Fish finder visability

I am a new member that has two 2012 Pa 14s. This is my third season with these terrific kayaks. up until now I have been relying on a garmin oregon 450 to mark way points to find my way home. The garmin is mounted on the dual ball 1" ram mount. What are the recommendations for a fish finder that is easy to see in the bright sun and be enough machine to use in conjunction with the garmin. Is a through the hull transducer good enough for the first generation P.A 14. My other concern is having a simple setup for quick take down and loading when you come in off the water before dark. Having two Kayaks to load and stash the gear makes this point more of a concern. Thank s for your replies.

I have no problem viewing my Humminbird 768 in bright sunlight, wearing my polarized sun glasses.
I believe most fish finders on the market today have this issue covered.

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

What type of setup are you using for your transducer for the 768? Going through the scupper for the First generation boat is a good idea however I would have to take it off before putting the kayak on the trailer. I am using the tubing on the hulls.

The first picture shows the transducer facing the wrong way, I always mount the FF on the right side of the yak, just mounted it on the left side in this picture to take the pictures.
I use a Humminbird 597 GPS/DI combo unit, even in direct sunlight there is no problem reading the screen. I have also had a Humminbird 788, and a Humminbird 857 on my yak and boat with no problems reading the screen in direct sunlight. The screens can be a bit bright if you fish at dawn, dusk, or night though, not sure if the screen can be adjusted so it is not as bright via the settings.
I am using a Mad Frog Liberator mount with a transducer arm. The Mad Frog Liberator is mounted to a Scotty Fish Finder mount which in turn is mounted in a Scotty rail mount. Everything except the battery which is in a Walmart waterproof box which I have next to the seat is easily removed and everything stays together on the Liberator mount although I usually take the FF off the mount to make it slightly less heavy. No holes drilled anywhere and the transducer is in the water so I know what the water temp is. The FF is right next to the seat so it is easy to reach, easy to view, and easy to change the settings. I do have to flip the transducer up when in shallow water. I like having everything next to the seat so there is nothing to trip over when getting in and out of the side of the yak.
I did have to add a thin piece of rubber to each Scotty rail mount from a bicycle tube so that the rail mount would not spin on the rail.
I have used this set up for three or four years without a problem and nothing has broken yet. I was a little concerned about the transducer arm breaking at first but it has been very durable.
http://madfroggear.com/index.html

http://scotty.com/

Also, YakAttack has lots of cool ways to rig a FF and transducer:
http://www.yakattack.us/

Hi.

I have read the the feedbacks on the Humminbird 597ci HD DI Combo and bought one myself. I've just sold my PA12 before I got a chance to install the FF. If you are in the market for one, you can have mine for $490. It's BNIB - sealed.

Thanks.

Thank you so much for your replies and posting the pics. I never considered mounting on the rail before however you have a very good point on keeping the unit very close for easy reading and adjustment. I see you like to keep your ride very clean and uncluttered which definitely helps for ease of entry. I am over 50 and not quite as agile as i once was, particularly when I am coming in after being on the water for 6 or more hours. i will check out the links on the products you provided me. This project will require a bit more planning than I anticipated and might have to wait until winter. My first priority is to get out a few more times before the weather turns cold here in southern Ontario.

I am over 50 also and having the sides free of any equipment makes it a lot easier to get in and out. I take the rod holders off and put them behind the seat when launching and beaching so there is more room to swing the paddle. I leave the FF/GPS mounted but turn it off and flip the transducer arm up (not good to leave the FF on when the transducer is not in the water).
You might also want to consider adding a Hobie H Bar, it may make it easier to stand up and stabilize yourself in the process of standing and getting in and out of your PA. I did buy a H Bar but never installed it as I don't have any problems getting in and out yet.