OperationEagle

You didn't give us much info such as what you are using today (besides it is clear...so maybe mono?) and the applications you are mostly fishing. I jig fish quite a bit and feel like my hook up ratio improved when I switched from mono to braid. Braid has little to no stretch which results in greater sensitivity and a faster/harder hook set. No way to tell whether it was the greater sensitivity or the hook set that made the difference...either way, after seeing the improvement, I wondered why it took so long for me to make the switch. Shows we are just creatures of habit. Good for you for wanting to try something different.

Sorry to hear about your back pain. Here is a seat that maybe A-Jay was wanting to point you to. If not it is one I think you should consider...depending on what you are looking for. I can attest to the prompt (and free) shipping as well as the quality of this product. It looks as good as the seats that came with my boat. And at $50 I find it to be a great value. Hope this helps. http://www.bassboatseats.com/collections/bass-boat-seats/products/lean-pro-casting-sit-down-seats

Yes probably in other booths. Just the fact that they don't have their own dedicated booth this year really underscored the finality of the takeover for me.

Looking at the NW Sportshow coming up here in MN...just strange to see zero mention of the Ranger brand....nowhere to be found. Maybe in the Tracker booth? I hope they can somehow maintain the brand equity that Ranger has taken so long to build. Keeping it separate and maybe even taking the brand to the next level is an interesting challenge.

I searched the forum and I might have missed a sponsor, but what recommendations do you have to source boat registration decals?

And one more thing...ha ha. Sorry but this thread and your situation has me thinking. One thing that is not discussed enough is financial health...typically it s a taboo subject that people are not willing to discuss as it gets too personal. That's too bad as there is so much to learn from each other. Everyone also has to assess and be comfortable with their own situation. I have no idea of what your income (or savings) is....and I am not asking. The most common advice I give to younger people (and to my own children) is the importance of understanding the math and power of compounding. If it is important to you to provide for your children's future and your own, saving as much as you can at the earliest point in your lives and appropriately investing it makes a huge difference. Yes, I know you have to make certain assumptions in terms of the return you can expect, but no matter what your assumption is (as long as it is positive for he long term), it is still true. Again, no idea of what your situation is, I just wanted to give you something to think about before taking a loan out for such an asset. Maybe once you reach of point of stronger financial reserves, your thinking will change. For now, lay out your options that will help you maximize your happiness while allowing you to maintain your personal financial goals. I know that I stated in a previous post to not buy over and over again to minimize the depreciation penalty...but for your situation finding someone that can help you look for a great deal on a mostly depreciated boat in fantastic shape could make sense. Something you can build early memories on but wont rob the bank. Then, years down the road when you feel that you are well on your way financially, you can make a decision appropriate for that stage of your life. One last PS: No matter what your decision, involve your wife. This is a larger outlay of $$ dedicated to a hobby. Sorry to state te obvious, but a bit different than coming home with a new reel or rod. Yes you only live once...but it takes planning to live a long good life. I hope this at least helps you think through what is right for you and your family.

Lots of good advice about the excess cost of buying new. One thing to consider... Get into the right boat the first time so you won't be itching to buy another boat just to start the depreciation penalty all over again. The financial penalty is lessened if it can be spread over a much longer timeframe. Buying a new car is not so much the sin...it's the buying of a new car every two or three years that robs people of their savings.

Thanks Wayne. Great in depth info there. WIGuide, yep I did think about leaving the TM down and use the big motor to cruise. That's probably what will end up doing. Now I need to understand how I save all of this data. I will be using a lakemaster card in one slot. Do I save the data onto an empty micro SD card? Or does it need to be a zeroline card. I know that there is also 8hrs worth of space on the unit itself. Lots of tech to figure out and get used to! I am looking forward to learning all of this on the water after the ice melts. Just want to be prepared.

I plan on installing a Helix 10 DI using a trolling motor mount at the bow. I will also have a Helix 7 SI at my console using a transom mount. Here is my question/dilemma. I am interested in using the Autochart Live feature that comes on the Helix 10. I fear that since it is operational only when using my trolling motor, it will be time consuming to do this live mapping. Is this fear justified or is mapping using a trolling motor tolerable or some reason advantageous (as compared to mapping using the main motor). What other options should I consider? Having a helix 9 or 10 at the console is cost and space prohibitive, so getting two Helix units w Autochart Live is not an option. Looking for thoughts and ideas. Certainly I can't be the first to have this dilemma?

Just got off the phone with Humminbird customer service. I called to exchange for a HD transducer for my new console mounted Helix 7 SI (TD will be transom mounted). Reading threads and in pursuit of maximizing the quality of my SI image, I was convinced that going from a XNT 9 SI 180 T to a XHS 9 HDSI 180 T would accomplish just that. Rep told me that the Helix 7 had different (lesser) processing than the 800, 900, Helix 9, 10 , 12 units and it would be likely that I would not see a difference with this upgrade. When I pressed her on this, she said it was processing capability not screen size as the limiting factor. Can someone set the record straight on this? Want to get the right set up for max image quality.

I use the Humminbird 346 DI when kayaking and have found DI to be of limited use in this size...if any use at all. I think having 2D sonar and DI next to each other might improve translation of what you are seeing....but a screen large enough for this is needed. With Humminbird, I find the fish ID capability to be useful. So having the 2D for the fish ID and the DI for imaging the topography to which the fish are relating to could be useful. GPS to mark structure is way more important IMO.

What you are paying for is peace of mind... that is, if something were to ever come up in the next three years (in excess of $900) you would be covered. Companies have lots of data to help them price these warranties to maximize profit and minimize risk. So you having a problem for those three years in excess of $900 is possible...but not probable....otherwise they would lose money. In fact, they are so profitable that it is not unheard of that sales people are given nice incentives when they sell these "instruments". Using reason...according to statistics, you shouldn't need this. But from your emotional standpoint...peace of mind might have value. Just know what you are buying. I find it funny that when I am at the car dealership I get sold hard on how reliable the car is...then as I am buying it they try hard to sell me the extended warranty to cover failures.

I agree that this could be a tripping hazard. An idea to try is to lay down some wide packaging tape in the area of concern? Maybe tape down some layers of just regular white paper if you want some absorption?

Sounds like you two were close. Here's to good memories with your brother. Tom you bring up an excellent point for us to be aware of. That is, the criticality of being your own (or having someone be) an advocate for you as you get care from our (or any) system. My best to you and your family Tom.

Thanks slonezp yes looks like you do use the remote as an input mechanism.

Wayne...thank you for your thorough and well though out response. I am so lucky that there are MANY MN lakes covered by ContourXD...unfortunately many of them are in outlying areas. I would assume that Humminbird decided that too much overlap would cannibalize sales of their Lakemaster chips. Just to be clear, you are thinking the 7 inch will be sufficient at the bow? I will have one Lakemaster chip...does this mean I will need to buy a second chip for the bow? Or do people pull the chip and plug it in wherever they need it (console/bow)?

Curtis, some good comments here. Remember everything is a tradeoff...longer hull might track better in open water but more plastic = more weight. Agree with buzzed bait that sweet spot might be around 12. Check out the Cuda 12. The middle storage area gives you access to the hull where you can store rods. I would construct some kind of Velcro system to hold the rods where you want them. Look for a platform you feel stable enough to at least squat so you can feel comfortable getting up as you reach for your rods. I find the Cuda to be stable enough but everyone is different.

Would like to get thoughts on the screen size I should go with at the bow as I equip my boat. All threads say buy the biggest screen you can afford. But I don't want to spend more than necessary. I am sure this makes sense especially if you have SI or DI and you want to run multiple split screens. It will be a sonar GPS only, so the only screen split I would have is the map and the sonar. So would 7 suffice or would a 9 be worth the extra $250 (approx.) If it matters, I plan on having a 7 at the console. TM will be the Ulterra 80 w iPilot. One additional question. I see that the 9 incher comes with Contour XD maps installed. How different is this from the Lakemaster chip maps?

Thanks for this report out. I am looking forward to getting my 2015 w Merc 60 out this coming spring. My attraction to this boat was its wider beam, lending it greater stability. W the 60 it will obviously be even slower than your 75...but coming from a kayak this thing will feel like lightning. I fish alone w minimal gear, so mid 30's at WOT will probably be fine. Chose aluminum as it keeps the costs manageable and it suits my fishing style as I like to fish shallow at times. Ranger seemed to have the most consistent fit and finish when shopping across the few brands I looked at. Would like to hear more from your perspective on this boat's pro's and con's from this season.

I am reading through the manuals of the iPilot and comparing it to the iPilot Link. Some things are becoming apparent to me after my initial investigation. Firstly, I had forgotten that LINK is NOT available on the Helix 7. So a HBird 800 series and above or Helix 9 or larger should be in your consideration set as you think about LINK. Secondly, a lot of the communicating to the LINK is done through not only its dedicated remote but also on-screen commands via the Humminbird unit. So...keeping both of these in mind... It appears that there is quite a bit of direct access needed of the FF to take full advantage of the iPilots capabilities. Since FF's at the bow are located at your feet, the only logical FF you would connect to would be the one at your console. If this is correct, one must consider where/how to mount a 9inch plus FF at the console. Most aluminum bass boat consoles will not have room on the console, so a side mount would be req'd. If you wanted to look up a waypoint and use the LINK to get you there, you would need to go back to the console and send your commands from there. I just imagined having these controls at your fingertips while at the bow...telling the iPliot link where to go and what to do. This still can happen if (I assune) you are willing to get on your knee each time or bend over to click the menus on the FF at your feet. Those with iPilot LINK experience...am I missing something? Maybe you would want control at the console anyway? Thanks for the insights.

Thanks slonezp...I am a bit confused. Without link I don't think I will be able to mark a waypoint and direct the TM to get me there even if my TM is deployed....as this requires the FF to be connected to the TM. I will, however, be able to set a direction for the TM and it will follow that direction until I guide it differently, I think. This feature is the "go to" feature ...again I think. I assume this feature allows you to fish along the way without worry of directing the TM. Whereas I will have to hit the button a couple of times to steer?

After a lengthy discussion with a salesperson at a trusted outdoor sportsman's retailer who has LINK on his boat, I will be forgoing the LINK feature and staying with the iPilot only version. In my situation, given the choice of spending more for a larger screen at the bow or getting the LINK, a larger screen seems more useful. Are the "go to" and "follow the contour" features nice? Yes but the standard iPilot satisfies 80%+ of my needs if not more. Thanks for the perspectives.

Thanks Wayne. Great tip. And yes after checking, a majority of the lakes I will be fishing do have the maps in Lakemaster HD. So I would be able to do what you explained in your note above. I guess the question is how often would I want to fish this way....which helps me to understand the true value of this additional feature.

Want to pull the trigger on a new trolling motor and am targeting the Ulterra w iPilot. Ulterra will help eliminate the back strain of pulling the TM, etc. iPilot will be useful for the spot lock feature as I like to pick apart a deep spot with a jig. I am trying to figure out whether I just go all in and get the LINK feature which is $300-500 more. I also will need to get into a Helix 9 for $200 more over the Helix 7 as the 7 is not LINK capable. So the total cost of LINK is an additional $500+. QUESTION: Does LINK provide that much more fishing value for $500+? LINK enables the GPS to follow a contour line of a lake. Perspectives welcome.

1. RT178 there is a step which has storage in it. 188 I don't see a step? There is just a rod locker there that is par of the front deck I think. 2. Digital Motorguide no idea. The sales person can help you there.