eagle fish ID fishfinder..

[floatingwoody2006]

Hey. I have been given a new eagle fish ID. New in a sealed Box. It is quite old however..Wondering if it would even be worth the time to install this unit on my boat. I have been looking at the 100 dollar cheapo eagles at wallyworld, and then i recieved this thing. Probably from around 1990. It has the depth of course, but no water temp reading on it. Ground looks like a half full tetris screen from what the book looks like. I don't need much.. But is it just too old to be usefull?.. One neat feature on it is that it is totally submersible, and not just Water resistant like a few others ive seen..The transducer look tough enough to take a hit from anything.. And made in USA.. Thanks for reading..

 

[AndyL]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

If you only need something basic then it will probably fit the bill. I have a Lowrance x4 that is probably earlier vintage and it still does the job. I have had a lot more problems with recent higher end colour multi function devices than the old ones ever gave. Hook it up without cutting any holes and make sure it works and if you are happy fit it in!!

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

This unit and the X4 look to be the same vintage.. 1989-90. Not sure it's possible to mount the transducer without a couple of holes. Would like the battery meter as well.. Hmmnn i have a decision to make. Thanks

 

[JB]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

I had one of those. It worked well for me finding bottom and fish.

Sure is worth a lot more than it cost you.

 

[AndyL]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

Just temporarily mount the transducer to a piece of timber that you can hold over the side. Hook up anywhere to a 12Volt supply and check out the picture. As JB says the unit, if it is operating, is worth a lot more than you paid for it and Eagle/Lowrance of that vintage were pretty "bomb" proof. I think I paid around $500 equivalent for my X4 when I bought it so many years ago.

 

[tnduc]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

I've got a 1991 Eagle SupraID, and it works just fine. No temperature, but it does show the bottom contours and fish well enough to be usable.

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

I hooked it up temporarily to my 12v battery pack to verify it works well. I think i will install it tonight. Finding bottom is job 1 anyways. It's an old re-sealed alumicraft 14 footer.. not like a new lund or anything. Only thing that will be running from the battery is this and the same older vintage 32lb gamefisher trolling motor. Interesting trolling motor as it has a grip type tiller.. Not a handle. Next move for me it to find the best way to route the wires neatly in it. I think i would like to install a fuse panel of sorts so i can tuck the battery neatly up front for distribution. When i extended the Troller wires to run to the front, it popped the small 20 amp fuse i attached. Seems to be ok with a 30 in it, but i get the feeling it will need to be done correctly now that im introducing something else. Thanks for the input guys..

 

[BF]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

I recently wired my 16' bare bones aluminum for a fishfinder etc... The battery is in under a hatch cut into the front cross seat. I ran 1 1/2" PVC pipe down the side (pop riveted under the side braces) and used a sacrificed set of booster cables for cable. I cut holes on the side of the PVC and used pipe caps on both ends... looks clean. Then I made an under-seat storage area under the port side stern seat (it has a split seat at the back). In there I made up a fuse panel that is more or less sealed inside a tupperware type container. I also made up a bus there for all the -ve's to connect to (so they are not connected to the hull). Last bit was to put switches and a 12V accessory outlet on the side of that same seat (which face me when I'm driving). Now I've got an illuminated bilge pump switch, illum nav lights switch, and a heavy duty metal toggle switch which is used to kill power to "accessories" which is the fishfinder and the 12V accessory plug (each is separately fused). I thought the accessory plug would be handy for a spotlight, or for charging a cell phone.

Last thing I want to do, but haven't got around to, is to make the storage part lockable... Even without a lock, I have a soft sided case for the head of my fishfinder, and I tuck it in there when traveling etc... also fits a spare prop and some tools.

Anyway maybe it gives you some ideas... It took me a lot longer than I expected, but it turned out OK... Good luck!

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: eagle fish ID fishfinder..

I ended up installing it and testing on saturday with good results. FOllowed bottom at all speeds, though it would show fish from some cavitation from the prop wash. a worthwhile endeavor i think. I ended up running the wires down the inside with the channel stuff they use to attach phone and network cables to the wall.. Self adhesive. Thanks for talking me into not e-baying it. Seems the ooold eagles are a decent unit after all. Well worth the time.