Fish finder in Hobie Mast holder

[Mordy]

Doing a bit of Fish finder home work and just wondering if any body could pass on their experiences.
I was thinking of installing a Lowrance x5 pro fishfinder in the Outback Mast holder with a Ram ball mount.
Just wondering
If anybody has done this and how they feel about the accesability to the unit.
Just worried it might be a bit far away., any thoughts?

And if the are happy with it what sort of Rams holder for the unit did you get?
I notice they comre in different lengths B length and C length.????

If they have a Lowrance x5 did theygo with a single or Double Tranny?


The other option is a smaller unit as a side mount in the "ash trays" Just feel the 174mm wide Lowrence might be a bit big for a side mount.
I am aiming to retain the paddleability of the yak as well as have one clear side to re-enter
Regards
( sleepless in )Mordy

[mingle]

I found that mounting right up front made the unit too far away to see and access.

I ended up putting my Eagle Cuda 300 in the cupholder on my right. Admittedly it's a bit narrower than your unit.

Mike.

[Mordy]

Thanks Mingle,
I remember Talking to you at a Hobie Trial day when you were lining up your Rev.
I've seen your cup holder install nice work
Whats the Cuda 300 like? Bit of a how longs a piece of sting question I know.
Is it powerful enough ? and Resoultion wise? Are you still using it?
I was looking at the cuda 300 and the 350smap with Gps.
then Thought I would get a better sounder and a seperate GPs
Then thought the Lowrance had better specs,,, But BIGGER????? all pros and cons.
Oh the pains of finding the perfect finder ( especially when you haven't had one before
Mordy

[mingle]

The Eagle Cuda is a great unit - on special at BCF for $99 apparently too...

Resolution is good and since it's a B&W screen it doesn't check the batteries like a colour unit. I've had no trouble with it displaying the seabed in 20m and I'm sure it's fine in even deeper water than that.

I was also looking at the 350SMAP, but sine the maps weren't updatable and it couldn't interface with my PC, I went with a separate GPS unit.

I got a Garmin eTrex Venture HC, which I've loaded with Pacific Bluecharts. It's a great unit with a USB interface. Works great with Google Earth too...

Cheers,

Mike.

[maverick]

In the stinka I have a combined unit, I used to have seperate units in a previous boat.

If I could have seperate units again I would. If one fails you can still use the other one.

[Rangirocks]

Hi
Mines mounted right where you are considering. It's a Hummingbird 383c

I find its a good spot - I can lean forward if i need to zoom etc and would only adjust once or twice an outing. Normally I dont use gps and ff together so it's focused on the ff once I'm where I want to be

Easy to plug into the battery in the front hatch

[bilby]

Hi Mate,
The ram sizes A-B-C etc are the ball sizes, A is 1" which is what you need for a sounder mount. Personally i don't like sounders too far away, as to get the best performance out of any sounder, you need to continually adjust the gain/ sensitivity, menus etc for different depths and water clarity, if your a turn on the sounder and forget it type, you will be amazed at the structure you can miss by being lazy and not adjusting your sounder.
When i had my outback, i had my sounder mounted on a 1" ram mount on the right hand side, (front of the "tray" area). I found it never got in my way for paddling and was easy to operate.
I have a Lowrance x5 pro duel beam sounder on the Pro angler and its awesome, picked mine up for $320 at CH Smith.
Bilby.

[Mordy]

Thanks for all the info,
Bill,
I noticed you went for the duel beam, any reason? What's the advantage. worth the extra $70
I see BCF gas the Lowrance for $249 single beam , same price as CH Marine.
Just chatting to Biggyakker and he has a Humminbird 718 around the same price($349), the resolution is less but has GPS option ($219)
and lots of whistles and bells.

I was sitting on my back lawn in the outback, as you do, and found reaching out to the mast thingo a bit tricky.
Thinking the gunnel (?) just forward of the outbacks front rod holders could be a spot.
Easy to get your hand up there to tighten bolts (no need to hire a midget or monkey to hold the spanner.)
Wouldn't clutter the fushin area, and could have a paddle If I felt like it.

P.s Her in doors (SWMBO) was quite amused......... WTF is he doing now????
"Did I see you in your kayak on the lawn?
Yep.

I Got the leaf blower out and dusted the old girl down while I was at it ( The kayak That is)
Back in Dry dock!
Thanks again
Lots of things to look up
Blowing a gale here in Mordy
Could blow in a few REDS for Sunday

[bilby]

The duel beams are the way to go as you get a better coverage of the bottom, the 200khz is good for pin pointing structure on the bottom but the 83khz gives a 60 deg spread each side of the 200 khz beam, resulting in a wider beam, hence the duel beam tag. The Humminbird 718's are a great sounder (retail $320), i have the exact same one in my boat and its really good, but the Lowrance is 480 x 480 pixels as opposed to 320 x 360 i think from the Humminbird. Also don't forget the aeriel for the Humminbirds are $200 odd dollars so the price is starting to get up there for a mono sounder. But either unit can't be faulted.
Cheers Bilby.

[Mordy]

Thanks Bill
Had a look and a play at both models at BCF, both good and CHsmith have then for about the same price.
Definately will get the Duel Beam.
I noticed the Lowrance was quite gray and lacking in contrast, had a play with the settings, but the gradations still remained sublte.
I wonder if this is it in simulator mode / no actual tranny, or just how the sounder looks.
Those HDS units full colour are sexy units, only problem THE PRICE1
Back to reality
I was just wondering where you mounted your, did you get the big drill out and cable it through the top of the yak.
The lowrance looks like it had some big plugs on it, did you use a bung?
Thinking of mounting ( which one????) between the outbacks forward rod holder and the mast post on the gunnel, so I will
probably use a drainage Bung with a large rubber grommett when it is in service.
Sorry about all the questions
Tony