Batteries aboard today’s saltwater fishing boats prove more critical than ever, relied upon to power an ever-growing number of onboard systems, as well as starting the main engines.

While marine batteries have morphed into a wide range of types, sizes and applications, most still rely on the same lead-acid chemistry invented more than 160 years ago. Today, however, advanced ­lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery chemistry provides boating anglers with greater electrical power, and your next new boat may well be equipped with this ­revolutionary new technology. 

Marine lithium batteries offer amazing advantages, but they also require new thinking when it comes to cost, installation, applications and charging. Let’s look at how these jibe with saltwater fishing boats. 

Deep-Cycle vs. Starting

Most marine lithium ­batteries are designed to serve in deep-cycle applications, not as starting batteries. Marine starting batteries are purpose-built to crank engines, for the most part, using lead-acid technology, which is good for short bursts of high energy. Most lithium batteries are not designed to produce these kinds of high-energy electrical bursts, but rather lower levels of energy over long periods. So, with a few exceptions, lithiums are relegated to the role of deep-cycle-house and ­trolling-motor batteries. 

Lithium batteries also might damage marine engines if employed in starting applications. And engine alternators can’t produce the special charging profiles that lithium batteries require (more on this later), which means that it is a good idea to completely isolate these new-age batteries from the engine starting circuit. 

Run Times

Unlike deep-cycle lead-acid batteries that taper off in power delivery and go dead at about 50 percent capacity, a lithium battery delivers full power for nearly its entire discharge cycle. If you’re running an electric trolling motor with lead-­acid batteries, the power will gradually fade after a few hours and the motor will lose its initial oomph. With a comparable lithium battery, however, the motor will pull strong for nearly its entire discharge cycle.

Weight Comparison

The most obvious ­difference between lead-acid and ­LiFePO4 batteries is weight. For example, a 31-series lead-­acid deep-cycle battery that offers 105 amp-hours weighs around 60 pounds, while an X2Power SLIL31-125DC-BT 12-volt deep-cycle battery that provides 125 amp-hours weighs just 33.6 pounds. This can make an even bigger difference if, for example, you’re assembling a bank of three 12-volt batteries for a 36-volt saltwater trolling motor—that’s 180 pounds for the three lead-acid batteries versus 101 pounds for the three lithiums.

Weight savings can become even more remarkable because many companies offer single lithium batteries in 24, 36 and even 48 volts, as well as 12 volts. A case in point is the ­Dakota Lithium 36-volt 100-amp-hour battery that weighs just 32 pounds, saving 148 pounds when it replaces three lead-acid 12-volt batteries.

Life Expectancy 

Lithium batteries offer as much as 10 times more battery life than lead-acid systems, some providing up to 4,000 cycles versus 400 cycles for a comparable AGM (absorbed glass mat) lead-acid battery. On the other hand, lithium batteries are more expensive. The X2Power SLIL31-125DC-BT, for example, currently retails for $599.99. Compare that to a Duracell Ultra 31-series 12-volt, ­105-amp-hour lead-acid AGM battery, which retails for about $319.99. Yet, with the greater longevity of lithiums, they pencil out as better long-term buys.  

Charge Times

Don’t try using a conventional charger on a lithium battery; LiFePO4 chemistry requires a special charging profile to bring it back to full capacity safely and without damaging the battery. Many lithium brands offer compatible chargers as accessories, and buying a new charger can run up the cost of switching to lithium. That said, a LiFePO4 battery charges four times faster than a comparable AGM lead-acid model. 

Monitoring Methods

Because lithium batteries ­provide full power throughout the discharge curve and stop cold once out of juice, boating anglers need a reliable ­method for monitoring the state of charge. Many LiFePO4 models resolve this with a built-in ­Bluetooth monitor that connects to an app on your mobile device to keep you informed about available power. There are also aftermarket monitoring systems that connect to the battery and display the state of charge and other parameters. 

With lithium batteries of the past, there were concerns about flammability. However, those have largely dissipated with the advent of reliable LiFePO4 cobalt-free technology. Marine lithiums provide many benefits to boating anglers in proper applications. At the same time, lead-acid batteries—particularly today’s AGM models—still have a place aboard today’s saltwater fishing boats, especially when used for starting engines.

The post The Marine Lithium Battery Revolution appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Today’s big outboard engines offer more than just ample horsepower. Many now feature ramped charging power from the engine alternator. This ensures plenty of juice for the growing number of electrical ­accessories such as livewell pumps, marine electronics, electric trolling motors, air-conditioning systems, and gyrostabilizers. Yamaha’s big outboards, including the 450 hp XTO Offshore V-8, deliver ­significant charging power thanks to a three-phase, simultaneous charging system. The XTO 450 produces up to 96 net amps per engine (at 12 volts). With multiple outboards, amp output is multiplied by the number of engines. In the case of quintuple XTO 450s, that’s 480 amps.

Mercury Marine has also made strides in delivering improved outboard charging capabilities with the new 350 and 400 hp V-10 Verado series, as well as the 600 hp V-12 Verado. The ­standard alternator on these outboards will deliver 150 amps (at 12 volts) of charging power at an rpm as low as 1,500.

New alternator systems prove so powerful that they can eliminate the need for onboard generators. Ancillary systems redirect charging power to a “house” battery bank to power accessories once the engine is turned off. Yamaha’s Smart Charging system redirects charging power to the house bank once the engine-starting bank reaches 100 percent.

While nearly all outboard alternators generate amps at 12 volts (direct current), one outboard alternator system generates amps at 48 volts. It’s optional for the Merc V-10 and V-12 outboards to complement Navico’s Fathom e-power system that uses a marine lithium-iron-phosphate house battery bank to replace an internal combustion generator.  

Fathom can bypass the house bank and direct alternator power to 12-volt accessories through a voltage converter. It can also directly power 48-volt appliances and accessories, thus preserving the energy stored in the batteries. What’s more, the system will seamlessly maintain the house bank, which in turn can charge the starting-battery bank. 

Boating anglers can also use the Mercury outboard alternators to recharge the house bank while the boat is at rest. If the house batteries discharge too low, Fathom will send an alert on the boat’s multifunction display or through the Fathom app. You can then engage Power+ mode through the MFD touchscreen. This will throttle up the outboards to 2,500 rpm in neutral so that the 48-volt alternator charges the house batteries. 

Today’s outboards provide boating anglers with a number of ways to charge ahead. 

The post The Benefits of Improved Outboard Charging Capabilities appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

While many marine electronics units are becoming more compact these days, marine multifunction displays are headed in the opposite direction. Like today’s television flat screens, touchscreen displays are growing ever larger, with some brands offering screens as expansive as 27 inches or greater. And of course, the larger the screen, the easier it is to read and interpret various MFD functions such as a chart plotter, sonar, radar, and more. 

MFDs are also getting proportionately wider. The aspect ratios—the relationship between the screen width and height—are increasing. This is exemplified by 16-inch (diagonal) models such as the Garmin GPSMap 1643xsv and Humminbird Apex 16 Mega SI+, both of which feature wide screens that are 1,920 pixels wide by 1,080 pixels tall. That equates to an aspect ratio of 1.77-to-1. 

Simrad has taken the wide-screen MFD even further with its NSX Ultrawide series, available in 12- and 15-inch models. These models feature displays that are 1,920 pixels wide by 720 pixels tall, resulting in 2.66-to-1 aspect ratio. To give you an idea of the ­difference, the touchscreen on the standard 12-inch Simrad NSX measures 1,280 pixels wide by 800 pixels tall—a 1.6-to-1 ratio. 

So, what does this have to do with boat buying? When you order a new saltwater fishing boat, you often have the opportunity to option it with your choice of marine electronics, either direct from the factory, through your boat dealer, or through a qualified marine-electronics installer. 

In any of these cases, one of the most critical decisions will be which MFD(s) you spec out for your new boat, and part of the process might boil down to choosing between a wide-, ultrawide- and standard-­format display. Here are factors to help you make the best selection.

Dash Space

The physical space you have available at the helm will play heavily in your decision. Most MFDs on today’s new ­fishing boats are flush-mounted into the dash area ­rather than ­bracket-­mounted. Flush ­mounting results in a clean and professional-­looking installation that hides all of the wires and cable behind the dash.

Let’s say the helm of your new boat has a space measuring 20-by-8 inches available for flush mounting one or more displays, and you’re leaning toward a Simrad system. With this in mind, one choice would be a single 16-inch NSX Ultrawide that requires a space of 15.55-by-6.71 inches. Another choice might be a pair of ­standard-format NSX 9-inch MFDs, each requiring ­9.4-by-5.85 inches.

Either of these MFD ­configurations will fit the space in this example, but the choice will hinge on additional factors, as detailed below.

Functions

Today’s MFDs prove marvelous for centralizing control and monitoring of onboard systems via NMEA-2000 networking. However, the number of functions you need to control at once might help determine the MFD configuration you choose.

To illustrate the point, let’s continue using the Simrad example. With the 15-inch NSX Ultrawide, the screen can be split up to four times, allowing you to monitor a quartet of functions at a glance. You can quickly and easily change the screen to other functions, but four is the maximum at one time.

With the NSX 9-inch, the maximum number of screen splits is four as well. Yet, with a pair of these MFDs, you can monitor up to eight functions simultaneously. Again, you can quickly call up other functions on the display, but eight is ­maximum at any given time.  

Cost

So, what is the cost difference in our comparison example? The MSRP for the 15-inch NSX Ultrawide (without transducers) is $3,399, while each 9-inch NSX MFD (without transducers) carries an MSRP of $1,449, for a total of $2,898 for a pair. So, the combined retail cost of the two smaller MFDs is less than the single NSX Ultrawide. 

Beyond the cost of the units, installation and rigging costs of two displays versus one might be slightly higher, but in this particular example, you will likely still save money with the two standard-format 9-inch NSX displays even after paying for installation.

Redundancy

Another advantage to having a pair of MFDs is redundancy, and that’s why you see many new saltwater fishing boats with two or more displays on the dash. Should one MFD become damaged, malfunction or fail for any reason, you have another available for monitoring and controlling critical onboard systems, navigating, and finding fish.  

Visualization

Is the extra cost of a wide or ultrawide display worth it? The more expansive view is certainly worth considering. As Simrad puts it: “The NSX Ultrawide provides a more streamlined and immersive experience, resulting in an elevated dash aesthetic that unlocks new possibilities.” Visually, the panoramic view of wide and ultrawide displays is akin to seeing a film in IMAX versus a standard movie screen with a conventional MFD.

While you might not have the same number of split screens available as outlined in our comparison against a pair of 9-inch displays, there’s another factor to consider. A wide or ultra- wide MFD in split-screen mode makes you feel like you there are two displays on the dash.

The comparison we use here is just one scenario in a wide ­array of boat-buying ­possibilities. But try applying some of these same factors to your particular situation. When it comes to marine electronics for your new boat, they can help you in deciding on the MFD ­configuration that’s right for you and your style of fishing.

The post Wide-Screen vs. Standard MFDs appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

My alarm rudely interrupted my sleep at 2 a.m. I launched from slumber and headed for my laptop on the table in the salon. Within a minute, I was reviewing the latest sea surface conditions from overnight satellite passes. The weather still looked great for a canyon run, but the water had shifted from the last clear images I saw a couple days ago. Now we would have to run to the Norfolk Canyon instead of the Washington to intercept a strong temperature and color change I knew held our best chances for tuna and billfish. Without that intel, we might have searched for hours in an area that held fish several days ago, but would have been a desert that day. 

In today’s world, if you’re not using satellite mapping to study the water and gather information in the days prior to an offshore fishing trip, you’re missing out. The ocean is a bit like a desert, in which most of the fish congregate in oases of favorable water conditions amid vast swaths of unproductive water. By doing your homework on ocean conditions, it’s possible to home in on likely areas and launch with a gameplan that can greatly increase your catching-to-fishing ratio.

How to Best Use Satellite Images for Fishing

Satellite images are an incredible tool giving offshore fishermen a way to watch the ocean’s movements and predict where to find pelagic species. By learning which indicators show conditions that concentrate fishing action instead of dispersing it, anglers can often predict when, as well as where, the bite is likely to be the hottest. As a warm-water eddy spins off from the main current, you can watch for days. Putting all that intel together will help you save fuel by spending more time fishing in productive water, rather than randomly searching the ocean for a bite.

Look for boundary zones to improve your fishing. Consider how the water is going to interact with the bottom structure. Look for indicators in satellite images that help you find the signs on the water that lead to that “20 percent of water that holds 80 percent of the fish.” Don’t focus too heavily on an exact temperature or color, think edges.

Find Waters Holding Fish

While anglers cannot see fish from satellites, they can see the physical conditions that fish prefer. Fish do not have an ability to change a thermostat, so they need to move with the water temperature they’re comfortable in. While tuna and swordfish have some limited ability to self-regulate their internal temperature, they move with favorable temperatures just like highly temperature-sensitive species such as dolphin and wahoo. Additionally, fish live to eat, and pelagic fish species have a knack for finding forage fish. Today’s satellite mapping might not be able to show you fish, but it absolutely can show the ocean conditions pelagic species prefer.

How to Read Sea Temperature Data

Temperature, color and altimetry are most useful for offshore fishing. Water temperature seems obvious, but satellite sensors can only see the very surface of the ocean, or skin temperature. During early morning hours the surface appears cooler, while after a hot day it appears warmer than the temperature displayed on your on-board water temperature sensor. And this is just the surface temperature. Don’t get hung up on the absolute temperature on your gauge or in a satellite image, rather use the temperature as an indicator of the features and circulations of different water bodies like the Gulf Stream’s warmer waters versus cooler coastal currents. 

Best Chlorophyll Levels for Fishing

Some satellites provide ocean color, while others provide chlorophyll concentrations—where more chlorophyll typically means greener water and less is clear blue water. This helps us to see the clarity and the plankton or suspended sediment content of the water. Satellites can measure the top layer of water down to as deep as 100 feet, depending on just how clear and clean the water is. The key is not necessarily to identify a specific color, but rather where the boundaries are, what the circulation is like and where the current comes from. For example, anglers rarely find yellowfin tuna, wahoo or marlin in turbid coastal waters. More often they are found in the cleaner, bluer offshore waters.

Does Water Height Matter in Fishing?

Satellite altimeters measure the height of the ocean’s surface. Areas where the surface is higher typically indicate a downwelling where the water is nutrient poor and less likely to hold fish. Areas with lower sea surface height tend to coincide with upwellings that have more life. Once again, use these images to focus on the boundary areas between highs and lows.

READ NEXT: How Fishing Charts Have Revolutionized Sportfishing

Fish the Eddies of Ocean Currents

Ocean currents like the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic or the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico tend to be comfortable for pelagic fish and the bait they love to eat. When eddies spin off these currents, the eddies often carry fish with them. Following the motion of these spin-off eddies is key to finding the best fishing conditions. Off the northeast US, the offshore season’s success is largely dictated by how and when these spin-off eddies come off the Gulf Stream and how fast they move west and south, before eventually being swallowed back up into the Gulf Stream.

Notice the Gulf Stream eddy labeled A in the image below (top). This eddy is circulating clockwise, while moving from east to west. Usually, these eddies hold pelagic fish like tuna, mahi and billfish. Ideally, anglers want to fish where the current pushes from deeper to shallower into a canyon wall. You can also notice that the sea surface temperature cannot be seen through clouds. The white areas in the image are cloud locations that have been removed from the image.

In the image above (bottom), from a few days later, the eddy has pushed west. I would choose to fish along the 100-fathom curve around the “triple zeros” of the Hudson Canyon. This is where the circulation is pushing good Gulf Stream water from deeper to shallow, creating an upwelling effect against the canyon wall which is likely driving bait toward the surface. I would avoid the area north of the Hudson Canyon where water is pushing from shallower to deeper water.

Marlin Fishing in an Upwelling

Upwelling is another condition to watch for. This occurs when current hits a canyon wall or seamount. The water must go somewhere, so it goes up and over the structure. This brings cooler, nutrient-rich water toward the surface, where the sun’s energy then grows the phytoplankton, which are eaten by the zooplankton, which then becomes food for the small baitfish, who then become feed for our target species.

Large-scale upwelling can be seen on the west coast of the U.S., but any upwelling is good, especially when it has been stable for a few days. Always try to track the circulation as you are looking at imagery and find areas where the water is pushing from deep to shallow. Baitfish and other forage are either attracted to these areas or are pushed closer to the surface by the upwelling, increasing your chances for finding tuna, wahoo, dolphin and marlin. 

Why Convergence Zones Attract Gamefish

A convergence zone is where two bodies of water come together. A divergence zone is an area where the water bodies are being pulled apart. Most of us have been lucky enough to see the visual signs of a convergence zone when our boat approached a weed line, or the edge of a strong green-to-blue front on the water, like the color break at the edge of the Gulf Stream. Generally, look for areas of convergence versus divergence along the edges of two water bodies.

When two bodies of water come together, one cooler than the other, the cooler water will go under the warmer water and all the sargassum and flotsam will create a weed line at this convergence edge. Bait is attracted to these areas, making it much more likely to find fish concentrated in the area hunting the bait. In a divergence zone, the weeds will be scattered and breaking up. While anglers still might find some life along divergence zones, the action is likely subsiding, as the bait is being dispersed instead of being concentrated. 

Where to Find the Best Satellite Images for Fishing

While you can dive into the internet and find inexpensive, even free satellite images, you most likely want to start out paying for a more complete service that helps point out optimal fishing spots. Engage these providers in discussions to understand what they are seeing and why they believe the bite will be at one location or another. This will help you to appreciate the sometimes very minor differences in satellite image data that will highlight your best chances for catching. Additionally, as these providers are typically talking with many fishermen in the same area you are fishing, they can help identify which water bodies have been holding fish or bait, again, increasing your chances for success.  

• Canyon Runner (www.canyonrunner.com) provides a concierge-level coaching service, including access to satellite images, weather and fishing reports. Their app allows you to see real-time locations of their pro staff and they highly encourage live conversations to help you develop a plan for your best chances for catching on the days you are able to fish.
• ROFFS (www.roffs.com) provides satellite images and oceanographic analyses to help direct your fishing efforts.
• Sirius XM Marine (www.siriusxm.com/marine) provides images and analyses directly to your boat.
• SatFish (www.satfish.com) provides low cost, easy to use satellite data in an app designed to help you view the images easily.
• Rutgers University (https://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/data/satellites/imagery) provides near real-time access for free to sea surface temperature data.

About the Author: Louis Chemi’s lifelong passion for fishing is deeply rooted in his extensive experience in the marine industry. From his early days fishing in Long Island Sound to his time as a captain and mate on various boats, Chemi has accumulated a vast amount of on-the-water knowledge. With a strong foundation in engineering and marine physics, Chemi has also applied his technical expertise to the fishing industry. He has worked in various roles at Raymarine, Simrad, Lowrance and B&G, including developing fish-finding services and designing marine electronics. More recently, he spent time growing Freedom Boat Club’s franchise business. Today, Chemi continues to explore new fishing waters and share his expertise as a board member of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation.

The post Improve Your Fishing with Satellite Mapping appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Development of 3D Charts for Fishing 

In product management at Raymarine in 2001, it was a never-ending arms race to beat the competition to the next feature and win in the market. While brainstorming next-generation charting features, someone realized we live in a 3D world, but charting was limited to providing 2D simplifications.

Even 20 years ago, gaming graphics proved realistic images could be achieved by a personal computer (PC). In 2001, we had no embedded hardware platforms that could handle the processing needed for realistic 3D charts at any speed, let alone at the speed live navigation requires. PC navigation platforms like Nobeltec, Maptech and Raymarine’s RayTech were available, but PCs were too delicate for most boats.

After several discussions with potential suppliers, there was a joint development program with Giuseppe Carnevali, founder of Navionics, to bring the world’s first 3D embedded cartography to chart plotters to help boaters and anglers visualize the water around them. In addition to 3D, aerial images provided insights into channel structures, enabling better scouting for hot spots. 

Countless hours of calculating, programming, sea trials, re-programming and more sea trials resulted in the release of the Navionics Platinum cartography in 2004 on Raymarine’s E-Series MFD. This product was an immediate hit in the marketplace, as mariners could relate well to the 3D images, panoramic photos, and traditional charts that were displayed — simplifying navigation and improving fishing. 

Improvements in Fishing Maps

In the two decades since that initial launch, cartography and displays improved exponentially. Satellite and aerial images have become much more broadly available as more imaging companies make higher resolution images readily available. Lower data-storage costs allow higher resolution data, which enables super-fast computing power to show high-resolution bathymetric shading — again improving our ability to see and understand fish-producing bottom structure.    

Cartographers have access to higher speed, lower cost data gathering tools. Some have enabled fishermen to record from their own fish finders to supplement bathymetric data that is publicly available.    

The choices faced by today’s fishermen are vast. If you just navigate from point A to point B using the chart as a guide, you’re going to be in great shape using most any offerings from the big marine-electronics players. If you want the best chance for more fish, you need to study the offerings available locally. 

Today’s Fishing Mapping Options

Navionics Platinum+ offers detailed coastal and inland cartography as well as high resolution shaded bathymetric data, satellite images, aerial photos, community edits (very helpful if you visit new places often), dock-to-dock route guidance, and many other features. Garmin bought Navionics in 2017, so non-Garmin units utilize Navionics Platinum+. On Garmin units, Navionics Vision+ is available.

C-Map’s Reveal and Reveal X formats provide the latest, highest-featured offerings, like Navionics Platinum +. Depending on your hardware maker and vintage, you will need to study compatibility tables online to see exactly what you can use. 

Humminbird CoastMaster Premium includes region-specific coverage and all the features — plus extras — of Humminbird’s well-known CoastMaster charts. Key additions include 2D shaded relief for bottom detail and depth changes, enhanced aerial imagery to navigate confidently and find fishing spots, auxiliary contours to provide additional contours in shallow waters, and bottom hardness for anglers to identify bottom composition.

CMOR Mapping offers high-resolution data for many areas important for fishing or diving. These are not navigational charts, but they enable outstanding resolution based on surveys with high-resolution echo sounding equipment. I have definitely found bottom features on these charts that I don’t see elsewhere.  

Florida and Louisiana Marine Tracks (ISLA Mapping) focus on those two states’ markets. Their high-resolution images provide great clarity for finding fish. These guys have focused particularly on the shallows and ensuring the accuracy of their data so that you can navigate with confidence in shallow water.  

Strike Lines specialize in high resolution charts for finding hard-bottom fishing structure and other areas that typically hold more fish. After starting in the Gulf of Mexico doing custom surveys of fishing areas with high-resolution scanning sonar, they expanded across the US and also have some Caribbean coverage. They offer a variety of products from free digital downloads of public wreck data to customized surveys based on your specific needs.

Standard Mapping provides aerial mapping and 3D relief shading products. This company has limited regions available, but the detail looks very impressive. 

Your best resources will be based on the hardware and software you use on your boat or in your planning. There are so many rich options today. Just dive in and start your research for your area and your unique fishing style. Your fishing will improve.

Research and Pre-Fishing Before Hitting the Water

Online sites from our government offer another way to enhance your fishing. NOAA’s Bathymetric Data Viewer is available if you want to geek out on some of the raw data that goes into some of the chart products listed above. You can dive into this tool to do your pre-fishing research. Use publicly available data and viewers to scout areas for new structures. 

About the Author: Louis Chemi’s lifelong passion for fishing is deeply rooted in his extensive experience in the marine industry. From his early days fishing in Long Island Sound to his time as a captain and mate on various boats, Chemi has accumulated a vast amount of on-the-water knowledge. With a strong foundation in engineering and marine physics, Chemi has also applied his technical expertise to the fishing industry. He has worked in various roles at Raymarine, Simrad, Lowrance and B&G, including developing fish-finding services and designing marine electronics. More recently, he spent time growing Freedom Boat Club’s franchise business. Today, Chemi continues to explore new fishing waters and share his expertise as a board member of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation.

The post From 2D to 3D: How Fishing Charts Have Revolutionized Sportfishing appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

The concept is simple: locate objects underwater or in the dark by sending out a sound signal and listening for the echoed return. Bats, shrews and dolphins use it. Humans finally caught on about 100 years ago. From the first 2000-pound transducer to the latest forward-facing sonar, the evolution of the fish finder allows anglers a view of underwater fish and structure that would make a dolphin jealous.

45 Million Years Ago: Whales develop echolocation. By sending out clicks and receiving the echo through their jaw bone, animals can see in the dark, underwater and underground.

1490: Leonardo da Vinci invents active sonar by using a long underwater tube to listen for approaching ships.

1913: One month after the Titanic sinks, English meteorologist Lewis Fry Richardson, patents the first Sound Navigation and Ranging device. 

1959: Lowrance introduces the FISH-LO-K-TOR portable sonar, also known as the “Little Green Box.” Over the next 25 years, the analogue flasher sells more than 1 million units.

1971: Tom Mann modifies a do-it-yourself electronics kit to reduce interference and creates the first Humminbird depth sounder.

1984: The first fish finder with an LCD screen and integrated microprocessor replaces paper graphs.

1985: Scientists use a Lowrance’s X-16 paper graph to search for the Loch Ness monster. Operation Deepscan failed to produce any evidence of the monster.

2003: Humminbird’s SmartCast wireless fish finder provides bank anglers with a remote fish finder. Tie the transducer to the fishing line, cast it out and use a smartphone app to watch a live view of the fish and structure.

2009: DownScan sonar transmits multiple sonar signals to create a life-like image of fish and structure. The technology leads to 360 and forward-facing sonar.

2011: CHIRP sonar transmits a range of frequencies in one pulse to increase the power of the transducer signal and improve image detail.

2018: Garmin’s Panoptix LiveScope provides live images of fish and structure in front of the boat. The technology wins Best of Show at ICAST. 

2019: Humminbird Introduced MEGA 360 Imaging followed in 2021 with MEGA Live Imaging, providing a live view of fish and structure in every direction. The technology quickly spreads through the industry providing anglers the most powerful tool to find fish.

The post The History of the Fish Finder appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Today’s revolutionary technology, specifically the Internet of Things (IoT), has granted anglers the ability to monitor their boat location, security and vital signs remotely via a mobile app. Now, Siren Marine is making that experience even better with the newly upgraded Siren Connected Boat mobile app featuring integration with Yamaha outboards.

Features of the new app include real-time vessel security, multiple and flexible boat-monitoring and tracking functions, as well as conveniences such as remote digital switching for control of onboard systems from a smartphone or smart watch virtually anywhere in the world.

Yamaha Integration

Yet, the biggest news lies in the Siren app’s integration with Yamaha’s Command Link Plus. It enables the app to automatically remind boating anglers and their preferred dealers about scheduled maintenance requirements and due dates based on actual engine use, as well as maintenance records as updated by either the servicing dealer or the DIY boater.

Boat dealers have the ability to install Siren 3 Pro devices at their dealerships. What’s more, some boatbuilders now offer Siren 3 Pro as standard equipment on select boats. The builders include Grady-White, Regulator Marine and Skeeter.

Cellular or Satellite Connection

Siren 3 Pro is the third-generation remote boat-monitoring and telematics platform that operates over a global 4G/5G LTE cellular network with the option to add SirenSat (an offshore antenna) for customers that leave cellular coverage. Options for monitor sensors include wired and wireless, as well as connection to the NMEA 2000 network. There is also a new low-power mode that extends battery life during times when full functionality is not needed, such as during winter storage.

The new app is available now for download in the US. For boaters who already have a Siren Marine system, the app will update seamlessly on their mobile devices. The new app is free for basic service, but requires installation and activation of the Siren 3 Pro main device and cellular service. Siren 3 Pro system hardware starts at $797 with cellular plans as low as $18.75 per month.

The post New Gear: The Siren Connected Boat App appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Just how big a fish finder do you need? It’s a question just about every boat-owning angler will ask themselves when they buy a new boat, and again when they upgrade their electronics. It’s really, really easy to boil down this question to a one-line answer: the biggest your boat’s helm can accommodate. Period. If you have the room, multiple fish finders are even better.

Cost Equation

Simple, right? OK, now let’s pick apart that assertion a bit. Obviously, the downside to getting a bigger fish finder is additional cost. But ask yourself: What percentage of your boat’s cost would an upsize unit amount to? A pretty good guess is 2 to 4 percent. Next question: Would you want to save 2 to 4 percent on your boat’s cost if you knew it meant you’d catch significantly fewer fish for the lifetime of the rig? Because that’s exactly what’s likely to happen.

Big-Screen Effect

What you have to remember is that you’re trying to represent a vast area of water on a comparatively minute screen. If you’re fishing in 50 feet of water and trying to compress the snapshot of that swath of H₂O onto a 5-inch screen, 30-inch fish will be little more than tiny dots. Trying to spot baitfish will be like trying to spot fairy dust. Oh, and you say you’d like to see the chart plotter at the same time too? That screen just shrank again.

HD Analogy

Do you remember when you upgraded your TV to a jumbo high-definition version, put on the Nature Channel, and discovered that you could suddenly see the hairs on an ant’s leg? The difference is just as stark—and just as illuminating—with a grand-size fish-finder screen.

Easier Navigation

In case we haven’t convinced you yet, note that navigating is a lot easier with a larger screen that allows you to zoom out and still see details such as contour lines and depths. You’ll be more accurate when plotting without having to zoom in and out to find markers and channels. 

How Big Is Big?

Just how big is big enough? Different folks have different opinions, but for most serious anglers anything under 9 inches is usable only for the most basic applications. Upping the ante to 12 inches or larger will make a massive difference. The bottom line is: Bigger is always better. So, stop asking how big a fish finder you need. Instead, measure that helm station and find out just how big a fish finder you can ­possibly put on there.

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A new breed of autopilot is emerging, and it’s adding even more angling benefits than conventional autopilot systems. It’s all happening thanks to the integration of autopilot systems with electronic throttle and shift controls, steering, GPS, and chart-plotter and heading sensors.

Mercury, MerCruiser, Suzuki, Volvo Penta and Yamaha all offer integrated systems, either factory-rigged or installed aftermarket by qualified dealers.

Advanced features include the ability to fine-tune boatspeed, keep a boat in position, maintain a heading while drifting, stop and hold the position upon arrival, and more. Most—but not all—are integrated with low-speed joystick maneuvering systems.

Digital Driver

Digital throttle and shift, sometimes known as drive-by-wire controls, for marine engines is the enabler of these new features. Many of today’s outboards no longer rely on mechanical cables to connect the helm controls to the engine. Rather, throttle and shift commands are delivered digitally through wires to the engine via computer modules. 

One feature of this digital merger is the automatic slowing of the boat’s speed during turns as the boat follows a programmed chart-plotter route to a fishing spot. Known as Route Smoothing, it is available on the FishHunter Drive autopilot system, which integrates Furuno’s NavPilot 300 and Suzuki Marine’s SPC 2.0 engine controls on outboards ranging from 115 to 350 hp. It works with single or multiple Suzuki outboards.

“On turns of more than 30 degrees on a chart-plotter route, the FishHunter Drive will gradually slow boatspeed as it approaches the turn,” says Eric Kunz, senior product manager for Furuno USA. This helps ensure the safety of crew who might otherwise be jostled about during a sudden hard turn at speed.

The FishHunter Drive will perform this function on any kind of route programmed into networked chart plotter, including Garmin’s Auto Guidance function, which automatically calculates the safest route around landmasses, shallows, and other hazards based on chart data and the selected waypoint. 

You Have Arrived!

New-age autopilot systems also will deliver your boat to a fishing spot, steering the course to a selected waypoint and slowing or stopping the boat when it arrives. 

Yamaha Marine’s Helm Master EX engages the Track Point feature and Waypoint Arrival function so, as the boat cruises toward a programmed waypoint, it will gradually slow the boat at a distance from the waypoint you choose. You can then enter whichever SetPoint function you choose (StayPoint, FishPoint or DriftPoint) at the final waypoint. It works with single or multiple outboards.

“This will give you and your crew an opportunity to get tackle ready and decide how to fish the spot based on the sea conditions,” says David Meeler, manager of new product introductions for Yamaha Marine. 

The Furuno/Suzuki FishHunter Drive also can slow the boat as it approaches and stop when it arrives. “The boat will automatically slow down and enable Point Lock to stop and hold the vessel over your favorite fishing spot or destination,” Kunz explains. 

Virtual Anchor

Think of a virtual anchor as a form of autopilot, but instead of taking your boat to a destination, it keeps your boat at the destination. Guided by GPS and other sensors, the station-keeping feature generally requires multiple independently steered engines.

The concept was first introduced about eight years ago by Mercury Marine with the Skyhook feature in its Joystick Piloting system. Since then, it’s been refined and augmented with additional features. What’s more, other companies such as Volvo Penta and Yamaha introduced similar functionality soon thereafter. 

“Skyhook was a game-changer,” says Rob Hackbarth, director of controls and rigging for Mercury. Today’s Skyhook functions within Joystick Piloting are available for boats with multiple Mercury outboards, MerCruiser sterndrives or Zeus diesel pod drives.

One of the most useful of Skyhook’s features for boating anglers is BowHook, which maintains the boat position—over a wreck, for instance—but allows the boat to take a natural heading. If you need to adjust the heading, you can do so with a twist of the joystick control.

“You can use the original Skyhook feature, which maintains both position and heading, but it can also require a great deal more steering, throttle and shift,” Hackbarth says. BowHook serves as a gentler and quieter means of holding position, and it saves fuel.

Suzuki’s Point Lock and Yamaha’s FishPoint systems are similar. FishPoint offers the additional benefit of choosing whether you want to put the boat’s bow or stern directly over the spot. This helps anglers adjust for different fishing styles, as well as current and wind conditions. 

Drift Alignment

For anglers who like to drift-fish, functions such as the Mercury DriftHook, Suzuki/Furuno Sabiki Lock and Yamaha DriftPoint can provide big advantages. All are designed to maintain the boat’s heading (as chosen by the skipper) while allowing for a natural drift with wind and current. 

All are great for kite-fishing or working a wreck, and Suzuki touts the hands-free feature as ideally suited for working Sabiki rigs to catch live bait.

Yamaha enhances its DriftPoint feature with DriftPoint Track, which guides the boat to drift along a route programmed into a networked chart plotter. This is really handy when trying to follow a depth contour for species such as flounder.

“When you want to repeat the drift, simply select the waypoint at the top of your drift route and select Track Point,” Meeler explains. “Helm Master EX will use its autopilot to take you back to the beginning of your drift to start over again, notifying crew of Waypoint Arrival before it gets there.”

Editor’s Tip: When buying your next saltwater fishing boat, carefully consider whether to include a joystick system as optional equipment, keeping in mind that these systems are not solely for maneuvering in tight quarters or to ease the task of docking. Because joystick systems integrate digital engine controls, steering, GPS and more, they also enable the advanced autopilot features and angling benefits discussed in this story. -Jim Hendricks, Electronics Editor, Fishing Group

The post 2023 Boat Buyers Guide: Engine-Integrated Autopilot appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

I am a fan of gadgets. That probably makes me well-suited to the job of an electronics editor. I can spend hours tinkering with anything electronic. That’s why I was excited to have a look at Garmin’s new quatix 7 smartwatch.

When the original quatix debuted, it was a bit too big and bulky for my size-small wrist, but I was able to wear a Garmin Fenix 5s, which introduced me to the whole genre of wearable computers. I even received an Apple Watch as a gift not long ago, but was soon reaching for the Fenix. It simply does everything… and easily.

The new quatix 7, released in April, does even more. And, it features a slender profile and much lighter weight than its predecessors. I instantly felt at ease with its 47 mm display. The 7 comes in three models — Standard, Sapphire, and Solar (with a 52 mm display) — and offers loads of new options including new boating features. Here are just a few:

• MFD control (not just remote viewing), anchor drag alerts, integrated tide data. Compatible with:
GPSMAP 7×2/9×2/12×2 Plus
GPSMAP 10×2/12×2
GPSMAP 7×3/9×3/12×3
GPSMAP 7400/7600
GPSMAP 8400/8600
GHC 20 autopilot control
GNX Wind
GNT 10 transceiver

• New touchscreen display (in addition to traditional buttons)
• The Solar model features a built-in LED flashlight.
• Sapphire edition boasts an always-on AMOLED display for sharp clarity and brightness.
• Battery life ranges from up to 16 days for the Sapphire edition and up to 18 days for the Standard version to up to 90 days for the Solar model when it’s in battery-saver mode.
• Optional BlueChart g3 coastal or LakeVu g3 charts.
• GPS and 30-plus built-in sports apps for activities from running, walking, HIIT, cycling, and hiking to kayaking. It’s preloaded with SkiView maps and more than 42,000 golf courses from around the world.
• Enjoy 24/7 wrist-based HR, Pulse Ox, Body Battery energy monitoring, sleep score and more for health and wellness.
• Smart notifications, Garmin Pay contactless payments and Connect IQ app personalization.

Read Next: Wrist-Mounted Electronics That Can Help You Fish

The quatix 7, quatix 7 Sapphire and quatix 7X Solar range in price from $699.99 to $1,199.99.

The post Video: Unboxing the Garmin quatix 7 Smartwatch appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.