Hobie Forums :: View topic - Recomended Electronics for the PA?

I bought a PA with the Humminbird 385ci installed. I get a good picture through the hull. BUT the fish readings are a little hard for me to pick up or learn. If you buy the Humminbird make sure to discuss with the seller in the ins and outs of in hull installations..... The hobie person should be your best person to talk to about installing.
Good luck and happy fishing. Best kayak around.

Meatbucket, installing a FF is an easy venue. Wheather here of other sites the installation is easy.You'll need a foam block with a cutout for the transducer. Set the transducer in a bed of vasoline inside the block and get out all the bubbles; seal the set-up with a layer of goop as so it doesn't pop off.
As to models of FF, that's up to what you can afford. The bigger models require more juice, so you'll need a bigger battery. Remember, you get what you pay for; to me the FF will dictate much of your success...so buy something decent. Good luck, and great fishing!!!

Meatbucket- Can't tell where you live from your profile. But if you have any interest in ice fishing in the winter, then you should consider getting a "portable" fishfinder setup. These include a battery, transducer, kayak-sized display unit and some cabling, all packed inside a waterproof bag. You can pull it apart and mount all the electronics in your kayak during the summer, and then yank it out of the kayak, re-assemble and use it for ice fishing in the winter. Just a thought...
Jim

I also was wondering what type of battery life will you get in a day running a FF/GPS combo using a 12 Volt 7amp or maybe a 12 volt 10amp battery?

Author:	MEATBUCKET [ Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:00 pm ]
Post subject:	Recomended Electronics for the PA?
Hello I am purchasing a PA this year I have the cash set a side but I am trying to budget accesories and I would like to know if anyone has any recomendations for Electronics (Fish Finder / GPS)

Author:	yaksailor2 [ Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:54 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
I use the Lowrance X50 sold by Hobie, simple to install and works great....

Author:	MEATBUCKET [ Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:07 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
Thank you... I was looking at the Lowrance X50 also but I have an oppertunity to upgrade to a FISHFINDER/GPS combo and I was looking at the Lowrance ELITE-5 FISHFINDER/GPS as an option. My question would be about the battery life; How long would a waterproof 10AH gel cell 0000012-volt battery run the ELITE 5 in hours?

Author:	Thinwater skinner [ Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:18 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
I bought a PA with the Humminbird 385ci installed. I get a good picture through the hull. BUT the fish readings are a little hard for me to pick up or learn. If you buy the Humminbird make sure to discuss with the seller in the ins and outs of in hull installations..... The hobie person should be your best person to talk to about installing. Good luck and happy fishing. Best kayak around.

Author:	MEATBUCKET [ Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:42 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
Thinwater skinner wrote: I bought a PA with the Humminbird 385ci installed. I get a good picture through the hull. BUT the fish readings are a little hard for me to pick up or learn. If you buy the Humminbird make sure to discuss with the seller in the ins and outs of in hull installations..... The hobie person should be your best person to talk to about installing. Good luck and happy fishing. Best kayak around. I have been working towards getting a PA for many years (Since the first year they came out) but I own a Jet Boat that was a priority to maintane. Now I have the extra funds to get one this spring I wanted to set it up right form the beginning. So with that said, I have noticed posts that mention issue with teh tranducer mounted to the hull. Is this because the hull is plastic? I have my transducer in the Jet Boat miunted to the hull for 8 years and I do not notice any isssues. Would that be because it is Aluminum? Would anyone recomend to have the Dealer install the Tranducer or do it myself? I apritiate any input anyone can give me. Thank you... Bob (aka. Meatbucket)

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Author:	Jim_MI [ Wed Jan 12, 2011 6:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
Bob - Can't comment of the difficulty of the install since my dealer did this for me. Lots of posts on this subject, and it certainly sounds easy. You need to be careful if you do a goop install. If you get any bubbles in the goop before it sets up this will cause problems with sensitivity. As far as features go, I would pay a little extra for built-in GPS. May not be appropriate for your situation, but where I fish (Lk Michigan) we can have the fog roll in and suddenly your totally disoriented. It's also very useful when trying to get back to your launch spot in the dark. The incremental cost is small. Good luck with your purchase! Jim

Author:	sifisto [ Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
Meatbucket, installing a FF is an easy venue. Wheather here of other sites the installation is easy.You'll need a foam block with a cutout for the transducer. Set the transducer in a bed of vasoline inside the block and get out all the bubbles; seal the set-up with a layer of goop as so it doesn't pop off. As to models of FF, that's up to what you can afford. The bigger models require more juice, so you'll need a bigger battery. Remember, you get what you pay for; to me the FF will dictate much of your success...so buy something decent. Good luck, and great fishing!!!

Author:	yaksailor2 [ Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:01 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
sifisto wrote: Meatbucket, installing a FF is an easy venue. Wheather here of other sites the installation is easy.You'll need a foam block with a cutout for the transducer. Set the transducer in a bed of vasoline inside the block and get out all the bubbles; seal the set-up with a layer of goop as so it doesn't pop off. As to models of FF, that's up to what you can afford. The bigger models require more juice, so you'll need a bigger battery. Remember, you get what you pay for; to me the FF will dictate much of your success...so buy something decent. Good luck, and great fishing!!! A bed of vasoline, interesting! I have the Lowrance x50 and just followed the Hobie pro angler u-tube video. I made a few changes but followed the video step by step. As per the video they just put a large amount of goop on the transducer and stuck it on the bottom of the pa. I did the same and it works fine. Anyone know why you want a block in there when it seems to work fine without it?

Author:	Jim_MI [ Sun Jan 16, 2011 4:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
Meatbucket- Can't tell where you live from your profile. But if you have any interest in ice fishing in the winter, then you should consider getting a "portable" fishfinder setup. These include a battery, transducer, kayak-sized display unit and some cabling, all packed inside a waterproof bag. You can pull it apart and mount all the electronics in your kayak during the summer, and then yank it out of the kayak, re-assemble and use it for ice fishing in the winter. Just a thought... Jim

Author:	MEATBUCKET [ Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:07 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
Jim_MI wrote: Meatbucket- Can't tell where you live from your profile. But if you have any interest in ice fishing in the winter, then you should consider getting a "portable" fishfinder setup. These include a battery, transducer, kayak-sized display unit and some cabling, all packed inside a waterproof bag. You can pull it apart and mount all the electronics in your kayak during the summer, and then yank it out of the kayak, re-assemble and use it for ice fishing in the winter. Just a thought... Jim Jim Thanks I live in Virginia between Wash DC and Richmond. I don't do a lot of ice fishing but I am considering a FF/GPS for a simular reason as your post. See I have a Jet Boat that I have been Smallmoth fishing from for about 12 years now and my FF has died. So If I get a decent FF/GPS for the Kayak I would like to get a second transducer and mount for the Jet Boat and just buy one untit to move between the two boats. I was trying to decide between the Lowrance ELITE-5 HD or the Hummingbird 587ci. Does any one have a preference and if so what would that be? Thanks...

Author:	MEATBUCKET [ Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:18 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
I also was wondering what type of battery life will you get in a day running a FF/GPS combo using a 12 Volt 7amp or maybe a 12 volt 10amp battery?

Author:	yaksailor2 [ Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:31 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
MEATBUCKET wrote: I also was wondering what type of battery life will you get in a day running a FF/GPS combo using a 12 Volt 7amp or maybe a 12 volt 10amp battery? This is the fifth time I've used my x-50 fishfinder each was 4 to 5 hrs in length on 8 double D batteries. I'm down to around 9.8 so far which I think is outstanding The only problem is I can't seem to pick up fish arches. Can anyone explain why?

Author:	Jim_MI [ Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
I don't know the amperage on my battery, but it is the standard 12V gel, measures about 3 x 4 x 5 inches. I can easliy go a whole weekend without a charge. Probably longer, but I don't want to risk running out of juice when out so I have not run it down. Yaksailor2 - I have also had some difficulties seeing fish arches on my Eage 250 S/Map unit. It is wierd - I will see a bunch of "/" shaped lines on my screen, which I have come to assume are small bubbles rising to the surface as the screen scrolls by. So the sensitivity is there for seeing small stuff. But I have a hard time seeing small fish. Large salmon are seen well, small perch not so well. And most of my arches are distorted anyway, not the expected "^" shape. I have a skimmer 200 kHz transducer gooped into the hull forward of the mast pole. I am going to pull this and try some sort of a through-the-hull wet mount for next season. Jim

Author:	TDK [ Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
I purchased this Humminbird Pirahna Portable unit several years ago to use on a john boat. It works great on the PA. I set the unit on the center storage compartment and run the transducer cable under the seat and then over the side of the PA. I just reach under the boat once underway and stick the suction cup with transducer on the bottom. I will pick up weeds and grass at times, but that is easy to clear by either reaching under and pulling the weeds or sliding the suction cup up to the side of the boat to clear it. I can also slide the transducer to the side when in very shallow water or when landing. The head unit attaches to a base that holds 8 rechargeable AA batteries. I've completely submerged this unit in the past, and it still works. It's not the most advanced unit (e.g., I'd have to buy the optional probe to get temp readings), but it works great for what I need and it can be pulled from the boat with ease. There's actually a mounting bracket I could purchase that would allow me to attach the unit to one of the sideboards, but I haven't bothered yet. I don't notice any appreciable drag at speed, unless I'm pulling a big clump of salad.

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Author:	Razoryak [ Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:47 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Recomended Electronics for the PA?
TDK - I like that simple set up. Does the unit sitting where you have it affect your peddeling ability at all? Thanks