Topic: Salt water anyone??

[Steve-NH]

Being new to the HB scene I was amazed at how few guys choose HB for salt water use and how many freshie guys choose nothing but HB. 
What is the reason for this??

[ITGEEK]

Humminbird units are designed mainly for shallow, freshwater applications (i.e. Bass fishing).
Also, Humminbird makes a quality product, and has excellent customer service.

[Steve-NH]

Hmmm.   Not a very good endorsement for saltwater.     While this may be fact, are there any guys out there with great results in Salt or do I sell my gear and move to Lowrance or Funuro or something.

[rnvinc]

ION is "Black box Sonar" which is more conducive to the saltwater realm ...

http://www.humminbird.com/bluewater/home/

I'm sure the saltwater market is a challenge to enter into when the charter captains have run the same brands their entire careers ...

Rickie

[Steve-NH]

Well if I were Humminbird I would start by making a better system that worked superior in Saltwater.   Not too happy with the HB's I have...just glad I didn't buy them they came with the boat.  Thinking of selling two of the 3 head units and mounting a salt friendlier system.

[Bob B]

As rnvinc stated .... The ION is designed specifically for salt water use ....Not Humminbirds fault if the guy that set up the boat didn't use the proper electronics for the application.

[Steve-NH]

So that's what I am trying to find out.  Is it possible to be happy with the HDSI 1198 in saltwater or should I change to another system like ION or Helix or someone else?   Not finding a lot of ION use in salt either so hard to justify.

[Bob B]

There is a salt water setup selection .... You might check that.  How deep of water are you fishing?

The Onix unit will also support some of the black box type transducers that are designed for very deep water.

I see quite a few fresh water users getting good images in 160' of water or more.  If the water is VERY deep, you need a unit designed for that and the units you have are not.  You are also going to spend a lot more money to get units that are designed to work in VERY deep water ... Maybe the previous owner didn't fish that deep.

There are some overseas users on here who are using these units for searching for wrecks .... maybe they will check in and give you some advice.

[Bob B]

Maybe post some images you are dissatisfied with and we can give you some more suggestions about what your issues might be.

The software revision could be a factor also.

[Steve-NH]

Bob
I am really not fishing that deep.   For the most part I need this to work in 20-80 ft of water for stripers and black seabass, etc... We also occasionally fish for cod and haddock in under 250 ft of water which I would only be using 2D or down imaging and would expect it to hold a bottom contour at any speed.   I am heading to Cape cod this weekend I will try and take some pics of the results I am getting.  I mounted a second HDSI ducer almost at the keel and duc-taped it across the floor as a temporary setup to test the location and will be switching between both.  My fishing style is really not asking a lot from a +$2k system.

[Bob B]

You should be able to get good imaging under those conditions ..... We need to know the software release on the units.

[Steve-NH]

Good to know.  I will get the software release as well.
Here is the setup I will try this weekend.  This is as close to the drain as I want to get plus its a brand new ducer fresh out of the box.
I will take pics and give an update after I return.

[Steve-NH]

We never got out in deep water so I have no pics of the deep water issue.  Worked like a champ in 60ft although new position cause some cavitation issues so need to move it away from prop. 
We slayed the stripers.  Last pic is engine startup...is there a way to reduce the engine noise shown there?

[sonar2000]

Most folks advise to run the unit on a separate battery from the motor.  Chuck

[Steve-NH]

Most folks advise to run the unit on a separate battery from the motor.  Chuck

That would eliminate this issue ?

[Bob B]

Most noise issues people have is caused by the trolling motor, not the main motor.
What you have to do to get rid of the noise on how the noise is getting into the system.  It could be your transducer wire is running close to some of the motor wires ....or it could be coming thru the battery.  You could run the unit on a separate battery to see if that resolves the problem.  Sometimes it is necessary to install ferrite chokes on the power and/or the transducer cable.

I'd give Humminbird a call and see what they recommend.  Their customer service people are trained on how to deal with noise issues.

Glad to hear you are getting good results .... was a new transducer the solution .... or was it location?

[Steve-NH]

Glad to hear you are getting good results .... was a new transducer the solution .... or was it location?

I will contact HB re: the noise.  Thanks Bob
Location seemed to be the issue but prop cavitation is an issue now. At least now I know I can get good results and the system works.  Now it should be a matter of making small adjustments to the location to resolve cavitation.