# Please help me choose a fish finder for my new boat...



## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

All,

Just bought a used 09' Tahoe Ski and Fish... The last guy had a fish finder (don't know what kind) mounted between the dash and throttle. He left a large hole in the fiberglass that I want to cover up. See green dot in pic below:










Thus, I need something that can mount and telescope so I can see it while driving... I want both gps and a fishfinder in one. On the fence about side imaging. 

I will mainly fish in a 300 acre lake in SE Mi. I was at Bass Pro looking at the Lowrance HD5 Lake Insight and it did not have my lake. I came home and checked the Navionics website and it shows up. Someone please explain here... I can add a Navionics chip? How do I know how detailed it will be?

This 300 acre lake is mostly shallow (about 5ft) with various deep holes. It is Duck Lake in Oakland county. Is the SI or SS any good at these depths? Is it clouded by weeds? 

Let me know guys.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Lowrance customer service SUCKS. I would get a Humminbird with SI. Any fish finder is handcuffed in 5' of water, much less 5' of weeds. An Si unit won't be as limited. Mount it on a big RAM mount and don't look back.
Congrats n the new rig whats the powerplant? More pics please..... I love boat porn.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Put a 'Bird on there & forget about the [email protected] customer service , like Paul outlined.


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

Please help with explain the RAM mount... a brand I assume. Also which Bird with SI and a Navionics chip to get? More pics below.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Thats sweet. Whats pushing that bad boy around? 2.5, 3.0 or 4.3?
RAM is a swivel mount system. Buy the biggest unit that is in your budget and will fit in the available space.

PS that boat is begging for an I-pilot before it gets a FF.


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

Its the 4.3L Carb - 190hp. Was pushing 47mph during the test drive. I will probably swap a prop to get a bit more torque for when we ski, I plan to do plenty of fishing though too.. How about this mount for the HDS Series? 

http://www.mountguys.com/product_p/ram-109v-lowrance3.htm

I'm sure there is something similar for Hummingbird as well. 

I have heard of the i-Pilot. The boat already has a 55lb trolling motor with a wireless control. If that does not suffice, might look into the i-Pilot




ESOX said:


> Thats sweet. Whats pushing that bad boy around? 2.5, 3.0 or 4.3?
> RAM is a swivel mount system. Buy the biggest unit that is in your budget and will fit in the available space.
> 
> PS that boat is begging for an I-pilot before it gets a FF.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

As curvy as that baby is - I would DEF. have a dealer _professionally _install it, and B/C of the speed capabilities , run dual transducers on a XDCR switch.
(one shoot thru hull and one up off the back)
:yikes:

Those BIG SI xdcrs like to tear off when pounding water at 50MPH.

Most guys with fast boats will run a dual beam shoot thru hull and switch to the SI/DI xdcr when down off plane....(2 xdcrs)
Looks like you can afford properly rigged toys anyH00.
:evilsmile

The SI/DI is tH' sH!zN!T if you can afford it.... As far as RAM Mounts??

http://www.ram-mount.com/

http://www.ram-mount.com/Products/MarineElectronicMounts/tabid/141/Default.aspx

(You can probably PM waterfoul about the dual setup - as I think he runs his console 797 this way ....)

The great thing about fiberglass IS you can patch it and make it look ORIGINAL!
:lol:

G'Luck!


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

thanks for all the tips... the contract already has them installing any fishfinder free of charge, I just need to pick it! I think I'm sold on SI and will pony up. Just need to convince the wife.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

This should convince the Bride.....


http://www.xumba.scholleco.com/index.php?sid=9dd8eb454a390e5e21ff131da834d128


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## ALLEYES (May 5, 2006)

I would take a long hard look at a Raymarine unit. I have had Lowrances and Birds, but my Raymarine is the best I have ever owned in well over 30 years of having electronics.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

I just hope you never need any service Steve....
Best of luck if you do......
"That guy" they named a _JJMacMuffin_ spoon/jiggin' minnow color after doesn't have the best to say about them , Father or Son....:evil:


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## JJ Mac (Dec 29, 2003)

Why not just really make the wife flip and come home with a Furuno? :lol:

Very cool boat with lots of great possibilities for fish/skiing layouts.

So what about the rod holders? How are you mounting those? I like at least a dozen myself........

One unfortunate thing is the dash on the boat at the helm limits what you can place there. You may not be able to go very big. In addition...be very careful in what you think the capablility of a ram mount is. If you go with heavy unit (like a Raymarine ) your probably gonna have a problem running in waves. The graph is gonna get pounded and start sliding down on the ball joint. 

If you don't believe me, I'll send you some pics of some seriously messed up ram mount balls! 

I think you're gonna be limited to a small and light weight unit if you mount on the starboard side. Now, you might entertain a nice big screen multifunction color unit on the port side. It appears there are better mounting possibilities there. Otherwise, I think you're gonna be limited to something about the size and weight of a Lowrance HD5 or the Hummingbird equivalent.

If were me, I'd put a smaller graph on the starboard side and big screen multifunction unit on the port side in master/slave set up, bevel some starboard material and mount along the gunnels to put in a track mount system for rod holders and downriggers, install a radar arch with a radar bubble and rocket launchers (oh yeah and some of those wake boarding speakers to keep other fishermen away and entertain your skiers), install a marine radio and antenna, turn one of the front seat compartments into a livewell, and put an ipilot on the bow. That should about cover it. But then again, I'm not married...:evil:

Enjoy the new rig!

PS
Be nice to SFW, he might even send you a Rapala sticker to slap on the side of the boat. I think he's sponsored now???


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

You're a funny guy Johnny Mac....

:lol:

BTW~ I'm hoarding the rap stickers.
:evilsmile


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

If you don't mind giving up a couple mph off the top in exchange for hole shot and mid range, Put a 4 blade stainless prop on there especailly for skiing and wakeboarding. Give Ricky at Brainerd Propeller a call, he has the best prices on stainless I have ever found. And he knows his business, he will probably have you dialed in right out of the first box. AND he will let you swap them till you find propeller Nirvana. 
4.3 is one sweet, proven mill. Get her changed out to Mobil 1 or Amsoil and she will be very good to you for years to come.


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

What is an equivalent Raymarine GPS/FF with SI going to cost? Any suggested models?



ALLEYES said:


> I would take a long hard look at a Raymarine unit. I have had Lowrances and Birds, but my Raymarine is the best I have ever owned in well over 30 years of having electronics.


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

The boat has the perfect place for rod storage on both port and starboard sides. I see 6 seperatly nicely on each side. For rod holders while trolling, have not figured that out yet, plenty of room though... I'm still working on the rest of your recomendations...




JJ Mac said:


> Why not just really make the wife flip and come home with a Furuno? :lol:
> 
> Very cool boat with lots of great possibilities for fish/skiing layouts.
> 
> ...


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

Boat already have a livewell btw... 8 gal... woot. Maybe enough to hold some bluegill and minnows for the girls to play with! It does have a 40gal cooler built in. The front a rear fishing seats are going to look sweet if I get one of them wake board towers with speakers...


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

4pt 19 or 21pitch SS prop already on my list. M1 was given to the dealer already when agreed they change all the fluids before springtime pickup. This is my first boat but one I think I will have for awhile. I only researched for 6 months to try and find a compromise boat for the family that we could cruise, entertain, ski, and fish on. There is not perfect boat for this, I hope this one does OK at all those activities. 




ESOX said:


> If you don't mind giving up a couple mph off the top in exchange for holes shot and mid range, Put a 4 blade stainless prop on there especailly for skiing and wakeboarding. Give Ricky at Brainerd Propeller a call, he has the best prices on stainless I have ever found. And he knows his business, he will probably have you dialed in right out of the first box. AND he will let you swap them till you find propeller Nirvana.
> 4.3 is one sweet, proven mill. Get her changed out to Mobil 1 or Amsoil and she will be very good to you for years to come.


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## mschmidt (Jul 17, 2003)

now if this boat could only be used in Fletcher's pond...


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

> 4pt 19 or 21pitch SS prop already on my list.


When I went from a 3 blade to a 4 blade I ended up going from a 3 blade 21 P to a 4 blade 18 P to keep the RPM's about the same. The first one I tried, a 19 P would have worked, but I wanted to get back to the top of the power band. That's why it is important to buy from someone that will do exchanges, so you don't drop a wad of coin on a prop that's "almost" perfect.


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