Locator question.

[66KingFisher]

My fishing buddy and I currently fish from a 16ft Basstracker he purchased new a couple of years back....It came with an entry level locator....One of those $99 units. It works fine and all, but its mounted on the console which as we have found out, is pretty much worthless when your up front running the trolling motor all day.

So we've been thinking about upgrading to a little better unit. Maybe a down imaging unit with GPS ... and my thoughts are to move the el-cheapo unit to the front deck when we do. My question is "How hard is that"? Is it as simple as unhooking and rerouting the wiring and then building or buying a bracket that will allow us to mount the now transom mounted transducer to the trolling motor, or is there more too it then that?

I'm very mechanically minded, but electrical is my weakness....Is this something my fishing buddy and I can do ourselves one weekend, or do we need to hire this done when the time comes?

[kennethdaysale]

Originally Posted by 66KingFisher

My fishing buddy and I currently fish from a 16ft Basstracker he purchased new a couple of years back....It came with an entry level locator....One of those $99 units. It works fine and all, but its mounted on the console which as we have found out, is pretty much worthless when your up front running the trolling motor all day.

So we've been thinking about upgrading to a little better unit. Maybe a down imaging unit with GPS ... and my thoughts are to move the el-cheapo unit to the front deck when we do. My question is "How hard is that"? Is it as simple as unhooking and rerouting the wiring and then building or buying a bracket that will allow us to mount the now transom mounted transducer to the trolling motor, or is there more too it then that?

I'm very mechanically minded, but electrical is my weakness....Is this something my fishing buddy and I can do ourselves one weekend, or do we need to hire this done when the time comes?

Shouldn't be a big problem to dig up or uncover and reroute all the power and transducer cords and remove the head from the console and then building or buying a bracket.......................

However if the cheap factory unit is worthless on the console because you say most of your fishing and practical use of sonar is from the bow with the TM down then your expensive upgrade unit is going to end up being expensive and worthless. I suggest putting the nice unit up front where you can reap maximum rewards plus you'll save a bunch of time and aggravation, everything you will need for a nice clean install are in the box and you won't even have to touch the existing unit.

[lilmule]

Somewhat depends upon the unit as to worthless or not even in the upgrade,if older cheaper unit is up front can use it to read depth while trolling motor,but thats its limitations.
Suggest a different route,leave older one in place on dash and place newer one up front,something like my wide view(still cheap ebay) with two transducers and a switch,it can be seen at console just not fine details,go up front flip the switch on its on troller,with small details available.I can read the numbers(depth ) while running actually took off the cheapie on the dash.


Transducers cost like 90 each,switch and extra cables about 50,unit itself about 60 bucks,does its job sees more than previous pirhana.
17 1/2 ft boat 5 in screen yet can read depth running 50-60 mph,just not see detail can tell if I run over a crappie bed at idle.
More or less agree dont touch existing unit,just add.Difference is two ducers with a switch and can read front or back from console or at troller.
Just not that far in a 16 ft boat one cant see the numbers for depth from console to front deck.

[bassboogieman]

'mule, looking at that butt seat you must be ONE SHORT GUY!

[lilmule]

Im 5ft 5 in ,130 lbs,and it is on a short pole,standard for normal seat non adjustable.Normally it is a tad taller,just placed it on a normal one for the pic,to get it off the deck,but the normal one is half size taller also non adjustable.
Its also an older pic but was placed here to show one can see the depth finder from the console in small boats,have no problem on plane telling if im in 52 ft of water or 14 ft or 3 ft from the console seat.If idling can pick out a structure even though im 20/40-20/45 vision.
Its also a requirement if fishing aba T to have a seat for a draw pard if you get one,in my boat you get a butt seat and choice of one or two poles,one for sitting other more usefull for leaning if short if not about right but both onboard.Being small and in pieces carry them easily in my wee boat versus standard seats also easier to get into compartments without taking seats off.Rear deck is a pia to get into anything with a normal seat there.
Remember 83 in beam 17 1/2 ft.
The stratos I just picked up is 93 in beam and 19 ft 1 in,tad larger overall but setting it up about the same with the humminbird view on front deck most likly.Actually eliminates the need for one on the console,have gps there that is it.With switch and two ducers can read front or back,on troller or on plane.

[66KingFisher]

Interesting......I gotta admit, my thinking was to put the better DI unit on the console to be used when scouting out underwater structure.....Once found, I'd throw out a marker buoy before fishing that spot....I figured to use the older unit up front mostly for depth readings which would help me stay on the edge of a creek channel and such.....I suppose it would be nice to have the better unit up front, but I'll be darned if my old eyes will be able to read it when sitting at the console....lol....Thanks for the replies.

[lilmule]

The depth numbers are fairly large and if one goes so fast (on my former allison around 78 mph) you lose bottom details,then it flashes those depth numbers at you,can easily read from a distance of say 8 ft just cant tell detail of bottom that easily.
Going to set up the 19 ft stratos same way -do have a in dash flasher with it,but most likly be able to read depth not contour on the front one 20/45 vision.Menu on some allows a larger print of those numbers,I use birds.5 in screen and about 1 in depth numbers,that one can move around to different corners only on some models say top left instead of bottom.Even bottom left or right is readable.
Im wearing reading glasses to type.

[66KingFisher]

Well my fishin buddy Ron purchased a new Hummingbird 581i HD DI Combo yesterday, and after discussing this thread he also snagged an extra transducer for the trolling motor and a switch so we can run both transducers. I was too busy to help him install it last nite, but by the weekend I hope we have it hooked up to at least one transducer so we can go test it out....I'll be sure to give a full review afterwards.

We know its just a mild step up from the entry level unit that we currently have, but its got 3 things we really wanted.....GPS, down imaging, and a price poor folks could handle...lol. Time will tell if we can learn to use it.

[lilmule]

The switch while expensive for a switch is well worth being able to run either front or back from same location,and should you desire it from either transducer with another unit that will work on that puck can plug it in with a pigtail,not only two pucks on one transducer but several units can work off each puck.Meaning if you placed the unit up front can add a console unit later or vise versa prior to the switch it then works off that one unit,while other unit switches.While seemingly overkill with a switch and 2 ducers one unit can sit across a ledge or drop and read farther one way than the other as 16-21 ft apart whatever boat length is.Again once installed its just a matter of having other things or units to plug in,via adapters,pigtails etc.Why link when each can see its own version.
For poor boys something like a wide view,paramount etc will work off many of the same pucks,check make sure it or they are on the list.Cheap off ebay as older versions for 100 and under.Often without anything but the mount and powercord,but since you have transducer its a cheap addon or spare.
Post some pics of the install and of the screen ,give us a good review.

[MallenManson]

Originally Posted by 66KingFisher

Well my fishin buddy Ron purchased a new Hummingbird 581i HD DI Combo yesterday, and after discussing this thread he also snagged an extra transducer for the trolling motor and a switch so we can run both transducers. I was too busy to help him install it last nite, but by the weekend I hope we have it hooked up to at least one transducer so we can go test it out....I'll be sure to give a full review afterwards.

We know its just a mild step up from the entry level unit that we currently have, but its got 3 things we really wanted.....GPS, down imaging, and a price poor folks could handle...lol. Time will tell if we can learn to use it.

Amen to that!