Setting up depth finder / GPS on my boat.

[Capt Steve]

I need some rigging advice.  I bought a 2018  20 ft Nitro.  It only has a basic Hook 5 depth finder mounted in the dash. I want to get a gps/ side scan depth finder. Probably a Garmin 93sv. I’ve had the 74sv in my sw boat so I’m familiar with it. Although fishing in Florida I don’t know how much I’ll use it for bass fishing. Mainly for a few brush piles and offshore grass beds. 
 

I can’t buy two units. Bow and console. I’d like to use it while driving/scouting but I’d also like to be able to see the bottom while on my T motor. 
I thought about moving the Hook 5 to the front deck. The transducer is mounted inside. Shoot thru hull. Then put the 93v in the dash for scouting while driving. 
I even considered getting a swivel mount for the SV on the console so I can see it from the bow. 
With so many of y’all running electronics I know you have the answer for me. 
Sorry for the long post but wanted to make sure I explained it well. 
 

thanks. 

[gim]

Don’t think a swivel mount is going to work. You’d be looking backwards at it from the front deck while fishing. That would get old quick.

 

I’d probably just mount the hook 5 on the front deck and the Garmin at the console. Eventually you could replace the hook 5 with a better unit up front. I would want the gps/side scan at the console to see where I was going. I’ve never found side scan to work very well on my bow mount since it’s always turning. I find it more useful at the console.

[Tennessee Boy]

I would move the Hook 5 up front.  I would buy a transducer for it that can be mounted on the trolling motor if necessary.

[GPtimes2]

A lot of times it seems a thru hull transducer is to get a reading while on plane, and you may want to consider that before moving the hook 5 to the front.

[Jig Man]

If you don’t mind loose wires, you could have a ram mount at the console and at the bow so you could move the head as needed.

[12poundbass]

You could buy a cradle and transducer for your Garmin, put that up front, and when you’re done scouting grab the screen and put it up front. It might be a bit of a PITA but most of your time would be on the trolling motor so I’d want the bigger screen up front, but I’d also want side scan at the helm. Not sure if you could swing it money wise but it’s doable. 
 

Option number 2, save your pennies, there are always good deals on Black Friday.

[WIGuide]

I'd move the 5 up front for now and upgrade it later. Moving a unit back and forth or spinning it around doesn't seem like a big deal until you're on the water and you realize just how much you move and how annoying it gets spinning it around all the time. Eventually upgrading to something that networks with your other unit to share waypoints makes for a big upgrade. Against the popular opinion I always have my SI running up front. I run it from the transducer on the back of the boat, so yes I'm already past it, but I've got pretty good at lining up with things I see and have caught a lot of fish that way.