Help with purchasing sonars/gps/bowmouny trolling motor

[crudedude]

Hey all

Was wondering if some one might be able to help me out with selecting a sonar package and bowmount trolling motor.I have read a few articles on some packages.I was thinking of purchasing the Hummingbird package combo from Cabelas 997c/788ci and a Minnikota auto pilot trolling motor.My boat Is a 17ft Crestliner.How much thrust would I need.I would like to get a 24 volt system.Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.:)

Thanks for your time.

[vandy]

Fishing is a really nice hobby. People can enjoy it. In 21st century, the use of modern equipments has revolutionized fishing also. SONAR & GPS are very good devices.

[budd77]

I have an 06' Crestliner 1750 Fishhawk with a 140 Suzuki. I have a 80 lb Terrova with autopilot, universal sonar 2 and a 60" shaft. In really rough conditions the bow bounces and the prop comes out of the water. I wouldn't go with anything less than what I have. Not in length or pounds of thrust. I also have a Merc 9.9 Pro Kicker which I also use when it gets really windy to help the bow mount. It helps keep the front end down and saves the batteries. As far as fishfinder/gps I have 2 332c Lowrances. 1 on dash and 1 in bow of boat. They work very well. If I were to get new fishfinders today it would be a hard choice. The Hummingbirds with the sidefinders look pretty cool but I don't like the way they mark fish. The new Lowrance Hd fishfinders look pretty awesome. I've had the opportunity to play with the HD8 and 10 in a store and they looked absolutly amazing. You can get them in 5, 6, 8, and 10" screens. I guess I would have to take out a second mortgage and get two HD 8's. No matter what you do make sure you get good batteries. At least 27 group, 180 minute reserve. I have 2 Trojan 31 Gel batteries. These are probably the finest deep cycle batteries money can buy. Maintenance free(never have to check fluid levels or take them out of the boat) and seem to last forever. As well you'll need a 2 or 3 bank on board charger. I have a 2 bank, with 10 amps per bank Minn Kota. I wish I had a 3 bank so I could easily charge the starting battery but the Suzuki seems to have a good alternator and keeps the battery charged pretty good. If you live in Calgary I'd go to the Fishin Hole they carry Lowrance, Minn Kota(trolling motors and chargers) and batteries. I really like Cabelas as well. I've ordered a ton of stuff from them over the last few years but its easier to get service or return stuff if bought here. I'd compare prices on pkgs from both places including duty, taxes, broker fees, and shipping in Canadian funds. I bet you can get it for a bit cheaper in Canada. I usually only order stuff that I can't get in Canada because it costs more to order if it is available here.

[Waxy]

I agree with Budd77 about the trolling motor.

At least 24V and 75-80lbs thrust, 60" shaft, Autopilot if you go MinnKota, Copilot is also sweet, and the Universal sonar just makes life easy. The Powerdrive or Terrova are both very good options in the MinnKota, the Wireless series from Motorguide are also nice. Those are the basic necessities, the rest depends on your budget and what you like best, they all have different features and pros/cons.

Sonar - IMHO, bigger is better, and color is really nice. The new Lowrance HD units look SWEET, but they're big $$$$ and "unproven" so to speak. There are some amazing deals out there right now on the old stock of the Lowrance LCX series - 28C, 38C, 112/113HD, etc... You may want to check into them, especially online. Humminbird makes a very good sonar as well, the one you mentioned is a nice rig. Decide on a budget, and look closely at your options. The discontinued Lowrances might let you step up a model or two while still staying within your budget.

Enjoy the hunt...

Waxy