Questions & Answers

While the decision ultimately comes down to personal preference and personal needs, we offer unbiased opinions using only facts to get you the information you need to make a tough decision. 

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 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 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 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 12V, 24V and 36V.  Make sure you get a powerful enough motor to move your boat based on th

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 troughs on a following sea. 

Trim tabs come in both electric and hydraulic versions.  We re

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 about the same, might as well get the gps too, even if it is just a backup.
• P

Question: What is the best chartplotter - John A.

Answer: The best marine chartplotter is the one that most closely fills your needs.  You will need to determine how much you want to spend.  What size screen you can fit.  If you want touchscreen or buttons.  If you need wireless connectivity. If you ever want to add radar. If you want a sonar built in. If you need freshwater maps, coastal maps or both. If you want NMEA 2000 integration.  Once you answer all of those questions you will really narrow down your choices. What most people find is that Garmin has the easiest to use chartplotters if your needs are simply limited to having a chartplotter.  They offer auto-guidance and have color screens. Their touchscreens make things even easier with naming waypoints and creating routes.  Chartplotters range in price from $500 for a basic unit that has a 5 inch screen up to thousands of dollars

Question: What are the top 5 chartplotters - Paul T

Answer: Here are our Top 5 Chartplotters based on popularity.  The Garmin 942XS is the best value.  Easy to use charting on a beautiful 9" colors touchscreen.  The 2nd best is the Simrad NSS12 Evo3S. Their newest, it has eaasy tpo use touchscreen navigation and a very capable sonar with side imaging. 3rd is the Furuno GP1871F with it's robust construction and bulletproof software. 4th is the Raymarine Axiom which has endless capabilities on an elegant 9" touchscreen.  5th is the Lowrance Elite 7 Ti2 offering charting detail and performance that is well beyond the budget price. - Jim Maier

Question: What is the best marine stereo? - Lynn S

Answer: Marine stereos come in 2 basic levels of quality.  There are automotive stereos with coated circuit boards to help them live longer in th emarine environment.  Then there are dedicated marine stereos with waterproof housings. We only recommend going with dedicated marine stereos.  Fusion is th ebest brand for a number of reasons. First is because of how resistent to water and moisture they are.  They'll simply last longer in the marine environment. Next is how they integrate well with other boat systems because they have wireless functionality and NMEA2000.  This means you can incorporate them into a larger network on your boat.  For example, you can mount the stereo in the cabin, but use your Garmin chartpplotter at the helm as a remote for full stereo control. Fusion stereos come in a variety of configurations from DVD players,