Need some help here

I know I should have posted this in electronics (probably) but wanted a wider response - sooner - want this taken care of today/tomorrow.

Wanting to launch the boat on Saturday and it does not have a depth finder installed. I am very nervous about this (if you lived around Kansas City you would understand) because I do not want to tear up my nice new boat.

I need a depth finder that features water temp, air temp and has a programmable shallow alarm. I do not want to cut a hole in the dash for a gauge mounted one but that's all I seem to be finding that offer the alarm.

So help me out, I don't need bells and or whistles, just the functions above.

Also, through hull transducers? work well or should I just look at transom mount? (hate to drill into the hull of this beauty)

Thanks

Re: Need some help here

They make some dash mounted units that just stick on the face of the panel or can be mounted on a stand. If you want water temperature you will have to drill a hole above the waterline to run the sender just like you would a transom mount tranducer. Not knowing the type of boat you have I would recommend a transom mount because finding a good spot for the shoot thru hull to work properly can be tricky and won't work at all on some hull types. Don't be afraid to mount new equipment to your new boat. Proper installation techniques will give you no issues.

Re: Need some help here

Sorry, I have a 1996 Mariah Shebah 180 SE 18ft I/O open bow fiberglass. Mostly a pleasure boat, but I will on occasion fish with some buddies. Don't need a fish finder as much as a water monitor. (Depth, temp, etc.)

I guess I can live with installation, should it be mounted on the opposite side of the out drive from the speedometer pickup?

So brands? Options?

Thanks

Re: Need some help here

www.google.com

Re: Need some help here

take a look at bracket mounted fish finders. They should do everything you're looking for. Integrated ones can include GPS as well.

Re: Need some help here

Levinz11 said:

www.google.com

Click to expand...

That is the single most awesomely helpful post EVAR!!!

I think have heard of that googly thing what is it exactly? I hear the kids talking about it all the time. It's a phone thing right? Like that "pear" company that's always suing everyone right?

Seriously, like I have been using google, and I have looked at 10 different "fish finders" they don't say what kind of transducer, they don't say if they have an alarm I was just looking for a little knowledge here which I thought was why people came here.
KTHX

Re: Need some help here

You need to look at Eagle, Lowrance, Humminbird, Raymarine locators, to name just a few. Just about all of them and nearly all models have deep and shallow alarms as well as water temp and some do have ambient temp. You can get virtually any type of transducer you want for them from through hull to stern mount.

Re: Need some help here

Moving to electronics

Re: Need some help here

im with bubba on the quote of "Sorry but at any sort of speed the alarm won't sound until AFTER you are in trouble." its on the back so if theres a sudden change in dept or a gator the big thud replaces the alarm. kinda wondering if it did work and was mounted on the pointy end would i relay want to know that theres a problem 15 feet ahead at 30mph. works great when you have to slow down for min wake zones where they mark the shallows.

Re: Need some help here

Depth finders are like ever other instrument they monitor conditions and will never replace good judgment and experance.

Re: Need some help here

ok serious ans to the question. urrr there is no real ans as most new depth finders/fish finders/gps/tracking/etc units can be bought with the internal or external mount transducer just depends on which version you buy. some do not include the transducer and you buy that as a seperate item. if the transducer is a internal its not touching the water so it will not read water temp. a seperate water temp probe can be added that goes on the transom if required. just about all units that do depth have alarms that can be set to alert you to shallow water conditions. i have a eagle cuda 350 its was a real good unit when it was new for the price and it has all of the toys except its black and white. i fish in a lake that has many channels so the gps and tracking feature is the main reason i bought it. i would surgest a trip to basspro to get a hands on idea of what you like and dislike then you can ask people about a certain model and the pros and cons. with a price range of under a hundred to well over a thousand your budget might be the limiting option.