Fishfinder Recomendation?

[ShootIt]

I need one that I can attach to an inflatable for use in salt water. preferably for about $200. was thinking I could attach the transducer to the transom...

[Chris Lupin]

Bump for this thread with no responses (I know its old). My buddy just got an inflatable that he wants to use for diving and some fishing. Is it worth it or even possible to install a fishfinder? If so, what are some options on models to buy? And can one be self-installed or will we need a mechanic?

['o Cino]

I use a Fishin' Buddy 120. It's totally self contained, and the transducer tube extends really far. Runs on 3 "C" cells for what seems like forever, even when the light option is used a lot at night. Mounts via a "C" clamp onto the transom, and pivots easily. Also has side scan sonar to check for WSB under the kelp canopy Got it on eBay for less than 150.00

[jondavies]

If you get an Eagle Cuda 350 S/Map you can have a fishfinder and GPS in a single package for around $200. It's pretty easy to rig a small 12V power pack using a 8 x AA cell holder from Radio Shack.

[Chris Lupin]

Originally Posted by 'o Cino

I use a Fishin' Buddy 120. It's totally self contained, and the transducer tube extends really far. Runs on 3 "C" cells for what seems like forever, even when the light option is used a lot at night. Mounts via a "C" clamp onto the transom, and pivots easily. Also has side scan sonar to check for WSB under the kelp canopy Got it on eBay for less than 150.00

Thanks for the reply. That gives me a good place to start, I see now the portable options. Does anyone have any experience with mounted fish finders (non portable) for a different perspective? I think the best option would be a portable, just curious to see if anyone runs a mounted ff.

['o Cino]

SDspearo had a hard mounted Lowrance (I think) on his Achilles for years. It was trailered, so worries about the headunit/transducer were minimal, and the weight of the 12v was not a concern. Wiring connections are the weak link.

Anything that's solid attached has a better chance of getting crunched when something falls on it, as opposed to a clamp that may pivot or break first instead.

Good luck

[0976claxton]

I'm setting my zodiac up this weekend with a new Humminbird 788 ci. It has the finder and the gps in one. transducer will be mounted off the transom. the finder will be mounted on a RAM mount. I'll try to remember to post photos when it's done. Frankly, i didn't kill myself over the research on the fishfinder. Cheap is good, but I wanted something a little more than that. I like that the GPS is integrated and I'm not hauling around my handheld also. Less is better. The Humminbird 788 ci also displays in color, which is just really nice to view. Lastlly, I should also mention that I'm going to just buy another transducer in the future and take the unit from my zodiac to my kayak, when kayaking makes more sense then launching. I'll let you know how it all works out.

[vann sowal]

I have an AB 10' rib that I installed a Garmin 400C fish finder on. I mounted ducer to transom and bought a small igloo cooler which I mounted the display bracket/unit on. Inside I had a small Motorcycle battery with a cigarette lighter plug mounted into cooler top. I wired the display to a cigarette style plug in. Worked really well-problem is it takes up room in a boat that doesn't have much. I have most of the close in spots now in the handheld GPS so I seldom take the fishfinder out anymore.

goodluck-I do enjoy diving from the rib just wish I had gotten 1- 2' longer.

[ljsargent]

Originally Posted by jondavies

If you get an Eagle Cuda 350 S/Map you can have a fishfinder and GPS in a single package for around $200. It's pretty easy to rig a small 12V power pack using a 8 x AA cell holder from Radio Shack.

How do you like Your Eagle 350s/Map? I'm looking at getting one or a Hummingbird 365i or 385ci portable for my kayak. How reliable is the suction cup mount for the transducer?

[jondavies]

I've been very happy with the 350. Basically, I does pretty much everything I need (navigation, depth finder and finding fish) in a very affordable, compact and easy-to-use package.

There are some downsides but I haven't found them to be deal breakers. For example, I primarily use the "navigation" screen rather than the map when I'm heading to a waypoint. The unit allows you to display the map and the sonar on the split screen but you can't display the navigation screen and sonar at the same time. It's not a huge deal but it would be nice to have both on the same screen instead of toggling back and forth when searching for a wreck or other specific bottom structure.

As for reliability, my unit stopped reading the signal from the transducer a couple of months ago. I sent back to Eagle and they replaced it under warranty within a week or so.

Note: there's no way to upload/download waypoints so if you do get a new unit, you have to reload everything manually. I store all my waypoints in a separate log on my blackberry and I just input them as I need them, so it wasn't a big deal for me but it would have been very frustrating if I'd spent hours keying in dozens of waypoints.

I can't speak to the performance of the suction cup transducer -- the cup on my old Huminbird unit wouldn't stick to the inflatable and so I went with a permanent TD set up.