Topic: 898 HD SI Terrova I-Link install Alum. deep V

[raypla]

Boat Specs:

2004 16' Aluminum Deep V Tracker
50 hp Merc

Well my 10 year old trolling motor circuit board $hit the bed on me last year and b/c of it I got less use out of my boat then would have liked.  So I have a trip coming up in May and I started to look into fixing it.  I start sourcing what I "thought" I needed to fix the V2 and it was going to be a couple hundred bucks so  I start looking into a new Trolling Motor, figure I'll get  a new TM and Fish Finder.  I was looking to get out of it with spending $1,000.  See some videos and the next thing I know that $1K turns into $2,500.

So I'm going to be replacing the original 45 lb V2 with a 55 lb Terrova I-LInk US2 and the junk FF with a 898 HD SI.  The TM is on back order till mid April but I received the new FF the other day and decided I'd share the pics, along with some of my boat where I would like to hear your opinions as to locating the transducer.

Enough of my clamoring and onto the good stuff  :










So while I'm getting super excited we still have 6"+ of snow and it's 20* outside but that's no reason why I can't start to get the plans together for the mounting of the ducer and screen.



Shot from below




I was thinking of mounting some 3/4" board of some sort right about where the old ducer is.  The board would allow some movement/adjustability and I would relocate that speed sensor somewhere on the new board. It looks pretty straight forward, no rivets or anything in the way to interfere with the flow of water over the ducer, or any possible other interference to the sides Hopefully I'll be able to get high speed readings.  The consensus is that the GPS be mounted the rear of the boat close to the ducer?  I was thinking right near the transom in the corner of the boat or???  Will I really notice a difference as opposed to mounting it with the screen with one of those brackets?



 
 

[LocDown]

You can buy and install a transducer mounting board or some people buy and trim a teflon cutting board and glue the board in place. The location of where the current transducer and pitot tube looks to be perfect for new transducer. As for the GPS puck, it would be best to mount it as close to the transducer because that's the reference point you're seeing on the screen. If you mount it by the screen then you would have to add the current gps error plus the distance to the transducer if you were trying to get back to that waypoint.

[raypla]

Teaser, I found out you need another cable to connect the US2 on the Terrova to the Humminbird so thats puts a wrench in the works.  But here is a pic of the new Terrova mounted.

[raypla]

So I ordered the wires to connect the US2 to the 898, kind of annoying but whatever.  I thunk my father figured out a krafty way to mount the finder so we can use it at the bow and driverseat.  We picked up a Ram mount, the one on a arm and we're going to mount that to the painted PVC .  More pics later but a pic for now.

[raypla]

More updates are forthcoming this evening.

But for the moment, we got everything mounted up, wired, and pretty much set.  Ran into an issue with the new Terrova, hooked it up to the battery, lowered it and depressed the foot controls and the motor changes directions but does not propel.  Anyone have any ideas?

[raypla]

Well we're almost tightened up, have to fasten the wires.  A few pics.  Ran power too the finder, it's running version 6.49.  Picked up a Navionics Platinum card east.  The current #1 priority is getting the Terrova electric motor to go.  I tried the remote and it too does the same, controls the steering but not the prop.  One screen on the remote said motor not found, so I'll be calling customer service first thing in the AM.

[Bob B]

If you have the I-Pilot link, I think you need the latest software on your Humminbird.  I doesn't seem that this would prevent the  remote from working, but you will need the software update to get full functionality.

[Humminbird_Greg]

If you have the I-Pilot link, I think you need the latest software on your Humminbird.  I doesn't seem that this would prevent the  remote from working, but you will need the software update to get full functionality.

+1
Needs 6.610 to work with the i-Pilot Link, but the motor should still function without it.

[raypla]

Well talked to Minn Kota today.  They directed me to take the head of the motor apart and run juice direct to the wires heading down the shaft, well no luck, I guess the electric motor is junk.  So now I have to get the motor to the nearest service station, which is 35 mi one way, and hope they can get it fixed asap.   This sucks, but hopefully they make it right 

[Bob B]

Don't know who you bought it from, but I'd be talking to them to try to get a replacement.

[raypla]

Don't know who you bought it from, but I'd be talking to them to try to get a replacement.

The main drawback to that is all of the shipping and dead time for that.  When I spoke to Minn Kota I was told they could get a new one built and to the service center in 7-10 days.  I have a weekend trip coming up on 5/17 so hopefully I'll have it for then although I'm not holding my breath on that.  Atleast the finder is working, now I just need to get the boat on some water.

[raypla]

Took my boat out on the river on Sunday.   Worked good, for the most part, at speeds above 6 MPH the depth and other measurements would go nuts and the transducer would throw a crazy roost.  I'm guessing I need to lower it?   I didn't take any screen shots, due to not having a sd card in there, well the Navionics Platinum card was but I didn't want to mess with possibly ruining a $150 card.  There's no writing to that card?

[BillM]

Yeah, you don't want to 'write' to your Navionics.  Go grab a cheap SD card and put it in the extra slot...   Quick question, did you end up upgrading to 6.610 on the 898?    I just did the exact install (Terrova 80lb w/ I-Pilot Link) and I'm terrified to upgrade to 6.610 in order to get the units talking because of how bad the reviews are of that software release...