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I've got a little money allotted to me thanks to Uncle Sam and my wife who agreed to let me spend anywhere from 200-300 dollars.
I want to buy a new sonar for the FRONT part of my boat, and I need help deciding which would be the best for my 2002 Tracker 16 foot boat. The one that already came with the boat is like a low end kind... real cheap and I suspect it is a hummingbird but has Tracker's name on it. It is really very basic and doesn't show bait fish and intelligent bottom contours. It sucks to say the least... LOL.
As much as I love the way Lowance looks however they are out of reach in terms of $$$.[pirate]
I have been looking at Eagle's FishMark 320 (transom), 480 (shoot through hull), and 500c (thru hull and trolling motor).
Shoot thru hull? I beleive works for the front part of the boat... but what about those transom-based, will they work for the front part of the boat? Trolling motor, do they mean the kicker motor or the electric trolling motor at the front of the boat?
I have been looking at Hummingbird's better stuff such as Fishfinder 565 and 585c. Also from Hummingbird's Matric 37, Matrix 27.
Are they easy to install yourself or do I have to get a hold of my BFT friend to do it for me? (You know who you are ])
Thanks for all your insights and advices which I deem to be very valuable investment for my fishing forays.[  ]
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I have a FishMark 480 and have been VERY happy with it. Infact it has raised my catch success rate quite a bit and you can see the bait fish as well as the change in the bottom contour.
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Hi Paul, I just ordered two fish finders for my boat and can offer a little insight to your questions:
[size 1]Shoot thru hull? [#bf0000]Will work on a fiberglass boat, but not through aluminum.[/#bf0000] I beleive works for the front part of the boat... but what about those transom-based, will they work for the front part of the boat? [#bf0000]The mount is not compatible with the bow, unless you attached it to your electric trolling motor; however, there are transducers that are designed to mount to an electric. [/#bf0000]Trolling motor, do they mean the kicker motor or the electric trolling motor at the front of the boat? [#bf0000]They are most likely referring to the electric troller, there may be too much cavitation on an outboard. [/#bf0000][#000000]Are they easy to install yourself or do I have to get a hold of my BFT friend to do it for me? [/#000000][#bf0000]The troller mounts are more or less a large hose clamp you wrap around the head of the motor, and then you run the cables up the shaft to your finder. the transom mounts while not difficult do require you to route the cabling along the gunwales or the deck, and drill a couple of holes to mount the transducer. [/#bf0000][#000000]One thing you may consider is whether you could swap the two finders - this requires same brand and mounts. I actually purchased a Lowrance and Humminbird, for different reasons. I have no knowledge of the units you are speaking of, but would be willing to share my research with you as well as where you might get a good deal. PM me if you're interested and good luck.[/#000000][/size]
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Hey Fonduvfishin, thanks for the input. The way my boat is aluminum and its deck, I dunno, because of the trolling motor plug has its carpeted wall in the front. and I just don't care to see cabling mess as you pull in and out the trolling motor. I am really scratching my head on this one.
If my boat is not compatible for the front end sonar, then I may have to just "heck with it" and go with the real sonar to replace that standard sonar at the driver's console. I was just hoping to have two sonars, one at the console which I already have, and a front end too.[:/]
Hey Tracker owners, tell me about your set-up if you got one that I had in mind?
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Howdy there IP,
I happen to have an Humminbird Matrix 37(with GPS, and SmartCast remote sonar and a Fishing Buddy (220 I think). I have used the Matrix 37 on my "tin trawler" and on my 'toon. I have used my Fishing Buddy on my tube, 'toon, and tin tub. I have a small 12 volt battery that only weighs a few pounds or so for the tube or when I go unpowered on with my 'toon. When the Matrix is hooked up on my boat, I run it from the trolling/starting battary. The Fishing Buddy uses "D" cells - but they last almost all summer. So far, I have only come up with lousy ways of mounting them to any of my craft. But I am still working it. If you have any specific questions, I may have already been down that path and can tell you something about it.
If anyone out there has a really good way to mount sonars so that they are somewhat portable and/or transferable from one of my craft to the other, I would be very gratefull if you shared it. So far, all of my attempts, have met with only limited success.
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There are a couple of new innovations that may help you out for a front mounted sonar.
1. Airmar makes a thru-hull mounted transducer that requires a hole to mount it, but it would certianly work.
[url "http://www.airmar.com/whatsnewmarine/whatsm_index.html"][font "Times New Roman"][#800080][size 3]http://www.airmar.com/whatsnewmarine/whatsm_index.html[/size][/#800080][/font][/url]
2. Vexilar has a new transducer that mounts inside the hull for aluminum boats. (no hole)
[url "http://www.vexilar.com/products/alumaducer.html"][font "Times New Roman"][#800080][size 3]http://www.vexilar.com/products/alumaducer.html[/size][/#800080][/font][/url]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] [/font][/size]
I do not have experience with either one of these and just bring them forward for consideration. Choosing one of these may also affect your choice of sonar unit as well.
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Just my 2 cents on ducers. Airmar makes a multitude of transducers, including ducers for Lowrance and Garmin, so if you picked one up, it will be high quality. Just be sure that the unit you are mounting it on is capable of running the frequency of the ducer.
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I might be able to pull a few string's with the guy's at Lowrances corperate offices and get you a deal I am on there Pro-Staff and it just depend's on what over stock's they have from 2004's line it is a possibility if you wan't my help.
Send me a P.M. if you would like some help!
SOCKEYESLAYER
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Bloodhound, I ran into the same thing. What I ended up doing was buying another tranducer. Used an old sonar mount from another sonar for the screen. So now all I do i change the monitor from tube to boat. Everything else remains where I installed it. (tube install is temporay, as everything can be removed in minutes)
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Hey Paul I opted for the Fishmark 480 as an upgrade from my old sonar. I am still learning how to use it *properly*. With that said I like it so far as it is heads over heels from my last one.
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Paul:
Mounting a transducer on a bow mount electric motor is easy unless you have a Min Kita powerdrive/autopilot type without the built in universal transducer. You have to feed the transducer cable through the coiled wire and operation is a pain, requiring constant fussing with the transducer cable. I once ripped the the cable out of a transducer in a wind fueled emergency shoreline avoidance maneuver. So, the solution is to buy a new Min Kota motor with the built in universal sonar, or, do like I do and foresake the bow mounted transducer.
The shoot through the hull alumaducer sounds like a great idea, but it appears the 'ducer needs to be mounted in a flat part of the boat in the stern. Sonar on the bow should be shooting from that end of the boat if you ask me.
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Hey Sockeyeslayer,
You've got PM! Thanks for the tip, I appreciate this very much!
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