Mounting a fish finder in the back of the boat?

[Mharri333]

Has anyone mounted a fish finder in the back (aft) of the boat facing forward? Reason I ask... I spent the last two summers with a kink in my neck looking at the FF mounted at the helm. Has anyone mounted one that is placed so you can see it while watching your down riggers? If so, is there a setting to invert the screen or possibly mount the transducer facing opposite of normal?

I looked for a simple answer on several forms but the only thing I could find is where people added another ram mount so they could move a fish finder farther back. I did not see where it was mentioned that it was forward or rear facing. Anyone have any thoughts or experience doing this?

I may add a second FF or add a second "station" to move the primary finder to. But I want to be able to see it while looking towards the transom.

Thanks MH

 

[dragonfly]

you can mount a second one anywhere you want. a lot of guild boats have them mounted just under the gunnels in the rear. on my lodge it was open in the rear and I had a chair that I sat in when running the tiller and had a garmin 188c mounted on the transom splash in the corner so I could see it as I was trolling the only problem is the sun and glair made it hard to see when trolling into the sun but it worked fine and was very handy back there. now on the TJ I have a big screen furuno in the cab out of the sun, that I can see from the rear clearly plus I have a tr-1 so I don't have to be at the helm or stand in the rear in the rain and cold or hot sun while trolling laugh hyst. but like where you mount any thing, it should be convenient for you to use. dfly

 

[SuperD]

Unless you have state of the art electronics, some difficulties arise. I have 2 fish finders and one mounted in the back. (My electronics are old by today's standards) You will not be able to run both finders at the same time with older stuff. In my case, I turn the front finder to GPS and the back one to sonar. If my wife is with me, I don't bother mounting the rear finder and go split screen at the front so she doesn't run us aground. I do have 2 transducers.

 

[Metal Manipulator]

I had two on my boat until the front one died. I still have the back one and use the Ipad for my front GPS. While trolling I stare out the back all day while trolling so it only made sense to have the fish finder back there. I used to move my humming bird from front to back laying the cable in the side gutter, then I bought a Garmin. A year later my Hummin bird died.

 

[SuperD]

Picture of mine mounted in front of the motor.

 

[Mharri333]

Picture of mine mounted in front of the motor.

SuperD, your picture is basically what I am thinking. Right in front of the motor (more or less). I have a big screen Humminbird 1198si. I know I can add another HB and network them together. I could even share the transducer. But the rear FF will be facing 180 degrees the other way. Left won't be left and right won't be right if I am thinking about it correctly?

You have a dash mount and everything on the right side is the right side but when you mount it in the rear, doesn't that make it back words. The transducer is still facing the same way but the screen is different. I didn't see a setup to change or invert the screen.

I suppose with traditional sonar it it looking down in a cone and may not matter much but Down Imaging and Side Imaging will be opposite. (I think)101idea101

So how can I account for that?

Last boat I ran duals but both on the dash and no interference issues. Lowrance HDS 5 and the HB 1198.

This time I may do two HB's.

Hope that clarifies the question.

 

[Mharri333]

Guess we are all stumped...

Here is what I found out today... I went to the dealer outfitting my boat (slowly). I think I might know more about electronics than them. The guy I am dealing with said he has a forward facing FF on his boat. Doesn't know how to make it read correctly. He just knows it is backwards and it is linked to his front FF. He just looks at it if he gets confused. Poor answer.

Then I decided to drive to Cabellas so I could touch several fish finders and ask questions. I think I might know more about electronics than them. I had to explain how several things worked on the HB FF to the guy there.

I really liked the Garmin 70DV series. It was touch screen. 7 inch display and way more user friendly than the Lowrance touch screen. There were less expensive Humminbirds but nothing breath taking. I could network a new HB to my old one which is appealing but I am unclear if I can use the SI transducer for both... Doesn't make sense to pay the extra bucks for a second side imaging FF...

I picked up the Garmin then ended up leaving without it. I guess I am not completely satisfied that it is the best option. I will say most likely at this point. I think the thing that stopped me was the chirp capability. It is extra. I may want that too. Tonight's research...

 

[Bduck]

I am running an older 200hz Lowrance unit at the helm. Like SuperD I'm running a Raymarine A57D at the rear but on 50hz. This is the only way these will work together. My rear FF picks up the dr weight and tends to read that as the depth say 50' in 80' of water but I will get true depths with it. I compare depths with the front FF. I get better fish graphics looking to the rear than with the older unit but the depth is right on. Yep, a good majority of the time is looking bassackwards. My Raymarine can be used for a split screen with GPS too. But I still have another GPS unit with HOT LAKES maps separate at the helm. Too many electronics but I 'm not changing anything until something gives out. And then I update to the cheapest most expensive sophisticated that will be outdated as soon I as I purchase it.

 

[SuperD]

When I'm not running the 5th downrigger, the fish finder mounts on the same pedestal that the downrigger is mounted to in the picture.

 

[Mharri333]

I think I am going to have to contact the manufacturers at this point to try to iron this out. I like the idea of the Garmin with CHIRP technology. I have a feeling that it transmits its signal across several bands simultaneously, and would almost certainly interfere with the Humminbird. I would have to run them independently.

If I went to the straight Hummingbird system I would have to see if a regular DI sonar will work by tying it to the existing SI transducer. Something tells me no. Not sure I want to spend the money for a second SI unit for little new benefit. If I have to spend that kind of money I want it to be able to do something that the other FF can't. (CHIRP) I can also get the touch screen for the cost of the networking parts that really only allow me to share waypoints. (10 feet) It does give me the ability to use the same mapping chips though. (again 10 feet)

Once I get this ironed out in my head I will probably place an order. I checked on the boat and I should have it by this weekend. There was a bit of a delay mounting the front trolling motor. Apparently the nose of the Thunderjet is not flat and they have to fabricate a mount. Made me feel like they were definitely paying attention to detail. Most dealers would just strap it on at an angle. That would drive me crazy...(er)

 

[knotatwork]

sonar on my boat furuno 585 return echos are built on the right side of the display so I consider this to be the transom where my transducer is mounted as you travel over a fish the mark is built ...I think you are seeing the mark as you travel over it with display mounted in front or the rear.... now gps mapping to me would be confusing mounted in the rear but not sonar

 

[Mharri333]

I ordered the Garmin touch screen. I will let you know how it works out.

Gamin Echomap 70DV

 

[Mharri333]

I mounted the Garmin 70DV (with sidevu and downvu chirp black box) in my Thunder Jet. While breaking in the motors I had plenty of time to play with the electronics. I inadvertently answered my own question here. I thought you might be interested in the follow up...

The Garmin has a setting that allows you to invert the screen. You can change the left and right in case you are running it backwards. That will work out great as I am planning on mounting the Garmin in a second position in the rear of the boat. I will install the second station mount as soon as it is in from backorder which should be the end of next week. I will just be finishing up a week at Chelan and have a good idea where I want to put it as well. The Garmin is also the FF I am going to link to the TR-1.

On my TJ I also have a Humminbird 1198si too. I installed the upgraded Lakemaster mapping chip so I could link my I-Pilot. I find the Garmin map to have more lakes covered including Lake Chelan and Samish which are the two I will fish the most (not on the Lakemaster chip). The Chirp side imaging and down imaging are clearer than the HB as well. I really like the touch screen unit. Fairly simple and straight forward. Running the two side by side will cause a little bit of interference but not bad. It will be interesting to see how it works on a slow troll when fish are schooled.

The way I have it set up, the HB will run the Terrova I-Pilot and the Garmin will run the Tr-1. That gives me one FF for mapping and one for sonar depending on the water I am on. Shouldn't have to worry about interference.

Just a quick update in case anyone was following the rear fish finder question.

 

[dragonfly]

that is basically how I run mine the furuno for fish and the garmin for the lake maps and navigation I set my way points and turn on the tr-1 and go. what I haven't done yet is run the tr-1 and I-pilot together in the wind (that is the main reason for the minn-kota) with the new skeg to see how well they play together. so maybe you can let us know how it works out for you running them together

 

[Mharri333]

I will give that a shot. Could be interesting. I think you would want one just straight line power (kicker) and the other as strictly steering (Ipilot). Otherwise the GPS's would fight each other.

 

[dragonfly]

that is what I was thinking with the I-pilot but don't you have the I-link? the tr-1 will go to a way point no mater the current or wind the I-link should do the same. the base setting on the tr-1 and the I-pilot if you tell it to go north it will always go north but if you have an eastern flowing current or wind it won't correct for that and you could be blown into the bank but still going north

 

[dragonfly]

that is what I was thinking with the I-pilot but don't you have the I-link? the tr-1 will go to a way point no mater the current or wind the I-link should do the same. the basic push and go setting on the tr-1 and the I-pilot if you tell them to go north it will always go north but if you have an eastern flowing current or wind it won't correct for that and you could be blown into the bank but still going north. I hope to be up and running by the middle of april to check mine out. dfly

 

[mtncat1]

I've ran mine in the back for years, along with a smaller front unit, I've always used lowrance . the nice thing about the hds units is you can share transducers, run multiples etc. they are very flexable.

 

[Mharri333]

Dfly,

I think we are talking about the same thing. I have the Link but I just got it. I had the regular I pilot before that. It is going to take some time to experiment. After the initial test this weekend the link to the ff would navigate to the chosen point but not a direct line. Wind would make it drift then it would make a hard correct near the end. Not ideal. Especially not when you are dragging 4 poles behind you... Having two auto pilots on with different programming and corrections to the elements would seem like a conflict. I think you would need one to steer and one to push. I did that before the Link so I will have to run some tests this week.

If we keep at it we will figure something out. I have week to play. I should have internet at the house we are renting so I will keep you updated. I am new to TR-1 too.

 

[mrmike]

Mharri333 like your new boat was just looking at the pictures you posted of that new TOY really nice just a word from experience this not critisizing but your down rigger just may be a little close to each other I can't see were you will have any room to even net a fish. You have this big beautiful boat and everything is mounted in the rear. I only saying this from experience two in the stern of your vessel is fine but they are butted so close you need to maybe rethink this and shift two back a lot anyway food for thought didn't want to russell any feathers and don't want you to take it wrong. For me I put male and female brackets on my boat I'm able to just put my down rigger in when I'm using them they were custom made.