Towing - Graphs on or off?

[jbsoonerfan]

What say you guys? Do you tow with your graphs on or off? Does it depend on the distance or if you plan to stop on the way or what? I have 2 Helix 8's both mounted on the 2.25" Ram mounts. The guy where I bought my boat said it was okay to haul them while mounted. I guess I am just nervous about a thousand dollar graph falling off while cruising down the road. He said as long as they were tightened up they wouldn't move. He claimed the continuous plugging and unplugging of the cables could cause problems over time. I am not sure which way I lean on this, what are some of you guys techniques? I have been putting them in my backseat and putting them on in the parking lot which is fine right now but I am worried about being in someones way when it warms up and the lake is busy. I travel anywhere from 7 miles to 100 miles so I don't know if distance makes a difference or not.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Glenn]

I always take them off when I tow.  The boat, and everything in/on it, take more of a beating going down the highway than on the water. 

 

Electronics, no matter how well they build them, are sensitive to constant vibrations. Things work loose over time no matter what.  So I always place them in a padded backpack and put them in the back seat of the truck.

 

Maybe some of you disagree. But when I spend over 10K on electronics including installation, I'd rather play it safe.

 

[Bluebasser86]

I take the back one off and leave the front one on, just fold it down so the screen is against the carpet/deck so nothing can smack it doing down the road. No way to do the same with the back one, that's why I take it off.

[MN Fisher]

Even though

 

A - I've only got a Hook 2-4

B - My furthest travel is about 4 miles

C - I never go above 30 mph

 

The graph comes off and sits in the passenger seat of my truck when traveling. I ain't got the spare money to replace even that unit if it breaks because of a hard bump.

[Goldstar225]

Mine are just Helix 7's and I may be overly anal or protective but I take mine off and store them in a padded hard shell pistol case for transport and storage between trips.

[12poundbass]

I always take mine off, there’s no way I’m taking the chance of a rogue stone or any other debris hitting either of my Garmins and destroying them.

[A-Jay]

53 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I always take mine off, there’s no way I’m taking the chance of a rogue stone or any other debris hitting either of my Garmins and destroying them.

Totally understandable.

And after they're re-installed for the day,

Graph Glass could help keep them protected while you're fishing.

https://graphglass.com/collections/anti-glare-series/products/graph-glass-garmin-7612

A-Jay

[gim]

Mine are flush mounted so it would be kind of a B to take them off every trip.  Plus I have a cover on them to protect the screen when not in use.

[Dens228]

Mine is in a kayak, I take it off the mount but keep the cables connected and just lay it in the bottom of the kayak. 

[12poundbass]

33 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Totally understandable.

And after they're re-installed for the day,

Graph Glass could help keep them protected while you're fishing.

https://graphglass.com/collections/anti-glare-series/products/graph-glass-garmin-7612

A-Jay

I need to invest in a pair especially the bow graph. I can see myself pitching a jig and bouncing a 3/4 oz one off the screen. 

15 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Mine are flush mounted so it would be kind of a B to take them off every trip.  Plus I have a cover on them to protect the screen when not in use.

I wouldn’t worry about flush mounted units. My only concern with mine is they’re wide open for anything my tire kick up. With flush mounted units they’re out of the way. 

[J._Bricker]

I leave my graphs plugged in with the travel covers on when driving down the road. Once at the ramp, covers come off as pre-launch ritual begins. I’m honestly more concerned with forgetting to strap down the rods on deck in my haste to get the show on the road at oh dark thirty.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

Mine are flush mounted so it would be kind of a B to take them off every trip.  Plus I have a cover on them to protect the screen when not in use.

This is me too.

A-Jay

[S Hovanec]

All 3 of mine are taken off and stored in the back seat of the truck in a padded electronics bag.

[TnRiver46]

I’ve accidentally left mine turned on a few times. There was a glow in the carport and my trails to the house were Marked along the Roads 

[Tizi]

I have a Humminbird G2 on my kayak. I always remove the head unit when I travel.

[Fishes in trees]

I have 2007 era electronics, and don't plan on replacing them any time soon.  I've always unplugged the units and put them in their individual padded cases when I travel.   My pre- launch and post launch procedure takes 40 minutes or so anyway so any time I'd save leaving them mounted is negligible .

[RFSims]

I have E-locks on my Lowranxe HDS 10 and 8. Also a Lowrance HDI. I never take them off the boat. Too many wires to connect and the boat will run faster than the speed I tow. Also have never driven on a road as rough as one foot chop. Have been towing a boat since the Humminbird Super 60 flasher and have never removed any electronics when towing. Never had one damaged when towing, however I did shatter a screen once when I dropped it.

[jbsoonerfan]

56 minutes ago, RFSims said:

I have E-locks on my Lowranxe HDS 10 and 8. Also a Lowrance HDI. I never take them off the boat. Too many wires to connect and the boat will run faster than the speed I tow. Also have never driven on a road as rough as one foot chop. Have been towing a boat since the Humminbird Super 60 flasher and have never removed any electronics when towing. Never had one damaged when towing, however I did shatter a screen once when I dropped it.

One of the reasons I started this thread was because I ordered the e-locks for both of my units and I was thinking about returning them if I was going to be taking them off and on all the time anyway. I am also afraid I have a greater chance of dropping one of them and breaking it by taking it from the house to the truck, truck to the boat, boat back to the truck and then the truck back into the house. 

 

Thanks for all the replies. 

[Team9nine]

Ditto @RFSims - Thirty years of owning and towing bass boats and electronics, and I’ve never removed them while towing. Only one incident in all those years. None ever went bad. Running in rough water or accidentally getting “popped” by an errant backcast are much greater threats IMO...but I completely understand the concern and have several friends that always remove theirs if feasible. 

[slonezp]

Off.

Think I'mmore worried about stopping off for a burger on the way home and the graphs getting stolen in the parking lot, than actual damage from the road.

[GreenPig]

My Solix 15 has been mounted on my 14' flat bottom aluminum for over a year on a Kong mount. I'll only remove it when it'll be out of my sight. I figure if it survives riding on the flat bottom boat in chop, it'll have no problem on the trailer.

[Jig Man]

I never take them off no matter where I am besides the dash Solix is flush mounted.

 

Edited February 1, 2020 by Jig Man

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, Jig Man said:

I never take them off no matter where I am besides the dash Solix is flush mounted.

 

 Both mine are flush mounted at the bow & the console as well.  

A-Jay