Help figuring out my bottom reader

Belize · 08-24-2006, 09:46 AM

I jus istalled my first hi performance fish finder...1000w airmar in hull with a C70 Raymarine.
Took it for test drive yesterday and read to 1600ft before I had to go home. I noticed that at the extreme depths the sonar takes a while to register,,ie: if run fast and lose signal and then stop it takes about 30 seconds for the machine to lock on and start reading...
so the question is how fast can someone expect to go and still be able to maintain a continous bottom read? It was rough on my test day so I couldnt test it out....but it appears that one can only run at under 10 mph and get bottom lock i 1000 ft range...is this about right?

dropsalot · 08-24-2006, 06:45 PM

I have the Raymarine dx400 with the transom mount ducer in my bilge as a shoot thru in a 22' Twin Vee. At cruise (28mph +-) I lose bottom at about 300 ft. If I slow down to trolling speed (5-7 mph) or drift, I can mark bottom to at least 1850 ft.

Belize · 08-25-2006, 08:04 AM

thanks...I kind of figured that would be the case...how long does it take for your sonar to lock on bottom in 1000-1500ft once you slow down and settle out of wake bubbles etc?

dropsalot · 08-25-2006, 06:09 PM

Probably 20-30 seconds. At that depth I only see bottom and larger structures, not fish.

ian cameron · 08-25-2006, 08:17 PM

The deeper you are the slower you have to go. You will also get a much better readout using your sounder manually instead of on auto. There is no time delay then on picking up the bottom and by using a smaller scale - say 100ft and the shift control , small bottom variations show much better.

I have a Furuno 582l with a medium grade transducer and get a usable signal over 2000 ft this way

Belize · 08-27-2006, 08:40 PM

i had time to fish with mine for about 6 hrs this weekend...works fine at low trolling speeds...i set mine on manual 50 khz and yes - this worked the fastest

Boboe · 08-27-2006, 10:05 PM

This one really depends on your boat and where the xdr is located. I'm not familiar with that machine you've got. I've used Furuno double element machines quite a bit on large boats and have had no trouble with them continually marking the bottom. The last one we installed, I think we said, "It'll knock the scales off of a herring 300' down," and "You'll see that choafer fart all the way on the bottom."

If your xdr is often out of the water, you'll have a lot of trouble with it continually painting the bottom. How fast are you running and where is your xdr located?

Belize · 08-31-2006, 08:14 PM

tested it out in deep water and hit 2600 ft.

C7 raymarine dsm 300 module 1000w airmar

located in transom bracket

08-24-2006, 09:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
Belize Lines In Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ambergris Caye, Belize Boat: 30ft custom built Best Catch: dutchgirl, 34-25-34, 130 lbs Occupation: Broker Posts: 84	Help figuring out my bottom reader I jus istalled my first hi performance fish finder...1000w airmar in hull with a C70 Raymarine. Took it for test drive yesterday and read to 1600ft before I had to go home. I noticed that at the extreme depths the sonar takes a while to register,,ie: if run fast and lose signal and then stop it takes about 30 seconds for the machine to lock on and start reading... so the question is how fast can someone expect to go and still be able to maintain a continous bottom read? It was rough on my test day so I couldnt test it out....but it appears that one can only run at under 10 mph and get bottom lock i 1000 ft range...is this about right?

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08-24-2006, 06:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
dropsalot Lines In Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Great Guana Cay, Bahamas Posts: 20	I have the Raymarine dx400 with the transom mount ducer in my bilge as a shoot thru in a 22' Twin Vee. At cruise (28mph +-) I lose bottom at about 300 ft. If I slow down to trolling speed (5-7 mph) or drift, I can mark bottom to at least 1850 ft.

08-25-2006, 08:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Belize Lines In Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ambergris Caye, Belize Boat: 30ft custom built Best Catch: dutchgirl, 34-25-34, 130 lbs Occupation: Broker Posts: 84	thanks...I kind of figured that would be the case...how long does it take for your sonar to lock on bottom in 1000-1500ft once you slow down and settle out of wake bubbles etc?

08-25-2006, 06:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
dropsalot Lines In Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Great Guana Cay, Bahamas Posts: 20	Probably 20-30 seconds. At that depth I only see bottom and larger structures, not fish.

08-25-2006, 08:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
ian cameron Lines In Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 43	The deeper you are the slower you have to go. You will also get a much better readout using your sounder manually instead of on auto. There is no time delay then on picking up the bottom and by using a smaller scale - say 100ft and the shift control , small bottom variations show much better. I have a Furuno 582l with a medium grade transducer and get a usable signal over 2000 ft this way

08-27-2006, 08:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Belize Lines In Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ambergris Caye, Belize Boat: 30ft custom built Best Catch: dutchgirl, 34-25-34, 130 lbs Occupation: Broker Posts: 84	i had time to fish with mine for about 6 hrs this weekend...works fine at low trolling speeds...i set mine on manual 50 khz and yes - this worked the fastest

08-27-2006, 10:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
Boboe Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, TX Occupation: Alaskan Fishing Guide, Gulf of Mexico Offshore Crew Boat Captain Posts: 805	This one really depends on your boat and where the xdr is located. I'm not familiar with that machine you've got. I've used Furuno double element machines quite a bit on large boats and have had no trouble with them continually marking the bottom. The last one we installed, I think we said, "It'll knock the scales off of a herring 300' down," and "You'll see that choafer fart all the way on the bottom." If your xdr is often out of the water, you'll have a lot of trouble with it continually painting the bottom. How fast are you running and where is your xdr located?

08-31-2006, 08:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
Belize Lines In Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ambergris Caye, Belize Boat: 30ft custom built Best Catch: dutchgirl, 34-25-34, 130 lbs Occupation: Broker Posts: 84	tested it out in deep water and hit 2600 ft. C7 raymarine dsm 300 module 1000w airmar located in transom bracket

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