Fishfinder

I just bought a Cobra Maurader and I don't know what kind of FF I have to put in.....Any recommendation?

Thanks,


Kiel

Hi Kiel. B&W or color? The B&W units draw less power; so you can get away with using small, lighter battery supply like 10 AA pack. I went the color route with the Lowrance X510 and use a 3 pound 12 volt battery on a double swivel bracket mounted in front of the center hatch.

Do a search in the Gearing Up and Rigging Your Kayak rooms and you'll get a lot of info on different units used and rigged.

Howard

I just finished installing a Cuda 242. They are 79.96 at Wal Mart or Sportsmans warehouse. I think it has all the options I need and I have heard good things about it. I didn't want to use an expensive ff since it's going to be on a kayak getting banged around and soaked in salt water.

Consider running the wire under your hatch lid instead of through the hull if your hatch will seal around it. I have an Adventure and the hatch seals tightly over the wires. I mounted the ff on the mast hole with a ram holder so I was able to install a ff with no drilling or cutting.

I got some industrial strength velcro about 2 inches wide and gooped it to the bottominside of my hull. I gooped the other side of the velcro on the bottom of a tupperware. I velcroed the tupperware to the hull and put the battery in with foam padding. I gooped the transducer down and it is done. Someone gave me a used 12 volt that isn't working unless the charger is hooked to it so I have to go get a new battery.   

Most of the people I talk to tell me the only thing they use their ff for is a depth, structure and sometimes bait balls. I'm hoping to get mine out on big blue Sun for the ffs first splash of blood.   

Does anyone know what the difference is between a Cuda 242 and Cuda 168?  They seem to have the same features, price, etc, but I must be missing something.

Temp

Both offer temp, according to the specs.  I know my 168 does.

GPS maybe

I think the 242 has higher resolution, but I don't see comparable numbers on the spec lists ("240Vx160H", opposed to "168 pixels" on the 168).

I have both the 242 and 168 and the 242 is a higher res screen.  Quality wise they are pretty much the same.  They are not very water proof and tend to burn out easy.  I am on my third unit...but at the price I guess it is a toss up

How would they tell water temp without a through scupper set up?  If you mounted inside the hull would water temp be accurate?  I have seen some people with the Cuda 250 (sonar/gps) - what do you guys think of those?

How would they tell water temp without a through scupper set up?  If you mounted inside the hull would water temp be accurate?  I have seen some people with the Cuda 250 (sonar/gps) - what do you guys think of those?

The hull of the boat matches the water temp pretty quickly and it's picked up just fine with the transducer glued inside the hull...

Thanks for the clarification, Jim.  I just ordered a 242 for my backup kayak.

Regarding temp, I just turn it off because it's like a greenhouse inside a kayak...  I didn't get accurate readings.

Regarding temp, I just turn it off because it's like a greenhouse inside a kayak...  I didn't get accurate readings.

Hum, is your transducer glued in or did you use the "noodle" method?

It's siliconed directly to the hull.  I never tested it, but I realize the ocean is colder than what the fishfinder would show, for example...  And I know it gets baking hot inside a sealed hull on a sunny day.

I've been out for 6 hours at a time on warm days and mine reads water temp very well.  Even thought the inside of the hull gets warm, the temp sensor is a small metal brad on the bottom of the puck and it's pretty much in direct contact with the bottom hull.  So I guess it only reads the hull temp where the hull is always in contact with the cooler water.  I tried mounting mine with silicone originally but it popped loose after my first trip, so I went with the Amazing Goop glue on the second go around.  I never really checked the temp on my maiden trip as I was too excited learning the GPS to notice.  I wonder if silicone has a differing effect on heat/cold transfer?