jaimeastin

Settings for livescope or the UHD transducers?

I was a kayak fisherman before the boat, and I love the kayak more. Boaters are scumbags at times, which is why I am always aware of other yakers when I am in my boat. There is just nothing like fishing out of a yak if you are able to. I love the secondary benefits like exercise, closeness to water, consentrating on on apts longer, quieter, less desturbing to to fish and other people, etc. Boating is always a ticking show. Who had the best and such. They almost as bad as pleasure boaters. I say get both. There are places I will not kayak, period! There are places I would prefer my kayak to boat. I hooked my boat up yesterday, drove a few miles down the road, came back and threw my kayak in the truck and left the boat. Both are great. I also float tube... I just wish we could all respect one another on the water. You don't have to go 1MPH by, but for sale, don't deliberately speed and make a wake. That stuff is not funny! That's is how people get hurt or hurt others in retaliation. Be safe people

I have two 93SV Echomap Plus units with Livescope and the UHD transducer... I added the UHD last and it was a worthy upgrade. In hindsight, the ultra units come out to a better retail price. I got my whole setup for $600 x2 93SV $1500 livescope $-400 UHD Used on eBay For $3100+ Tax. With the ultra, you can use the LVS-12 -$500 livescope add-on. You could get one for the bow and back of the boat, lol!!! UHD actually makes me use the down and side imaging. Before UHD, it was just foot to see what the blobs were from the chirp sonar. Now, i see so much finer details and fish! Bottom detail is even better, you can see beds and other items. Garmin has a company has been very good to me. I have had 6 of their units and I still have 5. from black and white all the way up to my current setup. I also use Garmin in the field when I'm hunting. Garmin customer service is outstanding I have called them and always get someone from America, usually Kansas. Be a questions about the unit or customer service and replacement, all have been handled with high-quality. I have never used humminbird, but chose Garmin over hummingbird in all my previous purchases because the features , interface, and price. I really like the interface of the Garmin units in comparison a hummingbird. I have one lowrance unit that I hate and I purchased a hook 2x unit that I hate it even more. I did have a lowrance elite TI 1. I thought I would keep that one, but then I decided to go livescope and Iam so glad I did. I do like the feature that Lowrance has that distinguishes fish into the arches on the down imaging screen. Now with the UHD, I have clear readings. With livescope you can actually see if they like your lure or not. You can see if they run or if they come. Fish are curious they pretty much checkout everything. If you are going to make a plunge for the units and you are preparing for the cost, I don't think you can do any better with Garmin. Get the best screen resolution you can. Size is important, but resolution is key. Many times, the screensize is just stretched. You get the same detail, just a bigger screen. My only issue right now is that I was originally going to upgrade to an ultrex, but now I am trying to raise another $3,000 for the Garmin Force. Thankfully already have my wife's buy in. She's the one who convinced me to go all out on the livescope. She didn't know what it was or how much it cost, but she told me if I was going to upgrade make sure it's my last upgrade and get what I want, lol!!! Below are photographs of my UHD sonar taken with a cell phone.

I added the UHD to my setup and it is pretty dang good. I was okay with my transducers before, but now I actually use side imaging and down when I am scouting for fish. The detail is nice. Not nessecaery at all, but I would get a unit you can use panoptix or livescope on for sure. You just never know when you might want to get one. Livescope keeps me on active fish.

I have messed around on a lot of units, but Garmin has been my favorite. Their interfaces are always easy and well thought out. The features in each tier are always comparable and sometimes just better. Garmin it's also in the position where they actually seem like they give a d**n more than the other companies... They are making advances in whipping the pants off their competitors who have been in the business for much longer and trickling out features while making top dollar. Garmin came in, no one cared... They didn't make the most expensive units, and then now they are charging top dollar and have the bucks to back them up! they have taken a lot of money for me this year and now I'm looking to get the force trolling motor... their customer service is excellent. When you call you're going to get someone from America and they have been honest. Whatever you do, just don't buy a low-interest unit. I just think they're low in Miles shouldn't even be on the market. I have used better Garmin black and white unit stand any of those color cheap units. I have purchased a few lowrance units just for testing and demoing side-by-side at home and probably returned them.

Good to hear because I am ready to buy a Garmin force. I am all farming and I need a motor with spotlock and heading lock. I originally planned to get the ultrix next year, but the Garmin Force is everything I want plus it actually works at all my Garmin units. how is the wireless interaction between the echomap plus and the trolling motor? Is it fast and seamless or is it laggy? Garmin has got all of my money this year with live scope and sonars and everything else UHD transducers dot-dot-dot but I wanted this investment to actually be something that with the best case scenario lastsfor a very very very long time.

Mostly impressed with the switch and text label. Looks stock for sure. You can always replace the lights with some better ones if those don't work out. But looks nice. I was thinking about using red lights myself to do the exact same thing. I'm always in the dark and the light that I need the most is on the deck of the boat.

I like the placement for the paddle. Will do the same. I like your setup. Absolutely agree! I love my boat. I love how you keep fishing and using the boat. Many of us just get the boat and do not use it... I am always trying to get mine on the water. My puppy tragically died a month ago and it has been hard for me to go fishing and take the boat out without her. We were going out almost 3-4 times a week and now the boat has been sitting covered. Loving the pictures.

Almost a year and a half of ownership, I can say I am still very happy with the boat. I usually fish alone and I can cramp up the bow, but still I do not want to upgrade. I have had 3 people on the boat... for just bait fishing, it s fine... For lure fishing, I would imagine that it could get messy. I have not had any issues other than the stupid cheap fuel filter I purchased on amazon. Please only use the mercury/quicksilver fuel filter.

exactly. Garming got to use down imaging and Lowrance go a piece of the live panoptix action... they did not get the live sight... but it is more than they had.

I am not a touch screen junkie, meaning touch screens do not get me excited. Touch screens, poorly implanted, can make things more cumbersome. I use a lot of garmin products. Fish finders and gps units for the field. I have had no issues with units that do not have touch screen. I upgraded to the garmin echomap 93sv for my bow and console earlier in the year. I was not excited for the touch screen, but I have to say Garmin GOT IT RIGHT! I don't use the buttons at all. The menu setup is very intuitive and the zooming works as it should. For the echomap plus units, garmin did good. I demoed other touch screen fish finders that I disliked. I particularly dislike touch screen unites with a raised border around them... The garmin is all screen. I still use my other fish finders on my various kayaks without a touch screen and I am fine. I will say that, I don't mess with the fish finder much at all while fishing.. that is until I got livescope. Livescope and touchscreen is a must!

Hmmm... depends on how you can export the files. There are standard GPS file formats like waypoints. Companies like to make proprietary formats... what I would do is export the files from both units and comare the file contents in a text editor. You might be able to change the contents to make work with other. In previous times, I have written converters and such. I would be interested in doing the same. I just use garmin, so I cannot do it currently.

I usually fish alone. The deck is good enough for me. With livescope, I have shared the deck with my wife. it works, but it is tight. Still... I do not regret my purchase. I just saw the add for the new boat, painted, motor choice, etc... I still love my boat. The paint will help with keeping it clean for sure! The extra horses would be nice, but I have not complained with my 40. Everything else is the same... I already have LED courtesy lights and other customizations. Its a good time to be looking for a good boat.

Well, you have to keeps us updated for the happy ending!

Its all about the right kayak and what works for you.

I had some major issues with my livescope gls10. I was in contact with garmin for months... They replaced the unit and I am happy now. I hope your issue gets resolved. There is nothing more frustrating than going fishing, but focusing more on the stuff that is NOT working. Been there a few times. Fishing equipment woes are the worst!

You never know... You gave him a good foundation. He will be back to fish with Dad. I have been working in the tech industry for 13 years. I am not burned out as it is always evolving, but I love to get out of the server room, change my view of a wall of code, and get outside. It pays the bills for sure, but one day I hope to get out of the city and get as close as I can off of the beaten patch.

Hey, I look looked that the top of the line, another one below it which was nice and then a smaller one that still had the pedal drive. I was just impressed. I have been considering the garmin trolling motor, ultrex or the new motor guide as my next big fishing purchase, but a hobie is so nice. My wife brought home some brochures, so I know I kinda have approval, lol! Now I just need to sell body parts and fluid to buy it

I love fishing alone... I would fish with others, but most of the time they are a burden. I can decide to go fishing at any time. I want to fish for as long as I want to. People are not always ready to go or late. They don't help with any setup or breakdown, and sometimes it's because I don't want them in the way. I love to teach people to fish, but then you have to deal with talking or even worse, them complaining and not listening to you. Secondly I am there to fish... I don't want to eat, I don't want to drink. We are there to fish. We can talk about anything for the most part, but I might be more focused on fishing. You can rent about anything, just don't complain about the fishing or wanting to go. That makes me so upset! I have a list of people who want to fish with me and I want to take them.. but they need to meet me half way, at least. Come to me or meet me at the lake so you can leave when you need to. Please don't complain. Fishing alone, I know what I am doing. When I am captaining, I and trying to get them fish... But if they do not have the skills and won't listen, it's very frustrating. The best person is one who who has heart. Is willing to help, listens to how I like to setup and breakdown so we can be more efficient. Is available to fish for specify periods of time, day or night. Who is hungry to learn. Available to meet me or close by that I don't have to manage logistics. Finally I usually don't ask for any money, but the consideration from others is a very nice gesture.

That was why I checked this boat out. I love kayak fishing. When I back was in very bad condition, I couldn't fish from my kayak, float tube or hardly walk from time to time. My wife knew I had to fish and used to fish 3_4 four times a week. She convinced me to get a boat. 2 years later, here I am feeling better. I have been wanting to kayak fish. We bought a new boat and it is all fine... I have upgraded a lot of stuff and our a lot of money in it. I just miss fishing from a kayak. I don't think some understand how great of a feeling kayak fishing is. I just took my favorite kayak out the other night for the first time in over two years. Thankfully my kayak didn't hurt me so bad... But paddling did irritate my back if I did not watch my technique. The sales person showed me this kayak... I got in it and tested it out. It was amazing. The pedal drive system did not hurt my back. The kayak was very well thought out. I completely understand why you love your yak and how it was a life changer. Every dime was worth it and the experience is just about unparalleled. I used to think these kayaks were just too big or untraditional at wanting to be a boat. I had to remember that anything that gets you fishing is what it is all about. Secondly the boat is addressing needs that can specially help people who need certain attributes.

Since I purchased my boat, I have done all of the maintenance and installs. I installed my first wave of fish finders on the bow and consult when I initially bought the boat. Then a few months ago after all in the boat for a less than a year, I reinstall all fish finder gear on the front and about with new gear that can do live scope. It's all networked. I moved my batteries around, added another battery, and added a new trolling motor. Identity Mercury vessel view, a new aerator, and a resessed trolling motor tray. On top of that I did my own yearly maintenance on my engine and boat detailing. That's not all I've done, but what I'm getting to is that all of that work cost a lot of my time, a lot of lost sleep, a lot of complaints from my frustrated wife that the boat was taking up the driveway space for a week, back and forth trips to the hardware store, electronic store, and boat store... And just overall scope creep where what I originally thought I would do I upgrade it or change my mind throughout the process which added more time. I am all about DIY and saving money... But there is a price that I paid in time and frustration dad I don't blame AJ for having a guy do it. He drops his boat off and he gets it back. He doesn't have to know where every wire is because if something is truly wrong he takes it back to the guy who has a lot of pride in his work. I have a lot of pride in my work and I do my work myself... AJ's guy has a lot of pride in his work and I am sure that if he just brought it back with the issue, he would be right on it to make it right.

I need Cable steer and I don't think in can use the auto pilot feature with my all Garmin setup. That's the issue. To use all features, you have to be in the right family. I am not sure if Garmin or lowrance has it truely down with the electric steer responding like a cable steer. The motor guide is looking good to me, I just wish it was $500 less.

Oh and... I was at Sheels a little while ago and saw a Hobie 14' kayak that was quite Amazing. I don't think it is a kayak, more an alternative fishing boat. It was also $4k. For a person who does not want to deal with boat maintenance, boat cost, but want to have a super stable and very capablw fishing vessel, I can see putting down the money for it and it being their fishing boat.

My wife is 50/50... She wants me to sell one of my kayaks, I have 4. She is always complaining that I am modifying my boat or kayak. She asks why can't I just buy something and be done, that I am always adding more and more to it. At the same time, she encouraged me to get livescope, she is encouraging me to get the the Garmin trolling motor, and today when I went to buy some gun targets, she asked if I was going to get a new kayak. She knows I want to buy anything kayak or small boat to love out of state at my mom's... But now I just sprung on her that I want a deuce and a half! Now... I can't have it all and we don't have kids, but I do take care of her. Some of use just prefer kayaks and they are excellent fishing platforms. I was doing some frog fishing last nigh in my kayak. It was stealthy and fun!

I keep my boat on the driveway with the cover on it. my main issue is that my boat is sloped downward and when it rains water gets into the back hatch and settles in the front of the boat. I continually raise it up to try to keep it level and I put a tarp over the cover and motor to try to keep the water out. Adding an auto bilge switch is fairly easy, so you should consider it. I don't get water in my seat box with the cover all. finally I keep no damp water collection containers in the dry, excuse me, wet storage box. If you let water stay in this box, everything molds. If it can r us, it will rust. when I did was drill drain holes in that hatch so water at least would not stand in there.