First, some background. I've been running a Garmin UHD 93SV and a HUmminbird Helix 7 on a crossbar on my kayak. There's no transducer on the Humminbird as I just use it for maps and SmartStrike. On the Garmin I have FFS and a GT54 transducer for down imaging, side imaging, and traditional sonar.

 

The issue for me is that running a split screen with FFS and side imaging makes it tough for my old etes to see the things I want to see. Also, my kayak looks out of sorts with one bigger screen and one smaller screen.

 

Over the holidays, Bass Pro was running a special on the new UHD2 93SV (with transducer) for only $899 and after passing on it for weeks I finally purchased it. So now I mounted both 9" units on the crossbar and I can have FFS on the newer unit with better resolution and run imaging and sonar on the other unit. My goal was to network them, but that's an issue for another thread.

 

But the thing is that I still like my Humminbird for mapping and I don't want to lose that. So my solution was to mount it (actually temporarily clamp it) under the crossbar. Granted, some might think it's overkill, especially on a kayak, but I think it will work for me. I can't wait to try it all out next weekend.

 

Too much ?

If the additions make you happy, 

then perhaps not.

I don't see the need to justify whatever you install based on anothers opinion. 

I care about what I have and what works for me.

YMMV.

Good Luck

A-Jay

Dedicated and sync’s screens would be really nice.  If I was tournament fishing then I’d definitely want that.  The extra couple touches and part seconds to swap around (not to mention the mis-taps and misplaced waypoints), the reduced number of pixels on a target due to split screening, etc all work against you and time.  Having a map with waypoints on one, side imaging on another, and down/2D on the third while moving around and then mapping/live/2D+down on them while fishing with only swapping one screen (SI to live) would be pretty sweet.  I don’t need it myself now but with unlimited budget and space I’d have it.  

41 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Dedicated and sync’s screens would be really nice.  If I was tournament fishing then I’d definitely want that.  The extra couple touches and part seconds to swap around (not to mention the mis-taps and misplaced waypoints), the reduced number of pixels on a target due to split screening, etc all work against you and time.  Having a map with waypoints on one, side imaging on another, and down/2D on the third while moving around and then mapping/live/2D+down on them while fishing with only swapping one screen (SI to live) would be pretty sweet.  I don’t need it myself now but with unlimited budget and space I’d have it.  

I definitely don’t have an unlimited budget! The Helix 7 is 4-5 years old and was on my old pedal kayak. The first 93SV is a few years old. And the new one was on sale for only $899. Even then, it took a month of hemming and hawing to pull the trigger. And if it wasn’t for my girlfriend telling me to go ahead and buy it, it would probably still be on the shelf at Bass Pro.

 

I really wanted two of the 10 inch units and there was a package deal of two for $2,300 but I couldn’t pull the trigger.

 

My goal is to fish 9-10 tournaments this year, so that’s my excuse for buying it.

Your boat, your setup. If it's what keeps you wanting to get out on the water, then run it. I think it looks great.

all makes sense to me. If I was confined to a kayak only I'd probably have something similar. If you can use it all and can see it that's all that matters. While a 10" would be nice I feel like with how close you can be in a kayak the 93 size is still plenty....If not you can always get stronger glasses.

 

 

 

Just get ready for the "You got enough stuff in that little boat?!" comments on the water. I hear it all the time in mine and I really don't feel like I'm that loaded down but I doubt any of the people making the comment have ever actually been in a fishing kayak. 

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Just get ready for the "You got enough stuff in that little boat?!" comments on the water. I hear it all the time in mine and I really don't feel like I'm that loaded down but I doubt any of the people making the comment have ever actually been in a fishing kayak. 

 

That and the inevitable, “You should have bought a boat” comment. But I don’t mind that comment. Most of those people have never fished from a fully rigged kayak.

 

The fact is, I love my kayak. Well, except the color. But that was the only color that had the sale price when I bought it.

Just make sure when you’re burning 🔥 down the lake in that thing that you watch where you’re going! I don’t want you running anyone down at a crisp 3.2 mph! 😀

Hopefully it pays off in your yak tourneys.

I have a helix 9 on my autopilot 120...will eventually add a 2nd screen once I'm running Garmin livescope.... If it works.. It's never enough.... 

I like less stuff on my kayak.  I only run a helix 7 and DI only. But if you wanted FFS it makes sense to have a dedicated screen.  I have seen a few boats with way too many screens.  I thought to my myself they should have gotten a bigger boat.

51 minutes ago, BassinBrett said:

I like less stuff on my kayak.  I only run a helix 7 and DI only. But if you wanted FFS it makes sense to have a dedicated screen.  I have seen a few boats with way too many screens.  I thought to my myself they should have gotten a bigger boat.

 

Where this should help most is pre-fishing for tournaments on lakes that are new to me. After using maps and AI to locate potential spots to fish, I can run those areas using down scan and side scan to mark waypoints to go back and fish later in practice or in the tournament,

 

What I'm finding out in these larger tournaments is that I can't just look at a map, then go out and fish and expect to be competitive on any given day.

That looks great for a tourney fisher! I’m new to kayak fishing, and still have no prior experience with fish finders or imaging of underwater at all!  Your post gave me a light “on”. 

I’ve obtained a new Old Town PDL 106, and will be fishing a 1200 acre lake for bass, first time out in over 30 yrs!  I was used to using a paper contour map, and found my structure/fish just fine following it back in the 70’s on a half that size lake in Minnesota, alum boat w/4 hp.

 

So, you’re saying I can simply leave the transducer behind if I get a Hummer 5 GPS Helix and replicate my map-only fishing?  I loved that possible less rigging (I’m a technical noob) and easier on the eyes way to possibly get that OT yak out soon.  I was even planning to make several lake runs w/o fishing rods and only mapping to learn my boat and the lake.  I hate the idea of relying on screens, I work still over 40 hrs/week and sit in front of over a dozen!
 

As a tourney playa, u should use all this locater toolset.  Maybe u can pre-run some water bodies sans rods and get a heads up to.

7 hours ago, AVGuy said:

That looks great for a tourney fisher! I’m new to kayak fishing, and still have no prior experience with fish finders or imaging of underwater at all!  Your post gave me a light “on”. 

I’ve obtained a new Old Town PDL 106, and will be fishing a 1200 acre lake for bass, first time out in over 30 yrs!  I was used to using a paper contour map, and found my structure/fish just fine following it back in the 70’s on a half that size lake in Minnesota, alum boat w/4 hp.

 

So, you’re saying I can simply leave the transducer behind if I get a Hummer 5 GPS Helix and replicate my map-only fishing?  I loved that possible less rigging (I’m a technical noob) and easier on the eyes way to possibly get that OT yak out soon.  I was even planning to make several lake runs w/o fishing rods and only mapping to learn my boat and the lake.  I hate the idea of relying on screens, I work still over 40 hrs/week and sit in front of over a dozen!
 

As a tourney playa, u should use all this locater toolset.  Maybe u can pre-run some water bodies sans rods and get a heads up to.

 

When I had my pedal kayak I started with a reconditioned 5" Lowrance unit with sonar, sown scan, and side scan. Other anglers may tell you otherwise, but for the type of fishing that I prefer in shallower waters standard sonar didn't do anything for me.

 

Down scan was good for looking at structure, but side scan was better equipped for that task. Some people can target fish with side scan, but I find that near impossible with the little 5" screen. But it was good for finding structure, marking it, and then going back and fishing it.

 

I later moved to the Helix 7, using it for the same purpose, but I also added the Lake Master card for my region along with Smart Strike. I like those maps, and that's why I still have the Helix 7. It's strictly for mapping and I do not have the transducer plugged in with it.

 

I do suggest that if you ever by a system, save up and buy at least a 9" screen. Also, if you think you might even consider FFS in the future, make sure it's compatible. Otherwise you end up like me and spending money on units that you quickly outgrow.

Excluding the whole boat kayak debate. If I wanted to run 2d and FFS or mega 360 I would 100% have two screens. They are different tools. 

too much for me, but I'm not everyone.  

 

looks good tho.  for me, I need to leave myself room to shimmy back on board if I flip it far from shore.  

This week I made yet another upgrade to my kayak - the motor plug. The Autopilots have notoriously weak plugs that bend and break. The problem is that if you swap them out while you're still under warranty you void that warranty.

I've been sitting on these for a while, and the old plugs came up and bit me during my last tournament and I had to bail on the day. So, last night I took the time to swap them out. It's not a big deal to do this upgrade, although as I was cutting the power and motor cables the thought crossed my mind that if I messed this up I was in trouble.

Thankfully, Old Town provides plenty of slack in the cables so you don't have to worry about having to pull things too tight. The only issue was that the connector plate on these new plugs is smaller than the old plate.

I used the existing hole behind the old plate, but mounting the new plate left a gap. I will need to put some marine sealant over that tiny gap. However, I may end up removing this, put the old plate back on, and drill a new hole in my kayak, and mount the new plate there.

The new plugs are great. Just push in and turn the sleeve a quarter turn and it locks in place,

On 1/4/2026 at 5:53 PM, A-Jay said:

Too much ?

If the additions make you happy, 

then perhaps not.

I don't see the need to justify whatever you install based on anothers opinion. 

I care about what I have and what works for me.

YMMV.

Good Luck

A-Jay

Spot on A-Jay! X2

FM