Fish Finder - a thought experiment!

[Keith Hart]

Hello folks,

Having seen how useful, and how much fun, a fish finder can be (thanks to Graeme, Sian and Topaz - ouch!), I know that if I had a RIB I would certainly fit one. However I have a SIB, but does that rule out fitting such a device?

I understand that the transducer fits to the transom, well I’ve got one of those. The screen needs to be screwed down to something solid on the boat. Well, I have the front seat. Looking at the Fish Finders available they all seem to be powered by 12v boat electrics. Okay, I don’t have 12v power on Quicksilver. So then, 2 out of 3 is a good start.

How about getting a 12v motorcycle battery, fitting it inside a secure but removable plastic box and taking the power from that? The battery could easily be removed each time and re charged on a car battery charger. From looking at the technical specifications on the Fish Finders they don’t take much power and one full charge would probably last for several trips.

If I was transporting the boat the FF could be removed with the seat and the wiring disconnected. I could wire in some easy to disconnect fittings. I could just take the battery out whenever I was packing the boat away.

I’m not rushing out to get a FF, but Christmas is just 8 months or so away and I would need to start dropping the hint well in advance!

Well is it feasible, is it worth it, what do you think? Any one out there already done it?

A couple of diagrams are attached

Cheers

Keith (day dreamer) Hart

[Keith Hart]

Second diagram

Keith Hart

[Splishsplash]

On my inflatable I also have a fishfinder. More or less the in way you describe it.
I have just one bench in the Zodiac, so I am sitting on the tube, in front of me on the bench is the fish finder and a compass, keeping one seating place open (for the ole ball and chain...).

The battery is mounted in a box under the seat, so that I don't have too many wires running back and forth. It is a small dry battery of just 4AH, plenty to make a full day on the boat or several shorter trips.
The transducer is transom mounted...took a bit of experimenting on the position (out of reach of the propellor and not disturbed too much by air bubbles) not so easy on such a small transom.

At the end of the day I just take the whole seat of and take it home (I leave the boat on the trailer at a farmer near the slipway).

There is just one downside on the whole thing, when we are diving we have to be very carefull not to knock the FF of the bench while trying to put fins on or moving around the boat.

But it is a great instrument to have, you can't do without when diving but otherwise it also gives loads of usefull info, ask Graeme!

I would say Go for it...I have even been thinking about a GPS...but now with the plans for the new RIB in 2003 I leave it for what is is...

Good luck!

Eddy (who eats fish every day now) Veuger

[jools]

Excellent - and yes I'm sure it would work with no problems - as you say the current drawn by a fishfinder would be so low it the battery would last for weeks - you could also use it to power your GPS, charge your mobile phone, mini fridge for the beers etc etc.

The cheaper alternative would be to give your bowman - Bill - one of the oars and get him to "feel" with it out front!!

Or are you actually looking for fish in the deep?

One problem we had with our fishfinder on our NRA Cobra was that at speed the fishfinder would stop working - this is due, I think, to air and turbulance around the transducer. How do other people get on at speed - or was ours just badly positioned?

[Alan]

our fishfinder (Eagle) stops working - basically as soon as you are on the plane. Never got around to sorting it and frankly most RIBS I've been on have the same problem to one degree or another. To be honest if you are doing 20kts+ with a stern mounted transducer (therefore you have just gone over the depth being measured) then if its too shallow you already know about it 'cos you've hit the bottom with the engine leg!! If its that shallow you would want to be doing a lower speed anyway!

Of course if you want to be really flash then the answer is the echopilot forward looking sounders which will give you a picture ahead of the boat. Not cheap bits of kit though.

Keith - Your plan sounds perfectly feasible. Another option would be portable battery powered fishfinders with the transucer on a pole you manually stick over the side. I've seen these things in US catalogues/websites for bass fishing etc.

Cheers,
Alan

[Keith Hart]

Oooooh sounds good so far.

Okay. Which one. I've found 2 cheap ones.

Eagle Fish Easy and Garmin 100 Blue.

Comments appreciated.

Keith (can't wait for christmas) Hart

[Keith Hart]

Next the Garmin

[Keith Hart]

Sorry, here it is:

[batfalcon]

I would go for the Garmin. It's much cheaper in Greece and the GPS plotter that I've got never failed me.
Can't wait for Christmas too. But before that, I can't wait for the summer vacations. After all, Why did we all buy our RIBS for ?

[seafariskye]

Humminbird, or Piranha do a good one, quite new, completely portable, has own re-chargable battery, stick on transducer and waterproof and all that, saw one at the boatshow, and looks fine.
Would save you having to add a battery especially, and you can take it home so no-one can nick it!
Best i can do is get you to look at www.humminbird.com/hb_Products.asp?ID=229
Retails for about £110 (i think)
I have 3 of the humminbird ns25's and have had no trouble at all.
Cheers

Pete