There are two things that I love about this site...

1. there are a LOT of folks here that are a LOT smarter than me :D, and

2. Everyone I have encountered on this site goes out of their way to be helpful!!!

That said, I am going to move the depth finder connection to the cranking battery and see if that solves the problem. If not, I will be back, seeking other ideas.

I do have one question about running the finder off the cranking battery... the finder circuit is fuse protected, but is there any concern (surge) related to cranking the motor when the finder is connected and powered on? Would I need to power the finder off and/or disconnect it before cranking the outboard?

Thanks again.