Looking at new Boats looking for TM and Electronic setup suggestions

[bishoptf]

I have another thread that I am looking to purchase new/used Bassboat. One of the reasons I would prefer to go used is being able to get possible a low hour boat but that had been already setup with most of the electronics and possible save some money. Other option is to find a 23 discounted and build it up from scratch, so looking for some suggestions on TM pros and cons along with FFS and traditional SI/DI setups.

 

Here is what I think I would like for the bow, Brushless TM with spot lock, Mega 360, Helix 10 and  Garmin live scope (not sure on size etc). At the console at least a 10" DI/SI networked with the bow unit. At the back would like some kind of poles not sure if raptors or power poles or talons for that matter but thinking raptors or power poles.

 

I know I have read some grumblings about the older Ultrex and spot lock not always working properly, the newer quest units are nice that you can run either 24v or 36v with only having to add an additional battery.

 

Just looking for opinions since I know a lot of this is subjective but trying to figure out what would be a good combination, thanks.

[Jig Man]

Whether you rig or buy a boat keep in mind that it is a lot more fluid if you choose equipment items that are compatible with each other, trolling motors, sonar units, electric anchor systems.  
 

You mentioned Humminbird sonar units and a Minn Kota trolling motor.  I believe Talons would be the match to give you a one boat network.  I had a mixed set and it was a pain for me.  I now have a one boat network and enjoy it.

[gim]

Humminbirds are compatible with Minn Kota, Lowrance is compatible with the Ghost, and Garmin is compatible with the Force.

 

If you want everything to "talk" to each other then that's the route you need to take as @Jig Man already stated.

[Tennessee Boy]

I have a 2018 Ultrex and am very happy with Spotlock.  I don’t think I can live without MEGA 360 which means I have to live with Humminbird.   The biggest problem with going all Humminbird is MEGA Live.   I would not buy MEGA Live today.  It is way behind the competition and is due for an update.   You could wait for the update or go with a mixed Humminbird/Garmin setup.   

[tunaman]

I have a Lowrance ecosystem, and the integration and interoperability is mind boggling. Having the ability to network everything together, navigate routes and waypoints with the press of a button or two, operate and manipulate Power Poles, check status of your batteries via PowerPole Charge, Merc engine gauges, etc…, all from MFDs at the bow and console, is just incredibly powerful and useful.

[bishoptf]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I have a 2018 Ultrex and am very happy with Spotlock.  I don’t think I can live without MEGA 360 which means I have to live with Humminbird.   The biggest problem with going all Humminbird is MEGA Live.   I would not buy MEGA Live today.  It is way behind the competition and is due for an update.   You could wait for the update or go with a mixed Humminbird/Garmin setup.   

Yeah that was what I was leaning towards since I want 360, have a bird on the bow and console netoworked and allow 360 on the bow and then if I want to do FFS then do garmin for that at the bow. Still a toss up whether to go with powerpoles or raptor for the shallow water anchor part. If I go with raptors then I could access them via the bird head units. I have heard good things about the force TM though but leaning towards the ultrex now that its brushless.

[gim]

2 minutes ago, bishoptf said:

I have heard good things about the force TM though but leaning towards the ultrex now that its brushless.

The Garmin Force is brushless.  I believe the Lowrance Ghost is also.

[bishoptf]

The flip side is I could do Force and garmin at bow and console and then do a bird on the bow dedicated to 360. Lots of ways to do things. Never have been a fan of Lowrance, I have a older bird with side imaging right now but really for down and side imaging it probably does not make much of an difference, that and mapping way points etc. Just thought i would get some feedback about folks current setups and what they like and dislike etc...if they had to do it over what they may do differently. I try to stay away from using the "Best" term since thats subjective to who is using and what they value the most etc...

 

 

[slonezp]

Spot lock came out around 2010ish and there were some issues with gen 1 units losing connectivity with the satellite signal. It was fixed. 

[DaubsNU1]

I had Garmin touch screen in my last boat, it was okay. Brother went Humminbird Helix, and I noticed his down and side imaging was much better than my Garmin. And he linked to the Ulterra. I spent lots of time in his boat and really grew to like the set up.

 

I mirrored Brother's set up and went with Helix 9's and Ulterra legacy (not the new version that is brush-less). Having Ulterra and Helix units networked together is really neat.

 

Keep researching, and looking, and see if you can get hands-on experience.

 

I found my boat used at Lund dealer, and had them do the electronics install before I picked up the boat.

 

Good luck!!!

 

 

[bishoptf]

I think I know the answer but Mega 360 is an add on for the ultrex, from what I see you can get the ultrex with down/side but not 360 which if you want is in addition to. What I was thinking was instead of getting the down/side version get the US2 version which doesnt have anything and then add mega 360 to that. Have down/side imaging at the console only, thoughts?

[gim]

11 hours ago, bishoptf said:

Have down/side imaging at the console only, thoughts?

 

I have both side scan and down scan at my console and bow.  I tried using side scan on my bow mount years ago, and that was the one and only time because it did not work very well.  I assume its because the motor head is constantly turning.  I find side scan to be much more useful at the console when just slowly driving around.  I am not necessarily looking for fish; I am looking for structure, weed line edges, etc.

 

I occasionally use down scan at the bow.  I mostly use 2D sonar and GPS up there though.

[bishoptf]

9 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

I have both side scan and down scan at my console and bow.  I tried using side scan on my bow mount years ago, and that was the one and only time because it did not work very well.  I assume its because the motor head is constantly turning.  I find side scan to be much more useful at the console when just slowly driving around.  I am not necessarily looking for fish; I am looking for structure, weed line edges, etc.

 

I occasionally use down scan at the bow.  I mostly use 2D sonar and GPS up there though.

Yeah I need to shoot an email off to Minn Kota but my understanding if you get the Mega 360 that will override your built in side scan. I think I just need the basic Ultrex if I am going to add Mega 360 and that will save some money but I need get verification on that.

[bishoptf]

I think if I have this right I just need the basic Chirp model Quest Ultrex and the basic Chirp Helix at the Bow if I am going to go with mega 360. Then at the console I should get the DI/SI unit that will do both and if I want DI at the bow I should be able to use the transducer from the other unit. Not sure I will need DI at the bow, will probably end up adding Garmin FFS at the bow and have 360 and FFS and just use the bird for waypoints and DI/SI at the console.

 

I think that is how it should work but will send an email to Humminbird and see what they say.

[bishoptf]

Hey @A-Jaydo you have a jackplate on yours, I think you might but thought I would ask. Sounds like it helps from a transducer interference etc, but thought I would ask and if so which one, thanks.

[A-Jay]

10 minutes ago, bishoptf said:

Hey @A-Jaydo you have a jackplate on yours, I think you might but thought I would ask. Sounds like it helps from a transducer interference etc, but thought I would ask and if so which one, thanks.

Yes ~ JP1060SS Seastar Manual Jackplate 6" Setback

 

Jack plate provides some space between the lower unit and the SI transducer as well as offering a somewhat significant performance improvement.  Hull comes up on plane faster and will stay on plane at a lower speed. Critical in big water. 

https://youtu.be/jYDqRk6ghyE?feature=shared

After going on six years of use, I like it and would put it on a new rig if I were to order one.

A-Jay

 

[bishoptf]

41 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Yes ~ JP1060SS Seastar Manual Jackplate 6" Setback

 

Jack plate provides some space between the lower unit and the SI transducer as well as offering a somewhat significant performance improvement.  Hull comes up on plane faster and will stay on plane at a lower speed. Critical in big water. 

https://youtu.be/jYDqRk6ghyE?feature=shared

After going on six years of use, I like it and would put it on a new rig if I were to order one.

A-Jay

 

The dealer I am talking to they do not put jackplates on the lunds so there is some reluctance in doing so, ya know, everything is fine without one etc...

[A-Jay]

17 minutes ago, bishoptf said:

The dealer I am talking to they do not put jackplates on the lunds so there is some reluctance in doing so, ya know, everything is fine without one etc...

I noted this in the re-power post as a response to another member . . .

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/205586-re-powering-the-lund-1875-pro-v-bass-boat/?do=findComment&comment=2383381

While running the original 200 hp Optimax with no jack plate - THE BOAT RAN AWESOME ! Popped up on plane in what seemed like 2 seconds, was Extremely stable on plane AND AT WOT and was in every respect EVERYTHING I wanted & needed it to be and more.

 And now with the re-power and the manual jack plate - everything is exactly THE SAME.  I just got the space.  

My needs have been successfully addressed.

 So IMO, unless you can consciously articulate exactly WHY you Need a Jack Plate on the Pro-V bass - You Don't.

A-Jay

[Tennessee Boy]

7 hours ago, bishoptf said:

Yeah I need to shoot an email off to Minn Kota but my understanding if you get the Mega 360 that will override your built in side scan.

You must buy an adapter cable to attach MEGA 360 and the trolling motor transducer to the same control head.   My Ultrex is US2 so I use this cable to get 2D sonar only from my trolling motor.  The description of the cable says Chirp MDI sonar which suggests that it will work with down imaging also.    It might not be possible to use DI and 360 at the same time.  I have no way to test this.  I’ve seen nothing to suggest it will support side imaging.  360 can be used as a side imaging transducer.  If you use it in this mode it will stop turning and function just like a SI transducer.   I’ve never even tried it.  I don’t think side imaging on a trolling motor would be that useful but you never know.  
 

I’ll add a couple of tips.  Make sure your fish finder is compatible with MEGA 360.  Some of the older models are not.  I have a mix of Gen 1 and Gen 3 Solix.  I can view 360 on all of them but 360 must be attached to my Gen 3.  Also,  360 must know the depth to function properly.  I’ve had my TM transducer cable come loose which causes my controller head to loose it’s depth reading.  When this happens 360 get so slow it unusable.  I thinks it assuming that the water is 1000 feet deep and tries to process 1000 feet of returns.

[bishoptf]

44 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I noted this in the re-power post as a response to another member . . .

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/205586-re-powering-the-lund-1875-pro-v-bass-boat/?do=findComment&comment=2383381

While running the original 200 hp Optimax with no jack plate - THE BOAT RAN AWESOME ! Popped up on plane in what seemed like 2 seconds, was Extremely stable on plane AND AT WOT and was in every respect EVERYTHING I wanted & needed it to be and more.

 And now with the re-power and the manual jack plate - everything is exactly THE SAME.  I just got the space.  

My needs have been successfully addressed.

 So IMO, unless you can consciously articulate exactly WHY you Need a Jack Plate on the Pro-V bass - You Don't.

A-Jay

For me it has nothing to do with performance but has more tondo with the offset. I have read some having issues with SI/DI transducers etc. i am probably going to want to add some raptors/power poles and i think the offset will help or in fact be needed to mount.

[A-Jay]

13 minutes ago, bishoptf said:

For me it has nothing to do with performance but has more tondo with the offset. I have read some having issues with SI/DI transducers etc. i am probably going to want to add some raptors/power poles and i think the offset will help or in fact be needed to mount.

The SI offset was why I even considered the jack plate to start with.  After the installation,  the performance improvement sort of came as a much appreciated secondary benefit. 

A-Jay

[bishoptf]

2 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

You must buy an adapter cable to attach MEGA 360 and the trolling motor transducer to the same control head.   My Ultrex is US2 so I use this cable to get 2D sonar only from my trolling motor.  The description of the cable says Chirp MDI sonar which suggests that it will work with down imaging also.    It might not be possible to use DI and 360 at the same time.  I have no way to test this.  I’ve seen nothing to suggest it will support side imaging.  360 can be used as a side imaging transducer.  If you use it in this mode it will stop turning function just like a SI transducer.   I’ve never even tried it.  I don’t think side imaging on a trolling motor would be that useful but you never know.  
 

I’ll add a couple of tips.  Make sure your fish finder is compatible with MEGA 360.  Some of the older models are not.  I have a mix of Gen 1 and Gen 3 Solix.  I can view 360 on all of them but 360 must be attached to my Gen 3.  Also,  360 must know the depth to function properly.  I’ve had my TM transducer cable come loose which causes my controller head to loose it’s depth reading.  When this happens 360 get so slow it unusable.  I thinks it assuming that the water is 1000 feet deep and tries to process 1000 feet of returns.

Thanks this just confirms what I was reading and understanding, I dont think I would ever need DI from the TM and I think I could get it from the console if I need/want it so I think the US2 version would work fine. I am looking at the gen4 helix models so they all should be mega 360 compatible, I think I may go 10" upfront chirp model and 10 for console with DI/SI ducer at the back. I think when up front I would only be using the 360 function and using it for way points etc...But maybe I see if I can find some Gen3 and save some money. Ultimate I want to add garmin FFS to the front of the boat and have that and 360 setup but I also want power poles/raptors so its a long list, lol...:)