Thread: Dream boat electronics?

Originally Posted by Tom 513

Ok fellas, I placed my order, but can change things up until production day. here is what I picked out: Console- Helix 10 MSI+GPS G4N Bow- Helix 10 MDI+GPS G4N and a Garmin ECHOMAP ultra 106SV w/t Panoptix Livescope and if your gonna go big you minus well get two 8ft Raptors. She will have Seadek through out the whole rig too. I have been a Lowrance guy so I read up on the Birds last night and like what I read also the Graphix on the Garmin unit are way better than the 1022 model. Now I just need to start a GO Fund Me page! naww working 6 days a week for over 35 yrs I should be able to swing it. Thanks for all the comments. Now the boat should be finished some where between July and September, it will be the longest Summer I will ever experience.

Very nice set up. I believe your right going to be a long summer of waiting.

Here are a web pix of the Vexus 1880, mine will be White on Silver with grey Eva floor like the blue boat. the Bass model had tons more storage then the Crappie version, plus 3 abreast bow seat posts for spiderigging, I think it will be the last boat Ill ever need. The beam is like 30" wider than my Tracker and has a pad design haul like a glass boat so I think she will be a stable ride.

You will have a sweet ride for sure. Congrats.

If you’re adding or upgrading the electronics on the new water bug, my recommendation is to go with the largest screens within the budget. What you get installed truly depends on your style/technique of fishing. This is my current setup that has evolved of the last few years and my technique has changed since the beginning. I was primarily at troller with long lines and spider rigging when I first began this project. I installed a Hummingbird SI 10” at the console and bow. I installed a Minn Kota Terrova 24v 80 lb iPilot without the Link addition. When I was trolling, I wish I had added the Link trolling motor so I could connect to my graphs for following the contours on the maps.
The second phase was adding a second unit to the console for mapping and 2d. I split screen the other console unit for SI and DI when searching for fish and/or structure. Again, I was primarily a troller and this setup worked perfectly for me.
When Mega Live was released, I added this to the Helix 10” on the bow and connected all the graphs thru a Ethernet hub. I attached the ML transducer to a seperate pole and not the trolling motor. This is when I stopped trolling and became more of a single pole and target fisherman. So I don’t need the contour following feature on the trolling motor.
The last phase of my system build was removing the Mega Live and adding a Garmin 106 and livescope to the bow as a second unit. The LS transducer is on a pole mount and not trolling motor. Sometimes, I wish it was but I use spot lock a lot and cast to my targets viewed on the LS. I use the Helix 10” on the bow for mapping and 2d.
So if I had a opinion on a “perfect” setup, I would go with a 10” screen or larger for the console and bow. I would add LS to the front graph and attach it to one of the brushless trolling motors that available. The brushless models are very quiet and you won’t spook fish like my Terrova. Just my .02 and some days it’s not worth that.
Whatever you decide, spend as much time as you can to learn the electronics. Spend a lot of time on the water playing with them because all electronics aren’t plug and play. Read articles, watch videos to gain as much knowledge as you can so you can get the expected return of catching more fish.
As lastly, make sure the install is done correctly. I over killed my installs by wire twisting all power wires, heat shrink connectors, emi tape on power cables and ran them separately from each other. Over kill? Probably but I have clear screens with no interference. If you don’t have confidence with the boat dealer, take it somewhere else that specializes in installs.

Unless you need the touchscreen and ability to remove the Echomap 10, I would change to the GPS Map unit. They are said to have better resolution than the Echomaps, you just have to lock them down to prevent theft. No touchscreen on GPS Map units. Everything else is top notch on your boat!

Originally Posted by happycaster58

Unless you need the touchscreen and ability to remove the Echomap 10, I would change to the GPS Map unit. They are said to have better resolution than the Echomaps, you just have to lock them down to prevent theft. No touchscreen on GPS Map units. Everything else is top notch on your boat!

I added the Garmin echo because of the price and did notice the gps models has more pixel resolution. I may upgrade in the future but I can’t say a bad thing about the 106. I wasn’t a fan favorite in the beginning about the touch screen but have come to love the simplicity and quickness I can make changes according to water conditions. And Garmin did I great job for viewing in full sun with no glare. Love this upgrade and the adjustability of LS compared to Mega Live. I did like how you could remove the ML transducer and pole mount from the boat for storage with their shorter connections. And I take all my graphs off for transport and storage even before the Garmin install. Just too much invested that might tempt the sticky finger crowd.

Congratulations! Beautiful boat and equipped well. Use it safely and often. Enjoy!

KrappieKraine- It sounds like your history of crappie fishing is the same as mine, a few years of spider rigging and now more single pole. But I will keep my options open seeing I'm a firm believer that if one method isn't working try another, being flexible is important.
My current set up is a Motoguide XI5 with pinpoint which is great for trolling and spot lock, my graphs are Lowrance HDS gen2 touch units 9" at helm 7" at bow. When I installed the system I declined being able to follow a contour
, but seeing I have a interest in Walleye the Helix/Ultrex combo will offer that.
I will have a 10" Helix at the Helm and the Bow and they will be linked with the trolling motor. I went with a stand alone 10" Garmin echomap Ultra for Panoptix but know I wont want the transducer on the TM for long. I know suppliers that I could get the graphs from cheaper them Vexus is offering them for but knowing the wires on the boat are run through tubes or conduit I chose to have them installed at the factory, the only thing that concerns me is that boats and components can be hard to come by now days. Actually I looked at 2 other boats that had just been delivered to the dealer last week, both were missing trolling motors! So I decided to keep my Tracker till I have the equip boat sitting in my driveway.