Help with upgradeing gps/fishfinder.

P

primative

New member
I'm considering a Lowrance HDS10. It has a 10.4" diagonal screen size. Using a tape measure at the store it measured 8 7/8" wide, 12 1/8" long and 3 1/2'' deep. I made a mock up out of cardboard, and looks like it may fit, but I'm not sure of what mount will be substantial and will work with the dash? The unit weighs 8-10 Lbs., something to be considered when rough stuff happens.

First, do you have and like this unit for your 22' C-dory?
What mount did you decide on?

I presently have a Standard Horizon GPS chart 170c (5" diagonal screen) and a separate fish finder/sonar (Lowrance X85). I think they are about 8-9 years old.
The gps has always worked fine just seems too small at times to comfortably read. I thought given the limited dash space if I'm going for optimal screen size, it might as well do fish finder/sonar as well. I didn't just memorize this for my wife.

thanks,
Tom
 
A 10" unit seems to be getting toward the big side to be placed in a 22 for visability reasons, I am considering the HDS8 myself. However, the older I get the bigger I like the screens.
 
I had a 10" bottom line machine on the C Dory 22 I owned--and no problem.
I have owned a Lowrance 7" unit for the Tom Cat and had good service from the unit. I don't think that 10" unit is too big for the 22, if you mount it correctly.
 
Hi Tom,

Glad to see you posting. It's been a while.

I don't think that the dimensions of the Lowrance are excessive. We have a Raymarine C80 mounted just like Pete's unit, and it is fine. I have a much smaller Humminbird system on the port side as my backup unit.

Steve
 
Thanks for all your responses. It all helps in making that biggg decision. Ken & Steve, its good to hear from you too! I'm still on the path to find out. After placing a mock-up in the boat and adding 1 1/2" extra for bracket elevation(not having a mounting bracket), it seems the unit size will work and the positioning is the crucial thing. Pete, I'm assuming your mounting bracket is the same type as I use for my present Standard Horizon. I'm curious as to the distance you placed it from the front edge of the dash? Was any modification necessary?

Marc, you noted being impressed with the Lowrance units so far. Have you sold any HDS10 units to 22' C-dory owners?

Should I post on a different forum to get more feedback for my questions?
Is anyone using this unit on their 22' C-dory?
What mounting bracket did you decide on?

Thanks,
Tom
 
I've owned the SH model and don't blame you for wanting another. Personally, I'm happy with the Garmin equivalent in a smaller screen and using a laptop for the bigger picture. I bought an older Nobeltec version complete with charts for $100. Also, I use a Sprint wireless card to stay connected to sites like www.marinetraffic.com or active captain while underway. The Sprint card also doubles as a gps receiver.

Bottom line, for the price of a 10 in. screen, you might accomplish more with a smaller chartplotter and a heavy duty used laptop (e.g. Thinkpad).

-Greg
 
I have a bias here--and I have used laptops on bigger boats extensively. However, with the smaller C Dory, you want a screen just below your line of vision and you don't want to have to fiddle with mouse and keys--just a simple touch of a knob or touch screen to change features.

A lap top is an excellent tool, but does not replace the day to day navigation instrument which you rely on. Time of your eyes off the water in front of your boat increases your risk, especially at high speeds.

What did we all do before we had GPS and chart plotters? We used our eyes and ears, and they served us very well. I skippered boats for over 50 years before I owned my first chart plotter. It was over 30 years before my first position finding instrument (other than an RDF or Sextant). In some ways those times were more enjoyable!
 
Pete, I'm assuming your mounting bracket is the same type as I use for my present Standard Horizon.
Click to expand...

No, my bracket is a standard U-shaped bracket. Flat on the bottom with knobs on the sides.

I'm curious as to the distance you placed it from the front edge of the dash? Was any modification necessary?
Click to expand...

Since I was going to remove the Richie Compass I simply used the existing 2 holes that were already there. That pretty much dictated the fore/aft positioning. I butted the bracket up to the angle change where it inclines up. Sonar_Image.sized.jpg
For windage I carefully positioned it and then marked the bracket on the bottom from up through the Richie holes (crawled up in the Vee-Berth). I actually used a different bracket (Garmin ?) that I picked up from my local marine electronics dealer (Rogers in Portland) since I preferred to keep the original pristine (for future resale). Like all installers they have boxes of brackets that were not needed for in-dash installations.
 
Hey Pete,

How do you like the Standard Horizon fish finder capabilities. It looks pretty good from the screen shot you provided.

Peter
C-Dancer
Barquinho
 
thataway":1owrgbed said:
I have a bias here--and I have used laptops on bigger boats extensively. However, with the smaller C Dory, you want a screen just below your line of vision and you don't want to have to fiddle with mouse and keys--just a simple touch of a knob or touch screen to change features.

A lap top is an excellent tool, but does not replace the day to day navigation instrument which you rely on. Time of your eyes off the water in front of your boat increases your risk, especially at high speeds.

What did we all do before we had GPS and chart plotters? We used our eyes and ears, and they served us very well. I skippered boats for over 50 years before I owned my first chart plotter. It was over 30 years before my first position finding instrument (other than an RDF or Sextant). In some ways those times were more enjoyable!
Click to expand...

Agree...there is no substitute for eyes and ears. I should have pointed out, in my original post, that one should not use a laptop for a primary chartplotter. Size and screen brightness are problems. Therefore, I use mine as a secondary unit, having it on the large chart setting (for perspective) while having the Garmin on small chart settings, which is critical for depth purposes.

-Greg
 
I have a small 332c and find the humble size to be ok. I wouldn't mind a slightly larger one but some of the 10" monsters seem to be a bit much. If you have poor eye sight then a bigger display may be required. I just use the zoom keys on the little bitty display. It works for me.

I thought about a ram mount but found the factory bracket to work just fine. I think I have pic in my album to illustrate the position on a 22 cruiser.



FYI: The external puck antenna will acquire the position just fine sitting on the overhead shelf. So you really don't need to cut a hole in the roof.....I know what the directions say...... My old antenna is a just a hole plug....New one lives inside.

Chris Bulovsky
 
Pete thanks for your efforts/details. I checked some of your transom photos in your photo. album, and see I've made the mistake with my present unit of directly screwing the transducer and speed wheel to the transom with "Life-Calk" as the screw sealant, instead of using epoxy and thread tapping technique. Darn it, but better to know now before getting a new unit and repeating.

Chris you hit on something that also plays into me wanting to size up. I have been losing my near vision for reading print, using reading glasses more and more, and I think a larger screen will help not to mention a professional exam. (Presbyopia)

Thanks,
Tom
 
Hey Pete,

How do you like the Standard Horizon fish finder capabilities.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the slow response. I just updated the firmware and wanted to assess before responding. I was hopeful that these updates would rectify my 2 complaints about the package. Sadly, they didn't.

Overall, I love the CP1000C. On the plotter side... lightning quick redraw, fairly intuitive, lots of neat features like the anti-grounding function. I REALLY like the C-Map Max Cartography.

The sonar/fishfinder is weak in 2 important areas, in my opinion.

1)For some reason the data boxes that reside at the top of the fishfinder display cannot be removed. If you look at the image you'll see SOG, COG, and Temp boxes. Sonar_Image.sized.jpg

I can change these boxes BUT I can't remove them and it ticks me off. When I'm fishing I want to maximize my fishfinder display.

2)While cruising I keep the chart display in full screen mode. Ideally, I like to keep an audible shallow alarm set to alert me when the bottom comes up. On my old setup I had separate Lowrance Sonar and GPS units and I'd set my shallow alarm very conservatively. If I was cruising along in 50' I'd set the alarm for 45'. When the alarm would sound I'd quickly reset to 40', and so on. In this way I was alerted if my attention was elsewhere. Resetting was a matter of 3 button presses. The sequence... 4, 0, enter. Quick and nimble.

On the SH it takes me 13 button presses(I just checked) to get into the alarm menu, reset the value, and return to full chart display. Often, it will scream at me again before I can even return to full chart (in a shallowing trend).

As a result I either spend all day pressing buttons (when I should be watching for logs or whatever) or, I set my alarm so it won't sound unless I'm dangerously shallow.

Bottom line - the value of the shallow alarm is compromised. For me this is a problem because I often boat alone. The shallow alarm is like a first mate that taps me on the shoulder and says. "Hey Skip, you're shallowing, better come about".

I'd sure like to hear if others are facing this problem. Maybe it's just the price of having one MFD(multi-function display).
 
I just installed an HDS7 on my 22' and am very impressed with it. The screen is just right for me, doesn't block your view and the detail on both the sonar and gps is amazing. And you don't need an external antenna.
 
I'm still looking at the Lowrance HDS-10, and am wondering if by now there is someone out there who is using this unit in a C-Dory 22 cruiser?
Does it obscure any of your vision of the water or is it contained within the forward bow / gunwale lines? -Tom
 
I am upgrading from the lowrance LCX 111hd to the hds 10.
The LCX Will not take my new g3 digital radar
The screens on both are crisp and bright
I built a custom mount on my older Cdory so the fit for me is perfect....good for older eyes too.

If your interested in the LCx...10" plotter I will part with it.....works perfect ....$500. 425 778-1151
Chris
 
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