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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 7:01 am 
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 6:36 am
Posts: 59
Location: CT
HiYall,

Just wanted to throw this out there for your opinions..... Fish a Tandem Island in freshwater lakes in CT and also Long Island Sound for reef structure fish (Stripers, Tog) but also can move around enough to search for moving schools of Bluefish or suspended LM and SM bass.

Been reading reviews on diff brands but wonder if a regular sonar is better than a Hi Def sonar for the Type of fishing available????

My 2 cents - In a yak, you cannot cover a large area of water searching for fish, so I better have a very good sonar to find whatever fish are close by..... BUT....
In a Tandem Island, you can search more water, if you have wind!

You can pay more for larger screens, color, better GPS tracking, but it seems that the splashing in a Yak mite ruin it!

So..... Pay more for bigger and better, because you REALLY need to see a Gnats A$$ on the screen or Save $'s, go cheap, cause you will be replacing it soon??


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:14 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2013 10:28 pm
Posts: 66
I got the hummingbird 386Ci/DI, which unfortunately I can't recommend as I've had problems with one of the modes being intermittent resulting in a blank screen (sonar down-imaging mode, only works when it wants).

I decided on that model as it had the features I wanted, it had the ability to upload charts and enhanced sonar products (NAVIONICS gold), and it was small.

The disadvantage of the smaller display was, to me, acceptable in favor of a smaller head (less clutter in an already busy cockpit). Additionally I'm trying to keep the overall weight down, and that model works well with a small battery.

If I can get the bugs worked out, it'll be a fine unit...but the fact that it wasn't working 4.0 out of the box gives it poor marks. I'm hoping to isolate it (bad cable going to the transducer,perhaps) but I'll probably have to send it back for warranty repair.

-RH

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2013 Tandem Island "Victory Lane"
Oahu, Hawaii
www.rotorheadsblog.blogspot.com


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:40 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
Posts: 2893
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
I am very happy with my Lowrance Elite 4 DSI, with Navionics silver chart. I have mounted it pretty high on a couple of RAM fittings, and also fitted it inside a cut-down kitchen cannister to help reduce the water blast when sailing fast. I also bought a rubber chair-leg stopper to cover the empty rear socket, as well as taped over the micro SD slot, a known place for potential water entry to the unit.
Image

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 12:19 am 
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Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 7:20 am
Posts: 221
Location: Bulgaria
Depth Capability of Elite 4 DSI is only 61 m / 200 ft. I had the Elite 4 DSI & Elite 5 DSI, but now I am with Elite 7 HDI and do not intend to change it. Elite 7 HDI works perfectly. The transducer works on 83/200 kHz + 455/800 kHz.
Quote:
455/800kHz DownScan Imaging™ is capable of maintaining depth and water column information to 300 feet deep.
83/200kHz traditional sonar imaging is capable of maintaining depth and water column information to 1,000 feet deep.


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 7:11 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 6:36 am
Posts: 59
Location: CT
Thnx JohnnyBravo for also showing your set up..... How and where did you mount the transducer??


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 11:22 pm 
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Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 7:20 am
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Location: Bulgaria
viewtopic.php?t=46379#p215391



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 4:38 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
Posts: 2893
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
My last cannister plotter cover shook itself to death on the highway, so I went for an improved version. This rectangular plastic cannister has a "window" cut out in the front, drain holes in the bottom, plus an access hole for the wiring. The lid is held on with a piece of thin bungee cord.

I think this design will be the final version.
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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:23 am 
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Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 7:20 am
Posts: 221
Location: Bulgaria
I think TI is needed for larger display that is visible from both seats .
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