Wayne P.

Both Humminbird Side Imaging and Lowrance Structure Scan do very well as a search tool. Humminbird Side Imaging does side imaging the best especially in shallow water and is very adjustable which makes it a good fishing tool also. It depends on what your use is which is the best for you. I choose fishing over searching.

#1 issue. Any two units operating at same time on the same freqency/s will cross-talk if their sonar pulses overlap. It makes no difference if they are the same brand or not. The units come with the same HDSI transducer. In any case you should attach the console unit's SI transducer on the transom and the bow unit's transducer on the bottom of the trolling motor. If you connect the two units with Ethernet, you can share a single transducer while fishing so your partner can see what you are seeing at the bow.You choose which transducer in the Network menu. Otherwise turn off the unit you are not using or just turn off the sonar part.

Yes, that is where it should be attached. The strakes cause cavitation and add air bubbles to the water stream coming off the hull. The best you can allow for that is centered between them. You can also put it to the left of the trailer bunk/strake, centered between the hull center line and the strake. It depends on how well you get high speed depth readings with the present location. You may have too many hull fittings in that area for the mount to fit.

Either one works on aluminum. Use the one that is most suitable for what you want it to do.

That image was sent to me by a friend in Texas of one of the bridges on Lake Fork.

I agree. You can't have too much TM power.

The Web App on the Navionics web site has current topo maps for the US and is updated daily. It is viewable only. It is the same data that is downloaded when updating a Navionics map card with Freshest Data.

You are correct that the plug is a remendy added later than the printed unit installation instructions. BUT the plug has been included in a separate package with instructions for 3-4 years. There is no need to re-do the installation instructions to include the plug instructions. If you just buy a mount (MXH XNT), it comes in a bubble package with installation instructions and the package with the plug that has the installation instructions. I break the mounts in trees/stumps. That is why I have all those plugs. I don't use my SI transducer at the bottom of the hull so I never needed to install the plug. I do my own installs so I know they are done correctly.

You don't get any displayed images out of the water with imaging. What you saw before with no transducer connected is the Simulator recording. There was no "scanning" going on.

Additional note: Some have had success with a transom mounted HDSI on a Champion hull for on-plane depth readings. You just have to understand the hull's configuration. Typically what I see is the lack of understanding of how a boat hull reacts to water when moving. I get transom pictures from all over the world and see mis-applied transducer installations a lot. "far right of the transom" is not a desirable location for most hulls.

Yes, you can get on-plane depth readings with the HDSI transducer, but it is more difficult with a high performance hull. slonezp's suggestion is the best application for your hull. Out of the box, it is the Standard application world-wide. A high performance bass boat is not a "standard" application.

Sonar Charts will be availble for Lowrance, Garmin was added recently. Lakemaster will be available in our area at some point. Both take time.

3M 5200 for permanent or 3M 4200 for later removal.

You can attach it to the hull any place as long as the motor's lower unit does not contact it. The closer to the motor, the better. Most that are concerned with possible impact damage, attach it to a jackplate if they have one.

The company that owns Humminbird bought the Dr Depth software. It will become Lakemaster Auto Charts coming out soon. SO you got the correct brand to use that after all.

If the motor still runs after 16 years, what is your concern about quality?

Gamefisher outboards are made by whichever company would produce an outboard for the cheapest price for any particular year for Sears. If you can find one in good working condition you should be OK. BUT with Ethenol in fuel now, the rubber parts may not be suitable for it.

Agree

I agree about the Platinum except for the Sonar Charts feature. I bought the Platinum just for that program and I don't use the extra features. That was before Navionics+ was available. The Gold has no inland lakes, that is for coastal waters. Review each product on the Navionics web site. The best product is the Navionics+ since you decide what locations to download to the map card and you get Sonar Charts. BTW, for a particular lake, Hotmaps Platinum, Hotmaps Premium, and Navionics+ has the exact same map when updated after purchase and is the same as what you see on the Web App.

The rooster tail plug is part of the XNT mount. Several transducers use that mount. It has been included with the mount for at least 5 years. Your unit model makes no difference. I have several since I break the XNT mount in stumps occasionally and have spare mounts. Send me a PM and I'll send you one of you can't find yours.

I can't tell in the pictures, did you insert the rooster tail plug in the mount?

You cannot "load the maps". The maps on digital map cards are read directly from the map cards and not loaded to the unit's memory. If you don't have the map card inserted in the unit, you don't have the maps.

According to the Lakemaster web site, Neely Henry is not on their maps. Guntersville is HD. The best Navionics product is Navionics+ It comes with no maps. You choose what waters to download to the map card from anywhere in the country including waters that are on the Gold edition. Guntesville and Neely Henry are HD (1' contours) You can view all the Navioincs maps on the Navionics web site-- Products/Web App. Navionics has Gold and Navionics Platinum+ for saltwater. Hotmaps Platinum, Hotmaps Premium, and Navionics+ for freshwater.

Only Navionics Hotmaps Platinum, Navionics Platinum+ and Navionics+ has Sonar Charts. Gold and Hotmaps Premium do not. Additonally Lowrance units cannot participate in the Sonar Charts program, but can view that map layer.