I have a Lowrance HDS and just installed the XI3 GPS trolling motor on my Hobie PA14. Is it worth hooking it up to my fish finder? 

Hooked together they often cause interference.

I have a decently kitted out PA14.  I personally think it is worth hooking them up together.  Tapping on a location on the map, be it a waypoint I marked or a location  I want to check out, and having it pop up with, "would you like to navigate there?" is just darn cool.   Note - with the Xi3, make sure you're sitting down before hitting spot lock/anchor or answering "yes, take me there" as it can whip the kayak around a bit.

 

I am a tech guy and enjoy the bells and whistles.  I have them linked together via the Motorguide Pinpoint GPS gateway and I also added the Lowrance Point-1 heading sensor to assist with the directional cone display of my forward facing sonar.  I have not noticed any interference issues with any of my sonars but I went a bit overboard with wiring and shielding everything.  I DO have the motor on a separate battery than the fish finder, and have the FFS on it's own separate 3rd battery as well.  For the 'went overboard' part all power and sonar cables are also covered with tinned copper wire mesh shielding sleeve that is grounded back to the batteries. 

 

By the time I hooked a few things together, the NMEA network block of T-connectors was getting a bit lengthy.  I then found you can purchase a shorter multi tap block of sorts, like this.   I swapped one in and it works just as well and is more compact than the string of individual T connectors.

Out of curiosity as I will be attaching the same trolling motor to my PA14. What did you go with to attach the trolling motor to the boat? Also, did you go bow or stern mount?

6 hours ago, RLinNH said:

Out of curiosity as I will be attaching the same trolling motor to my PA14. What did you go with to attach the trolling motor to the boat? Also, did you go bow or stern mount?

I used the OneObjective bow mount plate found here.