Question: What is a Fish Finder? Walker E.

Answer: A fishfinder is a device used on a boat to scan the water below the boat for objects and fish. It uses a sonar ping to send a signal downward, then listens back for the signal. This creates am image on the fishfinder screen to show depth, obstructions, and fish. Fishfnders are very commonly used by fishermen to locate fish. They are rated by their transmitting power and screen size. The common sizes are 600W for smaller boats in shallower water. 1kW for larger boats in deep water. All the way up to 3kW for commercial boats. Screen sizes vary from tiny 4" screens up to huge 16" screens. Fishfinders start around $200 and can go into the thousands.

Question: What is Livescope?  Jake S.

Answer:  Livescope is a technology from Garmin that shows live sonar under and around the boat. Instead of showing a historical view of what was under the boat, it shows a real time view of what is under the boat. It is offered with either a thru-hull transducer option, or transom mount.   This technology only worls on Garmin units equipped to handle Livescope. 

Question: What is a Fishfinder GPS? Dave M.

Answer:  A Fishfinder GPS is what is commonly referred to as a Combo unit for a boat.   It contains a Marine GPS to show navigation and boat position, as well as a built-in sonar system for depoth and fishfinding. Both wil show up on the screen at the same time in split screen mode, or they can be viewed one at a time in full screen mode. 

Question: What is a Garmin Marine GPS? -  Nick G.

Answer: A Garmin Marine GPS is a device used for navigation on a boat. "Garmin" is often used as a generic term to refer to a marine GPS because Garmin is one of the most popular brands. These GPS systems generally have a moving map showing obstructions, land, depths, and navigational aids. 

Question:  What is the best fishfinder? - Austin O.

Answer:  Fishfinder technology has really improved over the recent years.  Especially with the introduction of CHIRP. Consequently, you need to consider several things before determining what is the best fishfinder for you.  These are the 4 main things to consider before getting specific as to which is the best fishfinder for you.

• Budget - how much do you want to spend? Sonar systems range in price from $200 to $3,000 for recreational systems. 
• Screen Size - how big can you fit, how big do you want? 
• Combo or strictly a fishfinder - some people prefer dedicated fishfinders.  Many more people prefer combo units that have fishfinder and gps built in. They cost a

Question: Do I need trim tabs for my boat? Neil P

Answer:  Trim tabs are a welcome addition to nearly any boat.  They serve some basics needs that apply to any planing hull boat. First, they can help you level  boat with uneven weight distribution.  So if you are in a small boat, and only one person onboard, it may list or lean to the side the person is on. With trim tabs you can adjust the tabs to make the boat run level.  Another good use is for boats to get on plane easier. When the trim tabs are down it will help hold the bow of the boat down to get on plane easier and ride on plane at slower speeds. Trim tabs can also help a boat run at a more efficient attitude saving fuel.  A final benefot is that you can adjust the bow so it cuts through the waves in a head sea, or stays above the troug

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Question:  What is the best trolling motor? - Mike M.  

Answer:  There are two types of trolling motors for boats.  Stern mount, and bow mount. Stern mount motors are generally just used for propelling the boat through th ewater slowly and quietly.  Bow mount are used for positioning the boat, holding station, or moving around in any direction. Bow mount are the most common.  They are offered in a variety of configurations to suit any boat.  The questions you need to ask yourself are:

• How much voltage do I need for my trolling motor? - The higher the voltage the more power or thrust they can create.  But you need a suitable battery bank with an onboard charger to create the right amount of volts.  Options include 1