New here. Few questions

(Yes I searched )

Hate to show up and start asking for help right away but I thought I'd give it a go hidden in a bit of an intro thread

Bought a 2014 Outback in Dune colour recently. Took it out for the first time on Wednesday and I have to say...comoaring this thing to a paddle kayak is like comparing a horse and buggy to a Bugatti Veyron. It's staggeringly good. Easily one of the coolest innovations I've seen in a long time. I'm mostly surprised how few people know it exists. Now that I've kissed the forum owner's ass sufficiently, let's move on.

Here's a pic of it loaded up on my car...

I will run through a few questions


Here it is precariously hanging above said car in the garage (the Audi RS4 forum guys would probably ban me for that)





Here's a quick video of me racing a friend in his bass boat on his trolling motor at full power (it didn't go well for him...he was sure he'd win so he let me jump out but never caught me)
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https://youtu.be/Q3Qy-EVBTVU
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I will mostly fish freshwater lakes here in Ontario with the outback, and I primarily target bass (both largies and smallies around here) and pike (mostly by accident when looking for bass). Once in a while I will go looking for musky as they're just epic.

I have a few questions if anyone wants to save me a little more digging around

1. Is there a mounting/dismounting technique for putting the outback on a sedan roof rack that's universally considered best?

2. Is a lowrance 5 or 7 fishfinder overkill/too bulky? Should I stick to a 4?

3. Is sidescan (lowrance HDS) worth the bother (fancy transducer, awkward outboard mount etc) or should I stick to sonar and downscan devices?

4. GPS on the fishfinder or no GPS? Trying to figure out if it's worth the $300 price delta (after buying a gps model and a chip etc). I figured I wouldn't go far enough from launch to need GPS for location...just for finding suitable depth to fish (I.e. Shoals and humps that hold smallies) but I can always do that on my phone in advance with my phones navionics charts. Of course mucking with your phone when surrounded by water is not smart so perhaps there's a case to be made for an all in one fish finder. I don't like buying things twice so hopefully you guys have some feedback.

5. I'm going to upgrade the seat using either a Jackson elite mod or something else soon and was wondering if there's something newer that people like better or if it's still the elite? What about the elite 2.0 or 3.0? I have to say the stock seat is very comfortable but I want to be up a bit higher for casting as I'm 6'5" and with long arms and 7'+ rods, a little elevation would go a long way.


Otherwise great site and I hope to be enjoying it, and my outback, for quite a while.

Answering my own questions due to no responses after 130+ views. Just in case someone else has the same questions

1. Put thick rug or mat with rubber backing on trunk and back bar of roof rack...put front of kayak up on rug centred... Push from behind and slide it up on the rack. Costco has a nice rubber foam kitchen runner that works well.

2. Lowrance 5 is fine. 7 is pushing it but still ok. Went with Helix 5 DI GPS

3. Sidescan or side imaging can e done if you rig some kind of deployable / lowerable setup in the lowrance ready transducer spot or just build a sturdy protection mechanism for the exposed transducer (fixed position)

4 gps. May as well, since it's one less thing to fiddle with your phone. Also interesting to note that lowrance just raised the price of their charts on their phone application from $16 to $65! I have heard they're going to start locking microsd chips to units now too. So if you buy a new chip, it's only good for one unit and must then stay with that unit.

5. Haven't seen anything about this.


I'm currently putting together the pieces for a fishfinder battery install using a lightweight lithium ion 12v9+ah battery that only weighs 1 lb (vs the 6 lb sealed lead acid battery I was originally looking it).

The kayak hoist in the garage is great for working on the kayak. A ts like a lift in a mechanics garage. Raise it up to get under to the fishfinder transducer installation... Lower it to 4 feet off the ground for easy access to the top/insides for wiring/routing.

Looking forward to the warmer weather returning.

Hi Unchained

Regarding point 5. I have fitted a Jackson Elite (I think it is the 2) to my 2013 Outback. I am 180cm (5"11" I think) and 110kg and not the most agile or fittest bloke around. I fitted it similarly (with a few of my own mods ie no drilled holes) to the post "Outback drivewell/cam post reinforcement & Jackson seat mod' by HNole in the fishing open forum (sorry about the long winded directions). I think it would have to be the best mod that I have done, I have previously messed around with other seat mods, I used to get out of the standard seat like a half open pocket knife after a couple of hours, which made it very unpleasant, now I go for about 6-7 without many worries. It sits me a bit higher (gunnel height) but I don't find it much of an advantage sight wise, but I guess I haven't really tried it out for that. I do find it a little more 'tippy', but being aware of that I pick my conditions that I feel safe with.

As for the sounder/fish finder I have a Garmin Echo 300c but don't know how to use it properly for fish finding (usually cast and hope for a bite) and I mainly use it for depth readings on rivers. I need some instruction & practice on how to use & read it.

Weathers warm but windy

Yes, the Outback is a huge upgrade fro a peddle kayak, IMHO. There are some videos on youtube for loading and Outback, but at 59 I'm not able anymore. So, I bought a Nissan Frontier to carry it in the bed. You might finding a vid for installing the Jackson seat, I know someone who has done it. I use a Helix 5 DI, and wished I had bought the GPS, but I carry my handheld, just something else to carry, we fish the ledges of Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley and it makes it easier to find our spots. My fishing buds have PA's and have HUGE fishfinders of various makes on their yaks, but the size of the Helix is probably the biggest I'd want personally. we fish tournements, so using the phone is a must for CPR anyway, but I'm like you, it's a juggling act between holding the phone, getting photo of fish, holding rods, etc,etc, and keeping said phone/fish from going into the water before photo. The handheld GPS hangs around my neck with a lanyard.

Thanks for the input guys.

I rigged up the transducer, power and battery for my Helix 5 DI GPS last night.



Problem is it's supposed to snow here this week and I'm about 5 months from being able to use it!

The Hobie humminbird transducer adapter worked like a charm.



Here's the kayak on the hoist in 'service mode' lol.



Anyone use this? I think it's called the RTS band. Real time sonar. Basically just shows the fastest data but I can't see how you'd use that.

Cna you share some pics of your installation so I can see how to do it without drilling holes ? Also what was the cost of the elite seat when you bought it?whereabouts are you located (guessing Australia based on 'bloke' and metric system )

Sorry about the delayed reply but I've been away fishing and catching.

I bought the seat from Jackson's US in Jan 2015 for $109 + $20.00 (US) shipping to an independent shipping warehouse and then had it shipped to Albany Western Australia, which cost more than the seat, more initial research needed me thinks, but unfortunately I only found out the shipping cost after I had bought the seat and Jackson's couldn't ship it overseas. I should have tried harder to get one in Australia before I bought it, Ahh well!. I'm not sure how to download photo's but if you PM me with your email I will send them that way (if that is ok with you, sorry but I don't have book face or blue teeth etc as I'm an older school-er (old f--t) and don't know how to use them, even my mobile isn't smart)

Spoke to a local dealer of Jackson kayaks and he said the elite seat is $209 cdn (about $150 usd) but that is for Jackson Elite 2.0 or 3.0...and I'm not sure if these will fit in an outback (and neither was he). Don't think they have the original elite seat available (at this dealer)

Anyone have any idea?


Also got my fishfinder sorted out. Bought another Humminbird Helix 5 DI GPS with navionics+ this time and sold the other one. It's incredible how expensive the map chips are these days. It's easier to buy it bundled with a brand new ffinder.

Anyway, I (re)installed the 5 using a RAM mount. One of the 1.5" ram bases was already on the kayak when I bought it so I bought a corresponding 1.5" mount. Specifically 202-153-202 I believe. Loads of flexibility.

Installed the transducer again using the the Hobie humminbird adapter, and ran the wire through. Also installed the power cord. Waiting for my lithium ion battery to arrive. Decided against the lead acid one I had as it weighed literally 10 times the lithium ion one. Will dry bag it and keep it somewhere in the kayak body. Not sure where yet. Don't want to waste a storage bin so I will probably industrial Velcro the dry bag to the inner 'roof' somewhere around under the seat so it's easily reachable for pulling the battery out to recharge etc.