HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

[POINTER94]

I am going to install an indash digital depth finder as a convenience and backup. There only seems to be a few of these units available anymore. Lorance, Uniden, Hummingbird. <br /><br />Does anyone have one of these units and how do you like it. I don't exceed 40mph (often) and I don't need it to show me 600-1000 feet.<br /><br />Any ideas or feedback guys. <br /><br />Thanks

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

see them on ebay all the time:<br /> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2459740642&category=38630

 

[POINTER94]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

MY<br /><br />Therein is part of my problem. They are all within 20-35 bucks in price. And they are there everyday. <br /><br />Is there one brand that stands out over the others or are they all about equal?<br /><br />Thanks

 

[18rabbit]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

I started looking at all the small, in-dash units but opted for a Furuno RD-30/Airmar 235kz transducer for a backup shallow water sounder/alarm for three reasons: display, transducer, and GPS. It has a larger 4-1/2” display I can see from across the solon, the ‘ducer frequency does not interfere with other stuff, and an optional Furuno WAAS-GPS antenna for plug-n-play GPS backup is available as well.<br /><br />NOTE: depending on placement, water depth and bottom structure, adding a second transducer can cause interference with your fishfinder’s transducer if they both operate on the same frequency. If you have a 200kHz ‘ducer in your ff already, opting for the higher 235kHz ‘ducer in the backup sounder will avoid this problem. Otherwise, may need to turn off the backup sounder…then why have it?<br /><br />Supposedly the RD-30/235kHz can handle sounding at 50-knots. Wouldn’t know…my displacement hull doesn’t want anything to do with locomotion above 12-knots, 8-knots preferred.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

Pointer, it's pretty old technology, so I would<br />say they are all pretty much the same. I would<br />choose one I was confident had everything needed<br />to properly mount where I wanted. new would be nice...<br />best thing is they are pretty cheap <br />ask guageguy, he should know what to look 4.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

hey pointer, try to move (hey guageguy) to front<br />of post topic so he can see it maybe?

 

[POINTER94]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

MY<br /><br />Sometimes I just get anything straight!

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

You guys have hit it all pretty much on the head. They are all pretty much the same. I am most familiar with the Lowrance models. All they show is depth and they have a shallow and deep alarm, and accurate down to about 200 feet. <br /><br />I tested a few on my boat when we were getting ready to offer them, but now I don't have any of them on the boat. I prefer looking at the depth display on my fish finder along with the bottom contour. <br /><br />99% of the depth gauges we sell go to the people who make high-end ski-boats. The fishing boats and larger yachts already have sonar units on board, so a gauge like this is useless to them.<br /><br />There are some higher end "information centers" out there now that show depth, air and water temp, boat speed, date and time etc. but they are much pricier than just an in-dash depth finder. I have not seen the Faruno Rabbit describred.<br /><br />This is what I did with the finders in my boat...hooked up the transducer to a 3' rod, mounted the gauge inside a 4"x4" box, powered it with a 9v battery (they have very little current draw) attatched the rod to the box, put a handle on it and now I have a depth finder for ice fishing

 

[POINTER94]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

Ask and you shall recieve....<br /><br />Thanks Everyone

 

[18rabbit]

Re: HEY gaugeguy...In dash depth finders

... hooked up the transducer to a 3' rod, mounted ...

I was thinking along this same line. Tie a bamboo pole vertically to the bow of the boat, extending down a couple feet beyond the boat’s draft. Attach a tiny bell to the top of the pole. You now have el-cheapo shallow water bottom finder! For high-speed applications, tie the pole with bigger knots.