What do you Perfer of Dash?

[bassNspear]

Hey everyone, im looking to set up my new ranger, and i was wondering what everyone thinks about the electronics on the dash.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I didn't vote... But here is the deal.. If you get the GPS and locator at the same time.. you either have to choose one or the other to view or have to split screen and then look at both sides really small?... If you had the cash... many of the top pros have seperate units.. one GPS and a finder.. that way they can view both at the same time.

having said all that.. I have a 2 in 1 unit.. and split the screen. then set it up so that my depthfinder screen is quite small.

[hanson]

Locator & GPS either as a combination unit or separate units on the dash. You need both of them at the helm IMO.

Now your fishing style will dictate what other units you need on the boat. Flasher on the bow? GPS on the bow? Troll or backtroll with a kicker off the rear of the boat, probably need depth there as well.

[bassNspear]

I have used the split screen. But wanted to see what everyone else was thinking.

[anyfishwilldo]

Unless you prefer to fish out of the Ranger, why would you need a depthfinder on the dash. I went with an H2OC on the wheeler, and use my FL18 for fishing.

[anyfishwilldo]

OK, now that I read it again, I see Ranger boat, not Ranger ATV. I have a seperate depthfinder and GPS. I have had bad luck with anything that is a "combo" unit.

[bassNspear]

its all good. lol

[VMS]

What I did was buy a GPS to mount on top of the dash, then took out the standard speedometer (GPS has it and is more accurate anyway) and installed the Vexilar FL-10 with the alumaducer (I have aluminum..not fiberglass). I wired the vexilar to come on when the key for the motor is turned on.

Steve

[bassNspear]

The reason that i ask this is becuase i saw tha tmost of the FLW or B.A.S.S. guys, are taking that MPH gage out, and placing the flasher in there because for one, they could really care less how fast they are going to be going, and for two, becuae they have it on the gps as far as speed.

[VMS]

I did it to save on set-up time at the ramp. I also like the instantaneous read-out you get from a flasher, although the new locaters are extremely fast to transmit to the screen. I just like to be able to dump the boat in and go...no hook up of extra electronics and such. My bow area has an FL-8SE that is on a RAM, so I can just lower that down and tighen it against the gunnel...no removal. And the back lowrance is also on a ram that tucks under the top of the gunnel.

The vexilar is really bright (almost too bright at night), but it saves on the amount of "dash clutter" on top of the dash. Also, if the GPS goes out, you still have the flasher to watch depths, and vice versa. With a combo unit, you lose both if it goes down...not a fun situation if you are not totally familiar with the lake contours (reason to always carry a map as well...)

[John Mickish]

Two separate units and the bigger the better. Put another separate locator and GPS/mapping unit on the bow. I know, it is the expensive way to go but you will be happier in the long run. BTW, you can run two Lowrance units off of one antennae.

To save a few bucks now you can get a combo unit and then in the future you can get another dedicated unit, then you will have one of each.

[bassNspear]

thanks guys for all the information. Im going to stick to mu guns, and place a lowrance 111 on dash, with flasher in the mph, and then another on the bow. Thanks again

[caseymcq]

If you get one of the units with a bit bigger screen and run split screen (GPS/Sonar) it isn't too small. Something like a Lowrance LCX-17 isn't too terribly expensive.

I have LCX-15mt's and I love them. I really think they are the way to go. You get the best of both and they don't take up as much room as two seperate units. There is also less wire to run.