acar555

You have to have the SI transducer selected. If you set it to quadrabeam it won't work correctly. So, do you have 2 transducers mounted on your boat then. The SI transducer and the QB. The QB does work off of 455 khz like the SI transducer so it could 'work' but not correctly.

reconditioned motor inventory varies quite a bit from time to time.

Unless you get an internal gps model you would need a second gps puck as well.

The 998 also added a video out port.

You have the cursor up on the map screen, press exit to remove the cursor and you will center the map on the boat and it will track your positon with the boat always in the center.

There are separate power leads for the antenna that must be hooked up. If it came with a manual, the early ones didn't specify to connect the NMEA power wires to a power source with a switch. So you may have missed it. The later manuals fixed the omission. The "gps module not responding" issue is usally a power/connection problem, a bad or loose terminator or a bad antenna.

The Humminbird has better specs than the Eagle with more power, dual beam sonar and an easier to use operating system. The Eagle is in color though with is very nice. It's really a toss up, but I would probably take the color unit though.

Skeeter is owned by Yamaha so they only come with Yamaha outboards from the factory. I would take the Bass Cat and an Etec or Opti.

They are great trolling motors, just make sure to get the one with the maximizer built in, or a non SC (speed control) model. It will have a variable speed adjustment anywhere from 0-100%. Not a set speed setting of 1-5.

A couple of things to try. Even though it is new get the newest software installed to it. Register the unit or Humminbird.com and download the software update to a blank sd card. Put the card in the unit and follow the instructions. You will want to do this again in about a month to get the new Down Imaging software and revised waypoint management as well. Also, use the systems sonar menu to adjust the sensitivity and surface clutter settings. In shallow water make sure the TVG is ON (SwitchFire in new software) is set to clear mode. In dirty water I have had similar issues and by making some adjustments you can clear up the screen.

Also keep in mind that a jet drive produces about 70% of the thurst a prop will. So your 50 hp will be like you downsized to a 35hp.

What extra cost software are you talking about? I run both Humminbird and Lowrances and both offer free software updates for their units. So, I am a little confused by the "cost" you are referring to. Both offer a good unit, but I prefer the Humminbirds (997 and 787) over the HDS 8 I have. The HDS still has a few unresolved software issue that limit it's potential. I like the Humminbirds ease of use, perfomance, high pixel count, excellent support and they will add new features to discontiued models. Even though they don't make the 787 any more I still get the added features of the current 788.

I use my Chronarch 50mg quite a bit and it is one my favorite reels. I use it more than my Calais 100a.

It looks to me that you are getting interference from somewhere. What battery is the sonar hooked up to? Or the transducer is mounted to high and you are getting air underneath it when moving. This causes the screen to clutter up like that, and combinded with FishID turned on the unit "thinks" the clutter is fish, but really isn't. Make sure the transducer slightly lower than the bottom of the hull.

The $100/hp isn't the case anymore, especially on the smaller outboards. It is more like double that. A 9.8 hp, dedending on options, is over $1800 for most brands. Call a dealer and ask and you will know exactly.

For about $80 the eagle cuda 300 is a decent unit. If you want a bigger screen then the eagle 320 or humminbird 525 would be in your price range. I would give the humminbird the nod for ease of use.

As far as the environmental impact goes, both 2 and 4 strokes have to meet the same EPA requirements. The Etec and Optimax 2 strokes were some of the first engines to become CARB 3 star certified and should meet the 2011 standards. It comes down to what you want to do with your boat. If it is just for play and fishing with a lot of trolling the 4 stroke would be the best option. If you want the most performance then the direct injection 2 strokes are your choice (Etec or Optimax). Yamaha HPDI is only CARB 2 star and you might not see them after 2010.

At the $80 price point the Cuda 300 is the better buy. Pixel count is important in fish finders.

Humminbird has always had a thru hull transducer. It must be drilled thru the hull. The SI beam can shoot thru hull, but it will greatly lower sensitivity and range.

I have owned and currently own both Humminbird and Lowrance. My current set up is an 997c interlinked with a 787 and a HDS 8. I don't really see that much difference in the downlooking sonar between the 2. The Structure Scan addon for the HDS units is going to run another $600 and will be available Nov. 9th. There is no situation that side imaging won't benefit you in. Once you start using it you wont want to not have it.

Don't run your depth finder off of the trolling motor battery and a piece or rubber between the transducer and the motor will help also.

Just look up the difference of the price between the 2 motors on NADA and add that to you number. It will probably be around 2k

The 917 and 957 are the same as far as features goes execpt the 917 has a 7" display and the 957 has an 8" display. It really depend on which screen size you like best. The 917 is around $1000 new and the 957 is around $1150.

I am running Humminbirds (997 and 787) and an HDS 8 on my boat. The downlooking sonar of the 997 and the HDS 8 show the same fish arches and bottom detail. There is no noticable difference between the 2. I would put the Humminbird downlooking sonar up against the best of them. The HDS 8 while nice, really doesn't do that much more than the units it replaced, and who knows when their version of SI is coming. A lot of rumors but nothing for sure, and comparing the few screen snapshots of the Side Scan I have seen I will stick with the Humminbird. WAY better detail. I would get an 1197 and interlink it with a 917 or 957 on the front.

Put your trolling motor on its own battery and everything else on the other.