Garmin first impressions

[bobby b.]

Had the new boat on the water earlier this week for the first time not counting the run with the tech. and here are my first impressions.  For a background I had a sport deck boat for the last 10 years because I did more water sports (wakeboarding) than fishing but now am too old for that so I bought a new Ranger Z519.  The old boat had top end Humminbird Helix units and a Minnkota Ulterra troller.  I was reluctant to give up the Humminbird stuff because I felt like I really understood the graphs and loved the self deploying trolling motor.  But since I like video fishing the Panoptix seemed to be the thing to get plus the positive reviews on the Garmin stuff made it the obvious choice.

So I ended up with the 12 inch Echomap  Ultra 126SV on the bow and the 10 inch Echomap Ultra 106SV on the Console and the Panoptix Live Scope connected to the front graph.  The Panoptix transducer is mounted to the RM Industries turret so it can move independently of the trolling motor.  The bow transducer is a GT54UHD high definition mounted in the Force troller and the console unit is same mounted to the 10 inch manual jack plate.  As I previously posted the Ranger came with a glassed in Garmin GT8HW which is not compatible with the high definition stuff so I bought a cheap Garmin Striker 4 graph for the moving bottom readings.  This required a 4 – 8 pin conversion wire.  Surprising this setup worked to at least 45 mph. 

I launched at Aunts Creek and ran up and down the James up to Bridgeport, about 50 miles total running on this first day.  By the time I stopped playing around it was 10ish and too hot for me but I found a shady spot and lowered a drop shot rig where I saw a bunch of fish on the Live Scope in about 20 fow.  I assumed that the fish were bluegill due to the number.  A fish hit that bait pretty quickly and broke the line and I saw a bigger fish image on the Livescope heading for the bottom.  Too cool. No lie.  It was too hot and I needed to head home so I did not retie but just left for a little more boat playing before getting back to Aunts Creek.

So here is my first impressions:

·         The Livescope is awesome and I don’t even think I have it dialed in.  Other than changing the appearance color, it is all at default settings.

·         Same goes for the 2d, down, and side imaging.

·         The scope setup is intuitive and hardly requires looking at the manual.  The manual is about 10% the size of the Helix manuals. 

·         I am not sure about the built-in mapping.  I really liked my Humminbird lakemaster chip.  I have an older Helix 9 2d that I can mount just for the mapping.  However with the Garmin stuff you can color as many different depth ranges as you want.

·         The Force trolling motor is quite and responds super-fast.   I think if you had it turned up high and pushed too quickly to the right or left without you butt in the seat you get end up going for a swim.  It is easy to deploy and stow. 

·         I ordered the standard Merc gauges but were not available due to the virus so Ranger gave me the MercMonitor Eco setup for free.  Additionally, all the engine data reads on the Console graph as well.  One of the many features is the gauge will tell you where the optimized trim setting should be given the rpm as well as the gal/hr being burned.  Supposedly the Eco unit records this data and modifies the trim recommendation over time.  The best fuel economy I noted was about 5 gal/hr. at about 30 mph I think.  

·         I had some trouble moving the waypoints from the Humminbird to Garmin but that was because the instructions were wrong.  Everything I read said that the gpx file had to be in a subfolder on the SD card.  Wrong, it needs to be in the root directory.  I moved it there because the locator indicated it could not find the file.  Once found, no problems.

Summary - AWESOME.

More to follow maybe.  Hope this helps anyone wanting to make the switch.  As Bill B.  pointed out, lots of bucks.  I think I did the whole electronics thing for about $9000 but I think it was a deal because the install was basically free.  Switching over on an existing boat could cost 20 plus hours of labor time.

Bobby

 

[Hughesy]

Sounds Great Bobby! If you need any help dialing those units in, just holler. I'm no Garmin tech but I've done a number of them for some guides, Stacey King, James Watson and Mike Roller at RM industries. I live about two blocks from the Aunts Creek ramp. So next time you put in there, give me a shout and I'll run down and show ya what I know. Takes about 10 minutes.

[mojorig]

On the Waypoint transfer, there is a setting in the Garmin software that allows to you change the preferred files type from ADM to GPX. Once you do that, the Garmin will read GPX file directly from the SD card.

[Bill Babler]

Another point about that Force.  It dials its self back to zero every time you shut it off, and that is a good thing.  The speed and power of it verse the Minn Kota are something you just have to feel to believe, and like Bobby said, you don't want that thing on high pointing to the side without your butt in a seat.

As he mentioned it is also whisper quite and raises and lowers really with not any lift or pull.  Exceptional.

There is a current problem right now with ActiveCaptain so if your trying to register your Force thru Wifi you may have a problem.  I got mine out of wack with Becky and I trying to get it registered.  The graphs registered quickly thru wifi but the Force registration is being naughty.

Called Garmin and they said don''t worry about it as long as you have a receipt, your under warranty thru that.

They did send my Force lock down latch but have not had time to get it put on.

[Ron Burgundy]

I just added the Echo Ultra 126sv and scope to the bow and have a Helix 12 mega at the wheel Garmin imaging doesn’t come close the Mega but I didn’t get the Garmin for imaging I got it for the Livescope.

[bobby b.]

4 hours ago, Hughesy said:

just holler

It's Tim, correct.  If so, I met you a couple months back at Extreme to ask Jack about the turret.  I had heard there was a local guy working on them but I did not know anymore.  You were sitting at the table visiting.  I would appreciate some guidance on the setup.  I will go to Aunts Creek again tomorrow (about 7:30) just to play with the new toy, weather permitting.  I'm sure I will go more again next week.  Let me know when you are available and I will PM you accordingly.

I enjoyed visiting with Mike Roller and spent a couple hours touring the plant as I was interested in the oil drilling stuff they make being a retired engineer.

Bobby

[bobby b.]

3 minutes ago, Ron Burgundy said:

Garmin imaging doesn’t come close the Mega

It's too early for me to say that but I do agree that the Humminbird Mega down/side is awesome.

[bobby b.]

1 hour ago, Bill Babler said:

problem right now with ActiveCaptain so if your trying to register your Force thru Wifi

Bill, I did have a problem registering the troller.  After installing the App, turning on the Chartplotters, and turning on the Chartplotter wi-fi on my phone, Active Captain automatically saw the two graphs and the LiveScope, and automatically registered them using my hotmail acount (I have no idea how it knew the email account I use as I have two on my phone), and then updated the software.  I tried several times to have it see the Force but nada.  A day later or so, I turned it all on, the Force appeared.  It's magic.

Bobby

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

The skeg on the Force is pretty fragile too, so watch it when you get shallow.  But they made it replaceable, so not a huge deal if it breaks

[Mitch f]

Man I would love to have a new Garmin,  but right now I’m just concentrating on my boat purchase. One thing at a time! 

Maybe they will have a few details worked out by the time I get one.