaster give 1’ contours on many lakes that will enhance your fishing experience and save your lower unit from a date with a rock.

 

  • Don’t use wimpy sonar mounts! Bigger is better that 9” sonar mounted on a 1” ball mount will be slapping against the dash on the first big wave!

 

  • Many of the new outboards can be connected to sonars and get engine data right on the sonar screen. Doing away with expensive and antiquated dash mounted gauges.

 

  • More and more units can do live mapping on the screen. Lowrance recently incorporated Navionics SonarChart Live into the Elite Ti, Gen 3 and Carbon units, Humminbird Helix models have AutoChart Live, and Garmin has Quickdraw. You can make your own map of bodies of water with no maps or poor mapping.

 

  • Batteries don’t skimp here! Get the biggest starting battery you can or a second house battery for electronics they draw a fair amount of power and stranded on the lake with a dead battery is a bummer.
  • A good house battery is the Optima D31M. Doc and his pro staff mark O’Neill and Kirt Hedquist use them because bigger is better.
  • And also use Optima D31M for the trolling motor batteries.

 

  • Go to com and follow Doctor Sonar on Facebook and read the tutorial articles on understanding sonar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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