Two Questions

[willy]

First any of you fellows running or know someone running Lowrance or HummingBird structure scan type electronics?

Second for a 15.5 basically flat bottom boat like my Tracker grizzly 1548 would a 36" shaft bow mount trolling motor be good? I think it would be for a transom mount but leery about bow.

[tsubaki]

As to the trolling motor.
As you know the shaft length dimensions are to just that, the shaft length.
You lose 6" at the bracket and another 4"+ with the top of the prop.
Just measure from the top of your boat to looking flat at the bottom and see if you have no more than 26". If so you likely need a longer shaft length. I really doubt it though, a 36" transom mount on a bow mount should be good for that boat.
Be sure to turn the handle around backwards for that situation!

[willy]

Thanks for the measurement view Tsubaki, I am not planing to buy a transom mount for the bow, I think you misunderstood.
I am going to get a bow mount set up, just not sure of which one and shaft length.
I see that They recommend one foot in the water at least.

[smokeonthewater]

Just over a year ago we put one of himminbird's high zoot fishfinders w gps on dad's tracker..... The fishfinder is now out of warranty and he is still sending it back to humminbird AGAIN in an effort to make it work how they claim it does... To date it has never clearly shown what is actually on bottom like their sample screens indicate though humminbird still claims they can make it do so....... He says he'll never buy another humminbird and will go with lowrance.

On the tm, he has the Ipilot? or whatever the top model was... has gps routing gps speed control wireless remote etc... we werent sure which length to get and on the advice of the minkota tech we bought one quite a bit longer than we needed and it is really simple to take it apart and cut it to final length after testing it.

BTW, the TM tho it was quite pricey was totally worth it...... nothing better than trolling at gps 1.5 mph and hitting the "virtual anchor" when you get a strike... then the TM will allow the back of the boat to swing down wind but will keep the bow within a couple feet of where you were when you got that strike so you can get all his buddies too

[Genie Aye]

I would say half the boats out here in the NW have the Lowrance HDS systems in their boats---They Gen2 which is what is availible now is spot on and they have very few issues from the talk and those I know with it love them--they show much more def than my standard depth finder. You can always go to Bloodydecks.com and pose the question to the guys useing them.

[Blue_Runner]

I-pilot would be my top choice for the features Smoke describes. I want to put one on my V but not quite ready yet. Check out some youtube vids of the I-pilot - really really cool.

[reelapeelin]

Originally Posted by tsubaki

As to the trolling motor.
As you know the shaft length dimensions are to just that, the shaft length.
You lose 6" at the bracket and another 4"+ with the top of the prop.
Just measure from the top of your boat to looking flat at the bottom and see if you have no more than 26". If so you likely need a longer shaft length. I really doubt it though, a 36" transom mount on a bow mount should be good for that boat.
Be sure to turn the handle around backwards for that situation!

I would add to that by saying you need to NET 18" measured from the bottom of the motor's skeg up the shaft to have IN THE WATER...which in the case of that size boat could vary depending on where yer sitting in the boat...if yer sitting in the back, obviously the bow will be high...vice versa if yer sitting in front...as you know they are adjustable, so you need to buy one that'll get you the 18 in the water with bow-high

The Structure Scan feature I'm not familiar with...but I've always used Lowrance cuz I LIKE 'EM

[SkunkBoat]

I just bought a Lowrance Elite 5 Gold DSI (down scan imaging). West Marine has them on sale this week for $399 (save $174). Includes Navionics chart plotter. I saw a side by side comparison with a standard sonar on the web and it really looks amazing. The difference between a submerged tree is a red blob vs. an artists pencil sketch of a tree with fish in the branches.

Limited to 250 ft but I never get any deeper than that. I have an old Lowrance M68c and have been very happy with the brand. I'll keep that onboard and run both until I mark my favorite spots on the new one.

[Stinky_Hooker]

Willy, I dont care for HB products and have heard similiar stories like above from several of my fishing buddies. Look into the Lowrance Elite series. Got a buddy with one and he loves it. Im hoping to order mine soon.

Also look at the back track feature on them on youtube. It allows you to actually scan back over the bottom structure you have already passed and mark the spot via GPS way point. Pretty sweet for finding new spots.


Watch this:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eiuWKvVDlo


Cabelas had them on sale for 399 last week.