New Boat/Trolling Motor ?

[MrBigDawg]

Thanks @Further North for all of your advice. 

 

 

Well my console dash will only hold up to 9" screens and I do not want a RAM mount with a unit off to the side.

 

So that leaves me with the HB Mega.

 

Unfortunately I'm going to have nothing at the bow, but will be able to mark things as I pass by.

 

I could do 2 7's but like you said I'd be ticked in the end.

 

[PECo]

1 hour ago, MrBigDawg said:

Well my console dash will only hold up to 9" screens and I do not want a RAM mount with a unit off to the side.

 

So that leaves me with the HB Mega.

The Helix 9 and 10 units are the same size. The 9 just has a bigger bezel around the screen.

[MrBigDawg]

Ah. Good to know @PECo. 1" for the additioal cost... idk. 

 

Man. What a racket these companies have going for them.

[J Francho]

3 hours ago, MrBigDawg said:

Unfortunately I'm going to have nothing at the bow, but will be able to mark things as I pass by.

I honestly cannot think of a worse plan for electronics.  You'll be on the front deck more than at the helm.  You'll be fishing more than driving.  Put a full feature, large screen unit up front, and get a basic GPS graph for the helm.

[MrBigDawg]

Very true @J Francho. Does SI make that big of a difference on the TM?

 

Ideally both place would be nice. That's why I suggested 2-7s

 

On top of this equipment I'd have to network all of this. How much is that networking hub?

 

And do you need two map cards or one if networked? 

[Further North]

14 hours ago, PECo said:

The Helix 9 and 10 units are the same size. The 9 just has a bigger bezel around the screen.

Yep.  Same "box" different screen, higher resolution.

 

The 9" Helix G2N MEGA is 800 x 480.  Call it 7.8" x 4.4"

The 10" Helix G2N MEGA is 1,024 s 600.  Let's call that 8.8" x 5"

 

That's 60%.

 

9.68 more square inches of screen, or 28% in round numbers...

 

...If can comfortably write the check, I'm all over that...

 

https://tabersbestreviews.com/humminbird-helix-10-review-1-reason-size-matters/

12 hours ago, MrBigDawg said:

Ah. Good to know @PECo. 1" for the additioal cost... idk. 

 

Man. What a racket these companies have going for them.

That inch is a considerable difference in screen size...and resolution.

 

...and it's not a racket, the prices are market driven...the companies live and die by their reputation, and they all have good ones.

 

12 hours ago, J Francho said:

I honestly cannot think of a worse plan for electronics.  You'll be on the front deck more than at the helm.  You'll be fishing more than driving.  Put a full feature, large screen unit up front, and get a basic GPS graph for the helm.

Hmmmm...

 

I keep my big screen - 12" - at the console, because when I'm moving faster...call it 6 MPH...I want the biggest screen I can get to look for structure I can come back to fish later...when I'm searching I want detail to study, sometimes I'll make two or three passes on SI well outside the range I'll be fishing from to get the structure nailed down in my head...then move in and fish it in detail from the bow...

 

...then I'm fine with the 10" at the bow, a little less detail because then I'm fishing not searching...detail isn't as important to me...I am most often on 2D, or DI, or sometimes 360°.  I glance and fish, glance and fish...

 

Fishing is as individual as fingerprints, so I never tell anyone they're doing it wrong, but I can state that your plan, for me, would not work at all.  Mine wouldn't work for you either...and that's cool...

12 hours ago, MrBigDawg said:

Very true @J Francho. Does SI make that big of a difference on the TM?

 

Ideally both place would be nice. That's why I suggested 2-7s

 

On top of this equipment I'd have to network all of this. How much is that networking hub?

 

And do you need two map cards or one if networked? 

IMO, SI on the trolling motor does little, but there's a ton of folks out there who love it.

 

The hub's about $270, the cables ain't cheap either...

 

Two map cards with Helix...Solix can share.

[MrBigDawg]

Thanks again @Further North.

 

I've come to the conclusion that we need a competitive league that doesn't allow electronics.  

 

In all seriousness. I'm a weekend warrior and try to fish small tourneys.  I've noticed that these guys winning these tourneys all have these big graphs with big boats which means big $. 

 

I'm just trying to stay competitive with the competition that's why I'm looking at these units. Hence my comment about this being a racket. Also HB or any other company doesn't really disclose all the extra equipment needed to link all of the products together. Two graphs networked is potentially another $600. That's hidden cost on the consumer and I find it ridiculous. 

 

Anyways... I went from 2-7's to a 9" Mega and now I'm looking at the 10" Mega. When does it end...lmao.

 

 

[webertime]

If you are running a 9 and 10 on your Crestliner, check the starting battery, if you have a small cranking battery you might have an issue. 

There are a ton of opinions on what you should/could do.  The idea of no finder up front where you are spending most of your time, seems like a bad idea.  You have the ipilot stuff, put a 9 up front and get a basic (for the time being) 5 or 7 (GPS/Sonar) for the console.  Your face is going to be what 2 feet from it?  It'll do the job until you can afford to go bigger (you might even be happy with what you have).

 

I have an 18' Ranger with 2 7" Garmin units.  I'm 6'5" so my eyes are probably further away from the screen than yours would be...  7" is fine.  I catch a bunch of fish, I am competitive in tournaments, regardless of my screen size.

 

If you have the coin then go for it, but don't feel that it will make a huge difference.  Confidence and making the right decisions is what catches fish.

 

[MrBigDawg]

Thanks @webertime. I think anything I buy will be a major upgrade from the PiranhaMaxx that came with the boat. 

 

Honestly it's hard to explain to the wife/boss that I need to invest another 2k in a brand new boat.  At the end of the day.... she don't get it. 

 

Great point about the battery.  I'll have to see what my output is.

 

 

I might just have to settle for less at the moment... I'll keep ya updated. 

 

 

[webertime]

2 minutes ago, MrBigDawg said:

Thanks @webertime. I think anything I buy will be a major upgrade from the PiranhaMaxx that came with the boat. 

 

Honestly it's hard to explain to the wife/boss that I need to invest another 2k in a brand new boat.  At the end of the day.... she don't get it. 

 

Great point about the battery.  I'll have to see what my output is.

 

 

I might just have to settle for less at the moment... I'll keep ya updated. 

 

 

Do you have Navionics on your phone?   If you do ($10 if you don't) then there is your mapping.  Then in the Short term you have your maps and the Piranha you get temp, depth, and can quickly figure out bottom composition based on the return.  That is all you really need.   It might be a good political move (with wife) to run that for a bit like that. Upgrade in a few months when 2019 stuff comes out, that's when you cash out the political escrow you've created.

[J Francho]

13 hours ago, Further North said:

Hmmmm...

 

I keep my big screen - 12" - at the console, because when I'm moving faster...call it 6 MPH

I keep my eyes on the water, even when going 6 mph.  I can find what need to find glancing at my tiny 7.  Once up front, the viewing distance is greater, which is why I want a bigger screen up front.  What the OP was suggesting was NO SCREEN UP FRONT, which will almost unanimously be thought of as a bad idea.

 

The side imaging thing up front.  Tell you a little secret...you can scan docs by sweeping the TM head, and using just the single side view.  This will let you preview what's under there, before disturbing the dock or getting too close.  You're welcome.

[Further North]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

he side imaging thing up front.  Tell you a little secret...you can scan docs by sweeping the TM head, and using just the single side view.  This will let you preview what's under there, before disturbing the dock or getting too close.  You're welcome.

I had that set up for years, hardly every used it.  I tried it forts up in Canada, and I just didn't like the way it showed structure.  That was Pre-MEGA, so maybe it's better now?

 

Either 360°, or making a pass far enough out to not disturb the fish works better for me.

[J Francho]

Seems inconvenient to go back to the console, fire up the motor, do a scanning pass, when remember which docks held fish, when you're fishing miles of docks.  Your lakes might be different, though.  It's not pretty, but with the sensitivity turned up, you can see suspended fish.  It's a little distorted, but still works  without having to spend the money on 360°.  I'm still not sure about having that bulky unit up front on my boat anyway.  The best option may be Garmin's Panoptix.

[MrBigDawg]

8 hours ago, webertime said:

Do you have Navionics on your phone?   If you do ($10 if you don't) then there is your mapping.  Then in the Short term you have your maps and the Piranha you get temp, depth, and can quickly figure out bottom composition based on the return.  That is all you really need.   It might be a good political move (with wife) to run that for a bit like that. Upgrade in a few months when 2019 stuff comes out, that's when you cash out the political escrow you've created.

Yes, I have the Navionics app @webertime.  I’ve used it a few times on my old boat and found it to be a pain.  Seems like a good idea; I guess I could try again.

Also, it’s like fishing with my wife; she took the bait on 2k budget and now is the time for me to set the hook.

7 hours ago, J Francho said:

I keep my eyes on the water, even when going 6 mph.  I can find what need to find glancing at my tiny 7.  Once up front, the viewing distance is greater, which is why I want a bigger screen up front.  What the OP was suggesting was NO SCREEN UP FRONT, which will almost unanimously be thought of as a bad idea.

 

The side imaging thing up front.  Tell you a little secret...you can scan docs by sweeping the TM head, and using just the single side view.  This will let you preview what's under there, before disturbing the dock or getting too close.  You're welcome.

Thanks for the tip @J Francho!

 

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

  The best option may be Garmin's Panoptix.

I don't think I can run 360 or Panoptix b/c I'm running a Terrova.  Also I was trying to stay with HB to take advantage of follow the contour.  Have you used that before @Further North?  If so, how is it?

 

I'm still at the drawing board with this and started pricing stuff.  I even went back to my original thoughts of the Helix 7's, but then realized I would have to do a transducer swap with HB.

 

 

[Further North]

4 hours ago, MrBigDawg said:

I don't think I can run 360 or Panoptix b/c I'm running a Terrova.

You can, but you have to put some thought into it:

• I run transom mount 360° because...
  • That's what came out first, and...
  • That's what worked best with my then Terrovas and now Ulterra.
• That said, with a little work, you can run a bow mount 360° on a Terrova or an Ulterra, you just have to figure out a way to hang the 360° transducer.  A buddy of mine has this nailed down.
• Going back to the transom mount 360°...not that big a deal for me as I can figure out the 18' foot offset in my head and cast to the structure...

4 hours ago, MrBigDawg said:

Also I was trying to stay with HB to take advantage of follow the contour.  Have you used that before @Further North?  If so, how is it?

There are days on the water, here where I live, that half the day is devoted to Follow the Contour fishing.  One of my favorite spots is a sunken island in a local lake where I set the Follow the contour to follow the 12' contour and I fire cast after cast after cast across the sunken island while the Ulterra does the work and I...just fish...

 

There's another spot, same lake, where Follow the Contour has helped me nail down three muskis over 40" and who knows how many smallies, because I can...just...fish...while the trolling motor does the work, regardless of wind, current, or whatever...

 

...if you lived closer, and there was open water, I'd say, "Come on up, let's fish!"

 

It may or may not work for you, but it works for me...

[MrBigDawg]

Where do you live @Further North?

 

I did a lot of research this morning and it's looking like 2 Garmin echomap chirp 93sv plus might serve me well. Only because it comes with everything and networking is simply one cable. The only real downside to this setup is follow the contour feature with my Terrova.

 

HB just requires too many accessories for my liking.  Transducers, cables,  hubs, and mapping. 

 

When it comes to mapping.  I'll be fishing mainly Ohio water but I'll be fishing in Central New York and North/South Carolina this year. 

 

I think that would be 3 different lakemaster chips

 

[Further North]

3 hours ago, MrBigDawg said:

Where do you live @Further North?

I'm about 90 miles east of the Twin Cities.

 

Those Garmin units will work fine for you, and you can consider adding Panoptix later, which is some really cool technology.

 

I love the Follow the Contour, and route following abilities of the linked HB and MK units, but there's a lot of people who don't have it do just fine.

[Further North]

On 4/25/2018 at 12:24 PM, J Francho said:

Seems inconvenient to go back to the console, fire up the motor, do a scanning pass, when remember which docks held fish, when you're fishing miles of docks.  Your lakes might be different, though.  It's not pretty, but with the sensitivity turned up, you can see suspended fish.  It's a little distorted, but still works  without having to spend the money on 360°.  I'm still not sure about having that bulky unit up front on my boat anyway.  The best option may be Garmin's Panoptix.

I knew we'd figure it out...

 

We don't have miles of docks...heck, there's huge hunks of water without any docks on the lake I fish most often....and a lot of the others in the area.

 

Also, I seldom look for fish: I tend to look for structure, and I mark it in the maps so I don't have to remember it, so one pass is good for a long time.

 

We fish differently...probably because I'm usually looking for pike and musky with bass as a secondary target.

 

I'm intrigued by Panoptix, but I just can't get used to the idea of one more thing bolted to my deck getting in my way and getting fly line wrapped 'round it.  360° is getting it done for now.

[J Francho]

13 minutes ago, Further North said:

We don't have miles of docks

 

 

Also, I'm definitely looking for fish, bait, structure, and cover with my graphs.  Especially if I'm out in the big lake.  You can fish for miles, and it's all dead water, but when you find them, it's on.

[Further North]

@J Francho Yeah...completely different kinds of lakes.

 

I just looked at a lake near hear on Google Maps...at about the same resolution, I could count the number of docks in a similar area on two hands.

[MrBigDawg]

Well I still haven't pulled the trigger.

I'm now researching plus vs non-plus b/c the cost savings on the non-plus will be a significant amount. 

 

The only real plus version is Wi-Fi to update mapping on the fly, phone notifications, and plan my route. 

1. I can update on my laptop by simply removing the sd card.

2. One reason I fish is to have peace and quiet.  Not to be bothered by phone notifications. 

 

Seems like everything else is the same

[Further North]

5 hours ago, MrBigDawg said:

Well I still haven't pulled the trigger.

I'm now researching plus vs non-plus b/c the cost savings on the non-plus will be a significant amount. 

 

The only real plus version is Wi-Fi to update mapping on the fly, phone notifications, and plan my route. 

1. I can update on my laptop by simply removing the sd card.

2. One reason I fish is to have peace and quiet.  Not to be bothered by phone notifications. 

 

Seems like everything else is the same

I wish I had enough experience to help with Garmin.

 

With fishing electronics, I tend to get the best I can on the theory it'll be longer before it's obsolete...

 

...that said, I went with Helix over Solix because I had little use for the extra gee-whiz stuff. 

 

I'm 100% with you on the peace and quiet.  There's not even a radio on my boat...

[MrBigDawg]

I hear ya @Further North. If I had the extra cash I most likely would have went with Humminbird. 

 

I think these will work out fine. Time will tell. I know that I have 2 93sv coming for around 1300 networked ($20 cable). That saved me around  $1k compared to the Plus and even cheaper than 2 Helix 7's fully networked

 

I found another difference in the 93sv Plus vs 93sv . The 93sv chirp is not a touch screen.  I can live without that as well