Thread: Discussion on Lowrance Elite 5 DSI/Chartplotter ....

I bought a Elite 5X-DSI the other day and just love it so far. I bought it for use on my Trolling Motor, along side of a HDS-7 on the Bow of my boat. I had to do some building to get it operational, but got it working pretty good. So, I also have a HDS-7 on the Trolling Motor, and have added a Elite 5X-DSI. My Elite unit does not have a GPS in this unit, but surely it could not be be more trouble than the operation of a HDS.

The one thing I don't like about it is it reads like a sonar, instead of the LSS-1 DI. When I pull over the top of a Brush Pile the Image flattens out, and you lose sight of fish on the structure and/or the structures shape. Where with the LSS-1 DI, I do not lose the image the unit has created. I am still basically looking straight down into the Brush Pile. It is really not that big of a deal, as long as I am moving I can see the structure Image, and if there are any fish on the structure, and once I see the fish and I know their there, that is the basic information I need to know to start fishing. So, it will work, just not what I was expecting after having a HDS-10 w/ LSS-1 at the Console.

With the HDS-7 Transducer on my trolling motor and needing to have the Elite 5X-DSI Transducer on the trolling motor also, I was needing a bracket that would allow them to set side by side on the trolling motor. Did not have enough length on my trolling motor to have them mount one behind the other. With this set up, I can have my HDS-7 with the screen split between GPS/D-2 Sonar, and the DSI with a Full Screen Down Imaging running all the time. No switching either units, or anything. No adjustments, just drop trolling motor in the water and go to fishing.

Never have had much reason to work, weld, or bend aluminum, bot found out some interesting things about it during this little project. Aluminum can not be heated up and bent like metal. Tried it to make te saddle to fit around the trolling motor, and soon as I started to bend it, snapped right in half. So I had to use an anvel, and ball ping hammar, which was fun in it self trying to bend 1/4" Aluminum. Welding aluminum was different than welding metal also, but finally got it done. Looks like a Dirt Dobble has been at work, but it is holding and working out great. Here are a few PICS of the Home Made Bracket attached to the troling motor. Don't laugh to hard, it was my first attempt and working with aluminum. Plus I'm a School Teacher by trade......












keith