Fish Finder In Front Of Bay Boat

[jl8200]

This may seem like an odd question but has anyone put a fish finder in the front of their bay boat? I don't see a good way of doing it but am kicking around the idea because I want to be able to see my waypoints as I troll. I hate going back to the helm to look at the fish finder.

[alphaman]

Yep quite a few people on here have a unit on there bow. I will be placing a unit on my bow in the near future. Probably an hds5

[keakar]

don't they have trolling motor mounted ones so you can move the unit to front or back as desired?

[Goooh]

I have a 7 on the bow with a TM mounted transducer, the 7 is linked to my unit at the helm and synced so whatever is input on one shows on the other. I can troll from the bow and mark a waypoint there and it marks to the helm unit, and vice versa.

I though it was a bit excessive at first, but now if I don't bring the bow unit when I go out I spend the rest of the day wishing I brought it. I hate hollering at the person at the back to see the depth or how my trail is looking if I'm trying to loop back to an area where I got a hit or found structure. Even worse is running back and forth to look...


Sent

[jlincecum]

Originally Posted by Goooh

I have a 7 on the bow with a TM mounted transducer, the 7 is linked to my unit at the helm and synced so whatever is input on one shows on the other. I can troll from the bow and mark a waypoint there and it marks to the helm unit, and vice versa.

I though it was a bit excessive at first, but now if I don't bring the bow unit when I go out I spend the rest of the day wishing I brought it. I hate hollering at the person at the back to see the depth or how my trail is looking if I'm trying to loop back to an area where I got a hit or found structure. Even worse is running back and forth to look...


Sent

^^^this, except my front transducer is in my hull. It probably is excessive for a bay boat but it makes life a lot easier once you have it

[marty f]

I have an older Garmin unit I mounted up front, no plotter but it does have my depth, water temp, voltage, time, everything but plotter. The main reason I put it on there was for depth. Same as Goooh I got tired at hollering at my son whos on the back, Im sure he was tired on answering!

Everything is mounted on the TM, transducer wiring and head unit, it all folds away with the TM. And for the record, I cut and spliced my transducer wires, all works good.

[cajun bill]

Originally Posted by marty f

I have an older Garmin unit I mounted up front, no plotter but it does have my depth, water temp, voltage, time, everything but plotter. The main reason I put it on there was for depth. Same as Goooh I got tired at hollering at my son whos on the back, Im sure he was tired on answering!

Everything is mounted on the TM, transducer wiring and head unit, it all folds away with the TM. And for the record, I cut and spliced my transducer wires, all works good.

I have an older Garmin that I might try to install on my bow if the thru-hull ducer wire will reach the front of the boat. I changed to an Elite HDI 7 about a year ago, but I left the Garmin 170C thru hull transducer in place. Thanks to this thread, I will try to hook it up on the bow.

Might have to ask for splicing advice Marty if the wire ain't long enuf.

[alphaman]

Originally Posted by cajun bill

I have an older Garmin that I might try to install on my bow if the thru-hull ducer wire will reach the front of the boat. I changed to an Elite HDI 7 about a year ago, but I left the Garmin 170C thru hull transducer in place. Thanks to this thread, I will try to hook it up on the bow.

Might have to ask for splicing advice Marty if the wire ain't long enuf.

You could probably buy an extention cable to make it longer

[cajun bill]

Originally Posted by alphaman

You could probably buy an extention cable to make it longer

Good thought. BTW, from this thread, it appears that the power should go back to the start batt to prevent interference. Makes sense, but is that true for the negative lead also?

[marty f]

Originally Posted by cajun bill

Good thought. BTW, from this thread, it appears that the power should go back to the start batt to prevent interference. Makes sense, but is that true for the negative lead also?

I ran my power leads for the old GPS to a hot wire that was for a light in my up front pole storage, just tapped off of it. I have my entire electrical system run through a main 1+2 battery switch, as well. I never use the storage box light, it still works if need be, but I never use it

DO NOT USE THE TROLLING MOTOR WIRING!! if you are running a 24 or 36v system you will SMOKE your unit, its only 12v

Ill try to get a pic of how I mounted it today

[cajun bill]

Originally Posted by alphaman

You could probably buy an extention cable to make it longer

I worked on this yesterday and luckily, the cable was long enough to fish it all the way to the front of the boat. I also pulled another pair of wires with it to run power. Looks like it'll work, but I need a few items that I think West Marine may have to complete the install. Took a look at the Ballzout mount, pretty pricey so I will try a ram mount instead if WM has one for a reasonable price.

Alphaman, I took a look at drilling through the faceplate of the TM plug, but there was not enough room because the Garmin cable is so large. Looks like I will have to drill another hole in my boat. After looking at some of the pics posted here where others mounted their unit, I'm thinking that center front is the best place. If I put it to the left, it will interfere with my ipilot. If I put it to the right, it will interfere with both my bow rope and also my anchor rope so I'm going to center it to try to avoid both problems. Will post a pic after I finish.

[fishwater]

Put it on a ram mount on the front of the deck off set to the side a little. If you don't want it in the boat that day you'll just have the ball there. This is how I install units on the bow of most boats seems to keep them out of your way and you can adjust them in many different positions Definatly get a unit that is compatible with your helm unit so you can hook them together using ethernet cable too link too he graphs. If you have Lowrance you can share way points and also use your structure scan transducer that is already installed.

[jl8200]

Hey does anyone have any pictures of how they mounted it on the front and how they ran the wires. I would like to not have the wires showing too much if at all possible. I want it to look clean. At the same time I don't want to drill huge holes in the deck to run the wires through either.

[alphaman]

I read something somewhere that, when you mount you electronics you should not wire the unit to the TM hotwire. It should a seperate wire to the battery.

[fishwater]

If you don't drill hole you will see wires I will post some pictures tomorrow. If your trolling motor is more then 12 volt alpha it will burn the unit up.

[alphaman]

Originally Posted by fishwater

If you don't drill hole you will see wires I will post some pictures tomorrow. If your trolling motor is more then 12 volt alpha it will burn the unit up.

My tm is 24 volt ipilot. I'll have to drill a hole and run a wire. If my trolling motor plug plate is big enough I'll drill a hole in that to keep it neat. Or I'll drill a small hole directly behind it. Bc I'll be mounting the bracket on the for space in right in front the anchor locker .uploadfromtaptalk1423613212943.jpg

[alphaman]

O ok.

[jl8200]

Ok thanks Fishwater. Yes I have a 2000 Purebay with a 24V trolling motor, so that isn't an option for a power source for the fishfinder. Will have to run wires up to the front for power.

[jl8200]

Oh and yes Alphaman you are correct about running separate wires on the trolling motor. No other electronic devices are supposed to be wired to the trolling motor batteries other than the trolling motor. All accessories are supposed to be wired to the start battery. Electrolysis will occur if you wire electronics to the TM circuit/battery which in turn causes corrosion of the electrical connections.

[fishwater]

Check first most boats have an aux power run from the factory