Sonar(FF ?) For Dinghy

[Adeline]

I've only had my inflatable dinghy out one trip but some kind of sonar seems desirable. Beaching her on the Columbia has taught me that I can't read the bottom with my aging eyes. What are my options since I don't have a battery to tap(Johnson 4). I came across this after a brief google search. Integral battery and suction-cup mount transducer. Is this the way to go ?

[Adeline]

Or This ?

[Doryman]

FWIW, I know a lot of float tube fly fisher types who like the fishing buddy.

Warren

[Pigman]

We use a Humminbird Piranha max 210 Portable in a 14' inflatable. We use a small motorcycle battery in a plastic box for power. Gives us 3 full days of fishing before I recharge. Unit sits on seat or cooler and transducer clips to a small bracket on the transom. It's worked well enough for the last 3 years fishing salmon in Alaska.
John

[Big dave]

I use a 4 oz sinker on a 5' piece of fish line i'm about 6'2" so if the sinker don't hit bottom............Stay in the dingy.
Low tech, nothing to maintian, cheap to replace, and it can fit in yer pocket !
Big Dave. [/img]

[thataway]

We have used a setup similar to Pigman, but with both Hummingbird and Interphase depth sounders and the small motorcycle or garden tractor batteries. Mounted the FF under the passanger's hard thwart.

[journey on]

Try a boat hook. Waterproof, cheap and multi-tasking. Also good for pushing off when you screw up. When you're in shallow water, with rocks and weeds, a sonic depth sounder tends to give false readings.

Worked for us for years, and never runs out of power.

Boris

[Doryman]