New (To Me) 14’ Tracker

[bigbassin']

Just picked up a 2018 14’ tracker w/ a 15 hp motor.
 

Two questions I have:

 

1) Where have y’all mounted depth finders at and how? In my head the only way I see the transponder making sense is at the back of the boat, then I have to chose if I want to see the depth finder while I’m running or place it at the front to see while I’m fishing.

 

2) What do y’all have to charge your trolling motor battery? I live in apartment so whatever it is I’ll need to bring the battery upstairs to plug in inside.

 

Other than that boat is pretty much ready to fish. 15 hp outboard, hit 20 with 2 guys and full fishing gear, started on the first pull. 40 pound thrust trolling  motor. Running lights work.

 

Trailer is missing all the wiring and the wiring inside the boat isn’t the prettiest. Probably spend 3-4 hours this week working on that so it will all be ready to go for Saturday.

 

 

[Deleted account]

8 hours ago, bigbassin' said:

Just picked up a 2018 14’ tracker w/ a 15 hp motor.
 

Two questions I have:

 

1) Where have y’all mounted depth finders at and how? In my head the only way I see the transponder making sense is at the back of the boat, then I have to chose if I want to see the depth finder while I’m running or place it at the front to see while I’m fishing.

 

2) What do y’all have to charge your trolling motor battery? I live in apartment so whatever it is I’ll need to bring the battery upstairs to plug in inside.

 

Other than that boat is pretty much ready to fish. 15 hp outboard, hit 20 with 2 guys and full fishing gear, started on the first pull. 40 pound thrust trolling  motor. Running lights work.

 

Trailer is missing all the wiring and the wiring inside the boat isn’t the prettiest. Probably spend 3-4 hours this week working on that so it will all be ready to go for Saturday.

 

 

I'm assuming you have a tiller setup, if so I'd mount the transducer in the transom, and the head mid ship on your non-dominant side. If you have oar locks, that's a good spot. You should be able to see it from the stern and the bow by flipping it over a bit, depending on the screen, the sun, and your vision. A basic automotive battery charger will work, if your battery isn't sealed, and you have a small patio or alcove, that's a good spot to charge the battery, if not, somewhere with some ventilation is good, or lithium...

[Bird]

I vote lithium as you could darn near throw it in your pocket and carry into your apartment.

 

I run my bow mounted FF all day on a 10ah lifepo4.

Bow mount makes the most sense as that's where you'll spend most of the day. Imo

[gim]

My vote would be to put your graph at the tiller so you can see it while you're driving.  It may not make the most sense from a fishing stand point, but it certainly does from a safety standpoint.  I would not be motoring up on plane unless I knew how deep it was, and the only way to know that is to look at your sonar and/or GPS.

 

I have a friend who has a 16 foot tiller and he has his at the tiller.  It tilts/turns so he can look back at it while he's fishing in the front.  He really should add another graph up front but just hasn't.

[Deleted account]

5 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I would not be motoring up on plane unless I knew how deep it was, and the only way to know that is to look at your sonar and/or GPS.

Yeah, but on a 14 ft with a 15 HP with two folks and some gear, you'll be putt putting along at WOT, even with a tailwind.

[813basstard]

“Trailer is missing all the wiring and the wiring inside the boat isn’t the prettiest. Probably spend 3-4 hours this week working on that so it will all be ready to go for Saturday.“

 

I’d also vote for near the drivers seat. Less wires to run and well. 
One thing I’ve learned about a boat, however much time and how much money you *think* you’re going to spend, multiply by roughly 7.4

[gim]

38 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Yeah, but on a 14 ft with a 15 HP with two folks and some gear, you'll be putt putting along at WOT, even with a tailwind.

The OP stated he can get 20 mph with that outboard, 2 guys, and full fishing gear.  I would not be driving around at 20 without knowing the depth unless you don't mind piling into something and ruining it (like your hull or lower unit).

[Deleted account]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

The OP stated he can get 20 mph with that outboard, 2 guys, and full fishing gear.

If he's not paying attention on the Niagara river maybe...

[Lead Head]

Get a ram mount and put near the middle. With the ram mount you can face it and tilt it as needed. 

 

You should be able to see it from front or back in a 14' boat.

[casts_by_fly]

If you want to get crazy, creative, and plan for the future, put in two mount locations with quick release mounts.  Use a small nocqua battery pack mounted to the removable mount arm (thus no wire to run and a tiny battery to charge) and put the transducer on a splitter.  Then have it in the back with you when you're running and move it up front to fish.  Then when you add a second fish finder you already have the wires run and the mounts ready...

 

Alternatively, I'm not sure of the deck arrangement or if you fish with a buddy all of the time or not.  But a remote controlled trolling motor would let you stand anywhere in the boat to fish.  At that point mount it wherever you prefer to stand.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

If you want to get crazy, creative, and plan for the future, put in two mount locations with quick release mounts.  Use a small nocqua battery pack mounted to the removable mount arm (thus no wire to run and a tiny battery to charge) and put the transducer on a splitter.  Then have it in the back with you when you're running and move it up front to fish.  Then when you add a second fish finder you already have the wires run and the mounts ready...

 

Alternatively, I'm not sure of the deck arrangement or if you fish with a buddy all of the time or not.  But a remote controlled trolling motor would let you stand anywhere in the boat to fish.  At that point mount it wherever you prefer to stand.

Or get a second head, and wire it as a repeater, and save up for a 250 HP, and then...

[casts_by_fly]

1 minute ago, Deleted account said:

Or get a second head, and wire it as a repeater, and save up for a 250 HP, and then...

start how you mean to finish, right?  Buy the last thing first.

[Deleted account]

26 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

start how you mean to finish, right?  Buy the last thing first.

I'm trying to justify a high end table saw to the admiral as we speak.

[casts_by_fly]

28 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I'm trying to justify a high end table saw to the admiral as we speak.

 

If you know you're going to buy it eventually then you are better buying it sooner rather than later to maximize your use and enjoyment of it. 

[Darth-Baiter]

I'm not a boat guy.  even at 20mph, the transducer mounted in the front won't buy any early intel right?  you see shallow water on the graph, it has to be game over.  it doesn't stop on a dime, right?  

 

I assume you have 14 feet to stop before you hit the lower unit?

[Dogface]

18 hours ago, bigbassin' said:

Trailer is missing all the wiring and the wiring inside the boat isn’t the prettiest. Probably spend 3-4 hours this week working on that so it will all be ready to go for Saturday.

 

Just an FYI: You can buy a ready made trailer wire harness. If the trailer does not have lights then do yourself a favor and buy LEDs. 

 

 

[bigbassin']

7 hours ago, 813basstard said:

 

 

I’d also vote for near the drivers seat. Less wires to run and well. 
One thing I’ve learned about a boat, however much time and how much money you *think* you’re going to spend, multiply by roughly 7.4

Ya I imagine there’s a good chance I may be underestimating the time it will take.

 

7 hours ago, Deleted account said:

If he's not paying attention on the Niagara river maybe...

GPS had it at 18.6 mph, good bit faster than I expected myself.

 

7 hours ago, Lead Head said:

Get a ram mount and put near the middle. With the ram mount you can face it and tilt it as needed. 

 

You should be able to see it from front or back in a 14' boat.

 

6 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

If you want to get crazy, creative, and plan for the future, put in two mount locations with quick release mounts.  Use a small nocqua battery pack mounted to the removable mount arm (thus no wire to run and a tiny battery to charge) and put the transducer on a splitter.  Then have it in the back with you when you're running and move it up front to fish.  Then when you add a second fish finder you already have the wires run and the mounts ready...

Both good ideas.

[WRB]

Living in a apartment where do you keep the boat?

14’ Tracker...Jon, mod V, or Guide?

Don’t use a automotive battery charger on a deep cycle marine battery. You need a 10 amp auto shut off charger, ideally onboard mount in the boat.

2nd the Ram sonar unit mount., 1 1/2 dia  ball unit.

You 15 hp OB is a pull start? If it’s a battery start you in business with your electronics otherwise you need a house battery to run everything else, lights, any livewell and pumps.

I suggest getting a battery box with 50 amp breaker and run 6 ga wire to operate the TM. 

There isn’t an end to spending money as a boat owner!

You need your sonar unit mounted where you can clearly see it driving the boat. The bow unit should be another unit with the transducer mounted under the TM, ie; 2 units.

Welcome to bass boat ownership!

Tom

[Catt]

20 hours ago, Lead Head said:

Get a ram mount and put near the middle. With the ram mount you can face it and tilt it as needed. 

 

You should be able to see it from front or back in a 14' boat.

 

I did that for years, then I just put the transducer on the transom & the unit on the front deck but near the end of the deck. Go into settings & increase font size making reading from the back seat easier.

 

While I understand you spend more time on the front deck, I spend more time idling & graphing.

[bigbassin']

On 6/14/2022 at 11:05 PM, WRB said:

 

There isn’t an end to spending money as a boat owner!

 

The more I look at this trailer the more I’m thinking I just need to buy a new one…already ran the wiring but getting underneath it the bunks are in rough shape and pretty much anything you can’t see with the boat on it looks like it’s about to give out.

 

If nothing else for peace of mind driving down the road I’ll probably need to scrap this trailer and get a new one. Hate for the boat to bounce off if I hit a pothole.

[WRB]

If the isn’t rusted out and the steel is sound changing bunks isn’t that difficult.

What series Tracker do you have?

Tom

[bigbassin']

7 minutes ago, WRB said:

If the isn’t rusted out and the steel is sound changing bunks isn’t that difficult.

What series Tracker do you have?

Tom

Topper.

 

There is quite a bit of rust on the bottom. Leaf springs look rough.
 

Bigger concern I didn’t realize until after transferring the title is that it’s only rated for 350 pounds. Boat, motor, trolling motor w/ battery, and fuel is right around 355.

[Goldstar225]

When I had my 14' jon boat I mounted the FF at the bow.  When I was running the OB I set the display to show depth numbers only.  I was easily able to read it from the stern.  When I moved to the bow to fish I changed it to traditional sonar display.  I don't know if your FF has than ability though.