Help Installing A Fishfinder Please

[Wantingaboat]

Hi Raiders,

Can someone give me advice on how hard it is to install your own fishfinder and transducer? Also what would be a good one for a tinny thats about 4.2m long? I think i would like colour but dont want it to cost me an arm and leg. Probably about $400. Is this enough for a fishfinder and tranducer?

Cheers for any help.

Edited February 13, 2009 by Wantingaboat

[squizzytaylor]

Hi Raiders,

Can someone give me advice on how hard it is to install your own fishfinder and transducer? Also what would be a good one for a tinny thats about 4.2m long? I think i would like colour but dont want it to cost me an arm and leg. Probably about $400. Is this enough for a fishfinder and tranducer?

Cheers for any help.

For what you want to spend I would look at the eagle/Lowrance line of mono sounders. For around the $400 mark you will get a good single frequency 480 x 480 pixel model with temp reading and an excellent level of user friendliness. The clarity of these sounders is excellent value for money and certainly a better buy than a low res colour unit.

Cheers

Geoff

[Wantingaboat]

For what you want to spend I would look at the eagle/Lowrance line of mono sounders. For around the $400 mark you will get a good single frequency 480 x 480 pixel model with temp reading and an excellent level of user friendliness. The clarity of these sounders is excellent value for money and certainly a better buy than a low res colour unit.

Cheers

Geoff

Many thanks Geoff but can you or any other members shed any light on the difficulty of installing this?

[squizzytaylor]

Sure thing, assuming you have a battery on the boat its really as simple as:

1) connecting a negative and positive to the battery

2) Placing the transducer on the hull in a nice clear place where it assured of a clean flow of water when underway.

3) finding a good spot to mount the unit on the boat where it isnt going to get knocked and ideally is protected from incoming water splash etc.

The Lowrance units have excellent instructions on mounting locations for both transducer and displays.

The question is whether or not you are handy for this type of job, it is not a hard job for someone mechanically minded which understand we are all not.

Or if you are local to newcastle I am happy to help, just pm me.

Geoff

Edited February 13, 2009 by squizzytaylor

[pelican]

Fitting can be easy or hard depending on boat and your skill. They come with instructions and it isn't rocket science

You need to screw 2 screws into transom to hold the tranducer. many hulls have a mounting point .If not you may want to use a bracket or a plastic block so as you upgrade ypu are not drilling more holes in the transom.

The cable then runs up to where you sit and the head ubit attaches to a swivel you screw into dash or seat etc if it is a tinny.

Electric connection is next and that can be as simple screwing 2 wires (one with a fuse) onto bus bars under dash or having to run wires all the way from the battery or even fitting a battery if the boat doesn't have one.

Well worth getting a dealer to fit if you a buying a boat off one as they will have abetter idea ( or should) of where to mount tranducer and securing cables etc.

Hope this helps

People upgrade quite regularly on here as they change fishing styles or go for more expensive models so a 2nd hand unit of good quality will show up in swap and sell pretty often

[WANNAFISH]

I think if your after a coloured one the garmin 400c would be the best for you for that price range. When you buy this sounders it always comes with an instruction and manual on whats the best to install this things.

PM sent

[Wantingaboat]

Thanks guys/girls. One last questin. When i buy a sounder does it come with a transducer and all the relevant equipment or does that come seperately?

[squizzytaylor]

Any in your price range should come totally complete wantingaboat.

GT

[abiasin]

go the furuno ls 4100 good value at the moment at 399 and a good entry level sounder with all the functions and large screen.

[micksfishn]

LOWRANCE x125 OR X135 cant go past them 480/480 pixles with all the bells and whistles im looking for a second x125 now for the bow of the boat

id stay away from colour at the price you want to spend you will get a 10 times better unit in grey scale

mick

Edited February 14, 2009 by breamhntr

[WANNAFISH]

Thanks guys/girls. One last questin. When i buy a sounder does it come with a transducer and all the relevant equipment or does that come seperately?

They all come with everything and normally its a transom mount transducer that comes with it.