[Steve]

I'm thinking about going with one of these for my boat.

What I like about it:

• Tight integration with Navonics (split screen between the two apps)
• Virtually unlimited screen options. I could even have two screens (an old phone and a tablet). Why pay for a fancy screen when you already have one in a tablet. My old phone is waterproof as well.

If anyone is using one of these on their boat, I'd love to hear more about it.

 

[CrawlerHarness]

So the $180 transducer / battery / case that will transmit a bluetooth type signal over to your phone or tablet? Sounds to cheap to be good. But combined with the Navionics App, you should be more than capable.

https://store.vexilar.com/sonarphone-with-hs-transducer-porta-case-phone-not-included.html

 

[Steve]

So the $180 transducer / battery / case that will transmit a bluetooth type signal over to your phone or tablet? Sounds to cheap to be good. But combined with the Navionics App, you should be more than capable.

https://store.vexilar.com/sonarphone-with-hs-transducer-porta-case-phone-not-included.html

It is actually transmitted via wifi. Bluetooth would be too slow.

 

[Shoeman]

Maybe I'm old school and want something hard-wired.

The higher end units have really come down in price since I got mine 3 years ago

 

[CrawlerHarness]

Maybe I'm old school and want something hard-wired.

The higher end units have really come down in price since I got mine 3 years ago

?? So you would rather pay $3000-4000 for a higher end unit instead of $180?

I wouldn't call $3000-4000 for the higher end units coming down. They seem to be going up.

 

[Steve]

I'm one for getting rid of wires when possible and a huge advantage is that everyone who has a phone on the boat can connect and have their own screen.

I guess one disadvantage is the phone and tablet screens probably don't perform as well in direct sunlight.

 

[Shoeman]

?? So you would rather pay $3000-4000 for a higher end unit instead of $180?

I wouldn't call $3000-4000 for the higher end units coming down. They seem to be going up.

He's not rigging a 50' yacht! I'm talking about a 7" screen.

 

[6Speed]

I'm one for getting rid of wires when possible and a huge advantage is that everyone who has a phone on the boat can connect and have their own screen.

I guess one disadvantage is the phone and tablet screens probably don't perform as well in direct sunlight.

Another disadvantage is when they drop a tablet or a phone in the lake. Whine, whine, whine all the way home...

I dropped a waterproof cell in an ice hole once and it rang for three days until the battery died. No answer! IMO the sunlight glare you mentioned will be a problem for sure. I know I can't see my cell on a sunny day on the water.

 

[Lund Explorer]

Some of you guys must have a better set of eyes than this old man. I'm currently staring at a combination of Hummingbirds, an 899 on the console and an 859 on the bow, and there are times I can't see what I'm looking for. Probably the same reason I've got a 25" computer screen.

I'm assuming that you have a mount for your phone/tablet for hands free use.

 

[wpmisport]

Looks like a great idea, just mount a tablet on the dash and make a cover for shade.

 

[CrawlerHarness]

Some of you guys must have a better set of eyes than this old man. I'm currently staring at a combination of Hummingbirds, an 899 on the console and an 859 on the bow, and there are times I can't see what I'm looking for. Probably the same reason I've got a 25" computer screen.

I'm assuming that you have a mount for your phone/tablet for hands free use.

Lund is correct. With a Humminbird.....it isn't easy to change the angle on it, so you turn up the lighting. With a phone in your hand.....just turn 15 degrees and you can see your screen now.

 

[CrawlerHarness]

He's not rigging a 50' yacht! I'm talking about a 7" screen.

You are one of the few. I paid $1500 for my 10" screen. And most of the guys I see at the boat launch have at least (3) 10"-15" screens networked....so more like $12,000 on their $70,000 sparkle boat.

 

[Shoeman]

You are one of the few. I paid $1500 for my 10" screen. And most of the guys I see at the boat launch have at least (3) 10"-15" screens networked....so more like $12,000 on their $70,000 sparkle boat.

If I want to watch TV, I’ll stay home

My 240 Sundance has the Elite and works good enough for me. The Whaler has a Hook unit with all the charts including the Everglades. Again a TV screen would be overkill.

Steve is talking about about a river boat, not a sparkle boat that needs all the gadgets to look cool. My point is that those units that once were above a grand are now close to 1/2 that.

Not talking carbons or Simrad. Maybe the “higher end” threw you off

 

[piketroller]

You are one of the few. I paid $1500 for my 10" screen. And most of the guys I see at the boat launch have at least (3) 10"-15" screens networked....so more like $12,000 on their $70,000 sparkle boat.

If the goal is to catch as many fish as you can with buying a new rig, 75% of the budget should go into the boat/motor/trailer and 25% in accessories - electronics, trolling motors, a kicker, power poles, rod holders, etc. A loaded 18’ boat will help you catch more fish than a 20’ boat with a little 5” screen at the helm and a non-GPS enabled trolling motor up front IF you learn how to use all that fancy stuff.

 

[piketroller]

If I want to watch TV, I’ll stay home

My 240 Sundance has the Elite and works good enough for me. The Whaler has a Hook unit with all the charts including the Everglades. Again a TV screen would be overkill.

Steve is talking about about a river boat, not a sparkle boat that needs all the gadgets to look cool. My point is that those units that once were above a grand are now close to 1/2 that.

Not talking carbons or Simrad. Maybe the “higher end” threw you off

Deals are out there if you keep your eyes open. I picked up a 12” Carbon last fall for a net of about $1200 after I sold off the other things in the bundle I didn’t need.

 

[CrawlerHarness]

If I want to watch TV, I’ll stay home

My 240 Sundance has the Elite and works good enough for me. The Whaler has a Hook unit with all the charts including the Everglades. Again a TV screen would be overkill.

Steve is talking about about a river boat, not a sparkle boat that needs all the gadgets to look cool. My point is that those units that once were above a grand are now close to 1/2 that.

Not talking carbons or Simrad. Maybe the “higher end” threw you off

Just having some fun with you. I just can’t believe the number and percentage of new $75,000+ sparkle boats everywhere I go. I think it is 30-40% of the boats on Green Bay and Winnebago. And only slightly lower on the Saginaw Bay.

I am a firm believer in the electronics, especially in the cold water lakes. But (3) big screens to catch fish on Erie, the Detroit river, Saginaw Bay, or Green Bay is stupid. The fish are darn near everywhere. But I am also tempted to just buy a unit like this to see if I. An make it work as well. Just need to be able to mark fish at 20 mph and have a big screen GPS and I would be good.

 

[piketroller]

Just having some fun with you. I just can’t believe the number and percentage of new $75,000+ sparkle boats everywhere I go. I think it is 30-40% of the boats on Green Bay and Winnebago. And only slightly lower on the Saginaw Bay.

I am a firm believer in the electronics, especially in the cold water lakes. But (3) big screens to catch fish on Erie, the Detroit river, Saginaw Bay, or Green Bay is stupid. The fish are darn near everywhere. But I am also tempted to just buy a unit like this to see if I. An make it work as well. Just need to be able to mark fish at 20 mph and have a big screen GPS and I would be good.

How many of those sparkle boats you see in Wisconsin are Lunds? Those will mostly be guys that work for Mercury in Fond du Lac using the employe purchase program. Once they start into the program, usually they can sell a two year old boat for what they paid for it and perpetually be in a new boat.

 

[Steve]

Any phone or tablet I would use in such an application would definitely be mounted, so no issue with accidental overboard. My every day phone which would also be with me would be in much more jeopardy.

What would the minimum spend be to get navonics and sonar on a traditional unit?

Though this is for a river boat, I would be using the electronics when I hit the occasional lake in the summer.

 

[CrawlerHarness]

How many of those sparkle boats you see in Wisconsin are Lunds? Those will mostly be guys that work for Mercury in Fond du Lac using the employe purchase program. Once they start into the program, usually they can sell a two year old boat for what they paid for it and perpetually be in a new boat.

Good question. Quite a few of them are Rangers.....are they owned by Lund? Then you have your Tritons, Yarcrats, and some Nitros. I haven't seen a Vexus yet. I also haven't ever seen a Lund Fiberglass boat. I do see Lund Aluminums all the time too, but I don't think those are super expensive.

 

[piketroller]

Good question. Quite a few of them are Rangers.....are they owned by Lund? Then you have your Tritons, Yarcrats, and some Nitros. I haven't seen a Vexus yet. I also haven't ever seen a Lund Fiberglass boat. I do see Lund Aluminums all the time too, but I don't think those are super expensive.

None of those are Brunswick boats so guys must be paying full price.