I'm going to break down and take a depthfinder for my next QP trip.  Got any advice on makes?  I'm looking for a depthfinder designed specifically for wilderness canoeing/portaging, if there is such a thing. 

I know, this topic has been covered in numerous past threads.  I did my due diligence and searched on "depthfinder" and read a lot of chat about depthfinders.  But I'm looking for specific brands and models.  I'd like to get a good one, and will pay whatever it takes. 

Thanks in advance for your advice!

prouboy

We've used   (You need to Login or Register for years now (sans the smart cast thing-a-ma-jig).  It has not disappointed and we run it pretty much all day.  8AA batteries will last us 5 days with continual use.

Tho mine is a few years old, and it has been updated, I suggest the latest model of the Cuda.

PJ -- thanks, I'm going to check into your model.  OS--  I looked online and it said the CUDA portable model has been discontinued.  But thanks anyway! 

prouboy

I think you'll like it Mike.  I can't think of one flaw (for the money) that it has.  My unit is on it's 3rd transducer and the electronics keep going and going and it has taken some abuse as well.  Rain, dropped, submerged . . . . still hummin.

Good to know PJ!  In the link you provided in your note, there was a picture of a yellow or orange (?) thing.... was that the transducer? 

prouboy

Puckster wrote on Jan 28^th, 2012 at 1:57am:

OS--  I looked online and it said the CUDA portable model has been discontinued.  But thanks anyway!

The Eagle/Cuda is now marketed as the Lowrance X-4.  (I have an older CUDA model.)  What PJ uses is also a nice unit.

dd

Puckster wrote on Jan 28^th, 2012 at 2:30am:

Good to know PJ!  In the link you provided in your note, there was a picture of a yellow or orange (?) thing.... was that the transducer?  prouboy

The yellow thing is the smart cast wireless transducer.  I've never used it.  I use the suction cup mount transducer and have it mounted to shoot through the hull of the canoe.  If you can get 2 years out of a transducer you're doing pretty well.  They do not last forever and will be the first thing to wear down on your (or anyone elses) locator.

i picked up the Lowrance X-4 last year. Converted to AA from info provided on QJ. used the 'cup filled with water' method for the transducer early in the year and it worked well. Later in the year encapsulated the cigar shaped transducer in a block of silicone. Silicone the transducer on day 1 of our Q trip and it stayed put and worked great all week.  8aa batteries lasted all week in spite of forgetting to turn it off one night. doh!

Currently using the Lowrance Mark 5x with the siliconed-in puck a la Kingfisher's conversion to portable (8AA batteries).  Works great for me!  So good that I bought a 2nd 'ducer to mount in the solo canoe.

I really like the ease of portaging without having to do anything other than just turn it off and rotate the unit down, then just rotate it basck up and turn it on again on the other side. 

95% of the difficulty of portaging lies on either end of the portage.  The actual walk is cake in comparison.  Anything I can do to streamline the process on the ends is absolute gold.

Thanks to all.  Good advice!  This thing about attaching the transducer so it shoots through the hull is foreign to me.  I've obviously got some research to do.  I'll have to stop in to "Northwest Canoe" in St. Paul and see if Dennis can show me.

But thanks to all of you, at least have some leads to pursue. 

Honestly, I will say I was convinced to bring along a depthfinder after reading the entire recent thread on "walleye advice."  Excellent information.  I've always just trolled crankbait.  Managed to catch walleye, especially by stopping and focusing on places where I catch the first one, but the depthfinder seems to be the common ingredient to consistently successful walleye fishing.  So thanks, doubly, for all the good advice. 

PhantomJug wrote on Jan 28^th, 2012 at 2:27am:

I think you'll like it Mike.  I can't think of one flaw (for the money) that it has.  My unit is on it's 3rd transducer and the electronics keep going and going and it has taken some abuse as well.  Rain, dropped, submerged . . . . still hummin.

pj -- do you attach the depth finder to a thwart (ala Kingfisher's recent pics in another thread), or does this just sit attached to the base, on the floor of the canoe or on a pack, or...?  I assume the base is part of the depth finder, and I wouldn't have to buy that separately, right?

This model seems pretty simple...and I assume easy to fold up and portage.


prouboy

Correct.  The base is included and it folds up into itself.  Just unfold it and it sits on the bottom of the canoe.

Sweet!  I'm getting it.

my local tackle store sells some kind of transducer arm for your model that extends beyond the canoe so that you're not dealing with attaching the transducer to the curve of the canoe.  Ever see/try anything like that? 

prouboy

The suction cup works pretty well actually.  It slides on the gel coat just fine and the transducer can be adjusted so it's taking a level/vertical reading.

However, we now mount it to read through the hull of the canoe.  No more drag and no more lines getting tangled on the transducer.

I've read several references about "through hull" transducers.  How do you attach it?  Does it get in the way of gear?  Can it be removed easily?  Got any pictures of this?

Sorry for all the questions PJ.  It's probably getting annoying. 

prouboy

I don't have any pics but I think there are some in the inuk photo gallery.  There's 2 ways - one is less intrusive but more cumbersome and second is relatively permanent.

Method 1 is simply placing the transducer in a small dish of water sitting on the bottom of the canoe.  Make sure there is also standing water inside the bottom of the canoe.

Method 2 is using silicone to adhere the transducer to the bottom of the canoe - usually behind the stern seat.  Honestly, I tried doing it through the top of the stern plate but it performed poorly through the foam filling inside the hull.

We use method 2 along with the suction cup.  Yes,we bring 2 transducers.   ::)

Keep in mind that you will not get the water temperature reading this way.

Thanks again PJ.  I just ordered mine on-line. 

prouboy

You'll be pleased with this unit Mike.  It will last you a lifetime I believe and improve your results.  I still feel bad about not getting you in the Nym cabin but we'll work something out sometime. 

Puckster wrote on Feb 7^th, 2012 at 2:37am:

I've read several references about "through hull" transducers.  How do you attach it?

I believe a dollop of silicone is what I've seen. Any spot that's out of your way as long as there is no foam in the hull where you put it. Bow or stern corners seem like good choices.

FWIW It may be better to mount the transducer toward the front of the canoe so that you see where you are going and not where you have been. In a practical sense I'm not sure this is actually accomplished considering the short time delay between data gathering and display but if the transducer is mounted in the back you will definitely be looking at what you have already passed over.
It would be wary of mounting the ducer both too far forward and right on the centerline, in other words the thickest parts of the hull. There is too much possibility of a stray bubble in the resin. Bubbles in the resin of the hull or the silicone or whatever the ducer shoots through must be avoided to get good results. Most successful mountings I've seen are under the bow seat.

my transducer is encased in a silicone puck. mounted directly below the first thwart in front of the stern seat with a dab of silicone. have had no probs. the first time i made the puck, there were bubbles in the silicone. decided to scrap it and start again.     love to watch the bottom contour. it's so great to be moving over deep water and all of a sudden in the middle of nowhere, there's a reef (fish)!

Good advice KF.  Thanks.  With the silicone mount it is relatively easy to change the location of the transducer as it peels off with little effort.  I think I'll move it under the bow seat.  I should mention that my canoe doesn't have a gel coat on the inside so to make the surface smoother I first laid down a thin coat of epoxy.  Here's a decent video for installation.    (You need to Login or Register

Kingfisher wrote on Feb 8^th, 2012 at 8:00pm:

FWIW It may be better to mount the transducer toward the front of the canoe so that you see where you are going and not where you have been.

My transducer mount in my solo canoe is right behind the front bulk head.  You can definitely see the change in bottom contour coming toward you if you are doing a slow troll.

dd

I have installed several and have found a simple method that has worked.  Set my canoe on a piece of carpet on the garage floor. Then clean a spot on the bottom inside of the canoe where I want the transducer with alcohol.  Place a spot about 3/8 inch in diameter and ¼ inch deep on the transducer bottom of GOOP or RTV.  Then press it into the location where I want it mounted and place a heavy (10+LB) weight on it for a day.  A trick to get RTV to set well is to put it in place then pull it off and exhale on both surfaces and put it back on.  RTV requires moisture to set and your breath has enough.  Usually these can be removed by working a flexible thin blade under them.

Good news: My new Piranhamax 230 portable showed up earlier than expected.  Bad news: the lid that screws on over the battery compartment was missing.  So, after phone calls, etc, back to the post office, mailed the base back.  Arrgh! 

At least I've got LOTS of time before soft water season is here, and I can read all these great ideas about attaching, portaging, etc, depthfinders while I wait for the replacement to show up.

prouboy

A big plug for "TheNerds.net"!!   

Here's the story:

I ordered my depthfinder from TheNerds.  The depthfinder was mailed directly from Humminbird Company.  It arrived lacking a key part.  I was told by the Hummingbird company rep that I had to mail the defective part back to Humminbird to get a replacement. 

I wrote TheNerds of my frustration over having to spend another $10 in postage to mail the defective part back. 

In response, they refunded my original postage and handling charges!  They did this, even though they were not responsible for the product problem. 

Impressive customer service.

prouboy 

Puckster wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 2:18am:

I'm going to break down and take a depthfinder for my next QP trip.  Got any advice on makes?  I'm looking for a depthfinder designed specifically for wilderness canoeing/portaging, if there is such a thing.  I know, this topic has been covered in numerous past threads.  I did my due diligence and searched on "depthfinder" and read a lot of chat about depthfinders.  But I'm looking for specific brands and models.  I'd like to get a good one, and will pay whatever it takes.  Thanks in advance for your advice! prouboy

For Prouboy or anyone else who is looking for a depth finder or looking to upgrade I found this unit to be flat out amazing. Not a bad price for what it can do. I was always of the opinion that all I needed was a "cheapie" but not anymore. Branches, tall weeds and even short weeds as well as being able to tell when I was on "live" bottom made a humongous difference for me. It was a kick to use.

  (You need to Login or Register

The model above this one sends out a probe, finds and grabs the fish selected and returns to the boat with said fish.  ;)

For a more temporary installation I've read of a person using a wax ring intended for toilet bowl installation to eliminate air space and shaping it under and around the transducer.  They claim it worked well and you just press the transducer into the wax. 

I'm mostly a fly fisherman, so I don't know a whole lot about electronics, but a few years ago I purchased a very inexpensive, hand-held fish finder --   (You need to Login or Register It sells for $50 on Amazon. This is a very basic sonar, but it works surprisingly well. We used it to find the lakers in QP with great success! It comes with an adapter that allows the transducer to screw onto a threaded broomstick. I just bring along a short piece of broomstick with the threads and improvise a mount to a thwart using duct tape.

This is my very first post here. Hope I did it right.   :)

KarlB wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2012 at 1:39pm:

This is my very first post here. Hope I did it right.   :)

Hey Karl, welcome aboard as Old Salt would say 8-)
Lots of fisherman here......you'll fit right in and be able to provide a little different perspective.

You did fine......everyone is mostly pretty patient. I screwed up quite a bit in the beginning and was sliced and diced but was told to keep posting........so some 2000+ posts later here I am (be careful what you ask for  ;D ). I'm still getting sliced and diced but now I don't care  :D. Have fun, it is a good site with a lot of generous folks who will lend a helping hand at a very reasonable price.