locator/GPS installation time

[nboater]

I purchased a fish locator/GPS with WAAS antenna. I made an appointment at a local marina to have it installed. It will replace a fish locator with a transom mounted transducer. Barring any difficulties what is the average time it should take them to install this bracket mounted locator? Boat is a 17ft. Tracker.

 

[amirm]

Re: locator/GPS installation time

You mean he is just going to swap out one transducer for another? If so, and the mounting holes match, it should be trivial amount (30 minutes?). If the holes don't match, he would need to patch those up, probably wait for them to dry and then mount new. Probably 1 hour.<br /><br />Of course, this is are my guestimates...<br /><br />Amir

 

[nboater]

Re: locator/GPS installation time

He's also going to install the antenna and run the cables for it and the transducer, install the locator on the dash, and connect the power wires for the locator. Thanks.

 

[PAkev]

Re: locator/GPS installation time

As far as the power for the new unit, the wires should already be there from the previous unit. They may be smiling at you or can be tucked away in the wiring harness. This would also be the ideal time to put an in-line switch at the console for the fish finder in the event you accidentally leave it on for a few days, you aren't disappointed the next time you go to start the boat. Aside from finding them and making sure you have an in-line fuse attached, this should take about 30 min. to wire up. <br /><br />Running the transducer cables will be the most involved since it most likely involves pulling them through the rigging tube that probably already has some wires in it that will have to be worked around. <br /><br />The antenna mounting will depend on how far from the unit you plan on going and if you want the wire hidden or if you dont care if it is noticable. My boat came with the fish finder installed but I later installed a Lowrance GPS puck antenna in about 15 min.<br /><br />Many shops have a 1 hr minnimum charge on installations but I think anything between one and two hours is fair & reasonable for a quality installation since unexpected things often come up.

 

[swist]

Re: locator/GPS installation time

I do all this type of work myself and have done it on many different boats (If I were in WI, I'd beat the dealer's price <br /><br />Seriously, the time to install electronics with sensors, antennas, and power lines, is highly variable due to the good and bad design of a lot of boats. Some seal up the helm, don't provide pull ropes in the rigging tubes, or otherwise make simple wiring very convoluted. I put in a seawater temperature guage once that took hours and hours - there was a spare 2" blank on the dashboard but the structure behind it wasn't deep enough to allow the flush mounting of anu gauge deeper than a couple of inches, which this wasn't. Wound up having to rout out fiberglass etc to create a pocket for the back the guage. What a mess.<br /><br />Bottom line, if they charge you hourly, watch out!

 

[nboater]

Re: locator/GPS installation time

Thanks everyone. All info is helpful and appreciated!!

 

[JRJ]

Re: locator/GPS installation time

You're missing out on the pleasure of doing it yourself and learning something about your boat. The R&R is easy, but you should allow 2 hours. Fast isn't always better.

 

[nboater]

Re: locator/GPS installation time

I've learned the hard way. Should have installed it myself. Got the boat back today. It took them 2&1/2 hours. Total bill, $197. In the time it took them to install it you would think they would have put the plastic clip back on the transom to secure the transducer cable and vacuumed up the metal shavings left from drilling.