The boat came with an old Raymarine fishfinder that didn’t work. It had it’s own custom spot carved into the fiberglass behind the wheel. Also on back of the boat was the sensor.
And here’s the spot where it came from. As you can see, it’s expertly covered up with white duct tape and camouflaged with a pair of sunglasses.
We knew we could probably get by with iPads and cell phones with GPS. But wanted something hardwired and more rugged as our primary system. I was in denial on how expensive a chart plotter would be and scoured the internet for a better deal. I finally realized if I wanted something dependable I should buy something decent from a reputable dealer. I ended up going with Binnacle.com after hearing good things about it from friends.
Raymarine a77
I chose this chart plotter because it can easily be expanded to include other sensors in the future and also has a WiFi connection allowing me to remotely view and control the chart plotter from my phone or iPad.
Also a bit confused on the different types of sonar modules available. I was only interested in depth and speed through water. After speaking with Binnacle, they suggested the Raymarine transom mount tri-ducer A102138. This provides depth, fish finding and a paddle wheel for speed through water all in one device.
In the end, I purchased:
- Raymarine a77 7″ Display with Built-In Fishfinder Wi-Fi & Navionics+ Charts E70167-Nag $1,299.95
- Raymarine Transom Mount Tri-Ducer A102138 $134.95
- Also ordered a replacement the VHF antenna, the existing one snapped. Shakespeare 5215-AIS Squatty Body VHF-AIS Antenna SS Whip $72.95
- And threw in some extra Clevis Pins, just in case. 3/8 x 1 $7.00 and 1/4 x 1 $4.25.
For a grand total of $1,732.52 including taxes and shipping.
1 Pingback