How to mount

[MarineBob]

I got a 2013 226 Seafarer last fall. We had enough good weather to get in a few hours and its a nice boat. Seller had a small 5" Garmin GPS and I found (after asking several folks who presumably have some experience, and on line reviews??) 9" Garmin Echomap UHD 94sv that seems good for $700 on sale. Here's my question. The boat is closed up for the winter but I made a cardboard template of the cubby (that's what I call it) at the helm under the fold up glass cover. There is a typical Marine VHF unit and the small Garmin and radio are screwed on their mounts to the swing down in-the-cabin cover. My thought is to make a cut out of StarBoard, or some Nara wood I have from the Phillipines that just fits into the opening and surface mount the Garmin. This would allow for still being able to close the galss cover when not in use. The problem is the radio won't fit (width wise with the Garmin) and looking at specs on line just about every radio is about 6" wide. Second issue is some radios have the mic cord attached to the side which effectively makes them even wider. So I am thinking about two things. One, maybe buy a new radio that has the connector for the mic on the front (which I sort of need so I can unplug and close the glass cover when not in use) and/or mount the radio in a vertical orientation. Might look a bit funky but I think it would work. I suppose the alternative is to mount the radio inside the cabin. Anybody got ideas?

 

[glacierbaze]

Get a Standard Horizon with a ram mike, which has all the radio controls on the mike. You can even get wireless now. Mount the radio anywhere you want, out of the way and dry.

Search Page

 

[SkunkBoat]

Before you commit to the 94sv UHD consider some points to make sure it fits your type of fishing.
It probably comes with a GT54UHD "all-in-one" transom mount transducer.
That is a great setup for lake & bay fishing.
That transducer has High&wide traditional in addition to clearvu/sidervu.
If you need deep water performance, that transducer will not deliver.

 

[Blaugrana]

How do you plan to flush mount and still be able to close the panel? At one point this was my plan but the combination of the displays thickness when flush mounted and the locking mechanism means I would have had to put a spacing on the flush mount to recess it further back.

Any reason you don’t want to just flush mount it and remove the lid? You can use the suncover to protect the display and some VHFs have covers as well.

 

[MarineBob]

How do you plan to flush mount and still be able to close the panel? At one point this was my plan but the combination of the displays thickness when flush mounted and the locking mechanism means I would have had to put a spacing on the flush mount to recess it further back.

Any reason you don’t want to just flush mount it and remove the lid? You can use the suncover to protect the display and some VHFs have covers as well.

My thought was to not flush mount the panel. I was thinking I can cut out a piece using a template of the hole and use some small angle brackets to mount the board at the bottom of the hole. I think that would give enough space to mount the electronics and still be able to close the cover, I guess plan B will be to mount the board on top of the hole and remove the cover.

I like the idea of the remote radio, solves the where problem

 

[Blaugrana]

If your going that route, why not mount it on its stand in the compartment? My 228s compartment opening is about 18.5in long. You should have no issue fitting both inside.

Or is the issue that the previous owner already customized that area so you are dealing with holes where they shouldn’t be?

If you aren’t so into using the fold up cover in a protection way, you can replace that acrylic piece with starboard and have it sit on that ledge where the current lid sits. That’s about 19.25-19.5 wide and think around 7-7/8 high I believe. Then reinstall the hinges and you can use that compartment. Check the vertical though on the unit to see if it can fit

Here are a few examples I had saved. Think there was a thread on how people have done this on the 228s. I’m right where you are with cardboard cutouts that I keep trimming until they fit how I want before purchasing. I’m at 20.5 or 20.25 by 9.25 and need to see if that would work. I bought two GO9s and want to cover those holes where the hinges were

I’ve changed my approach multiple times as my interests changed and then flipped everything when I went larger than expected.

 

[MarineBob]

The existing 'mounts' are simply the small GPS and radio brackets are screwed to the fold down compartment cover in the cabin so nothing has really been changed. I like the idea of still having the flip up cover but the opening is not quite large enough to fit a 9" GPS/finder and a VHF. Its too narrow even at 18-19 inches or so by an inch or so. Most radios are about 6" give or take a bit and then there is the mic connection. If all else fails, i will do the mount a board on the top of the opening approach and remove the door with hinges.

 

[Blaugrana]

Understood - Just remember that the 18.5 is the viewing width. You can install devices in that compartment and have parts of their frame covered/ blocked on a side as it’s not needed/ important.

Some people have put a 12in display in there and 2 9in as well.

 

[Ky Grady]

Here's my Simrad NSS12 in my '04 228 box. I previously had 2 Lowrance Carbon 7's in there. Like amamola said, the top edge is obscured by the box but the screen is fully visible on the 12.

 

[Fishtales]

How about the radio up above in the compartments above on the hardtop (assuming you have it). My dealer calls this the radio box.

 

[trapper]

Ky, I am in the position of upgrading my 10 year old Lowrance HDS 7 Gen1. You went from Lowrance to Simrad, I believe both made by the Lowrance. What was your reason for the change and do you have any recommendations to help with my decision. I will replace with a 7 inch as I also have a 7 inch Furuno which will stay, both flush mounted on the box. (2006 208 Adventure)

 

[Ky Grady]

Trapper,,,, when I bought my boat, it had old-school Lowrance HDS-7 and a HDS-5 side by side in the helm box. I gutted that out and bought the new HDS-7 Carbon's to replace them. Was never really satisfied with them from day one. Sometimes they would power up and do fine, other times one would power up, the other would power up but lock up and didn't respond to the accept button prompt. I endured it for the past few years and Lowrance took them back a few months ago to try and fix the lock up issues. Put them back on the boat in October for our fishing trip and they still did the same thing, lock up and no response. Messed with them for a few days on the lake, then got frustrated with them and went and bought the Simrad NSS12.

Simrad and Lowrance are from the same family, Navico, but I feel/hope that Simrad is a better product. I have no issues with Lowrance, pretty much all I've used since I've been boating. Last boat had a HDS-12 with no issues, nice unit. I just wanted to go with Simrad this time around. I looked at the new HDS-12, but the overall size wouldn't fit the box, the NSS12 does.

I also have the Point-1 remote GPS antenna on the hardtop along with the Sirius WM-3 weather module antenna. The Carbon's used the Totalscan ducer and all of this was a plug and play to the Simrad. I have the option of a 1KW ducer if I ever have a need as it has a port for it. Going back to the single unit was refreshing. Even on split screen, I can see details much easier than I could on the 2 units. I have no regrets going with the Simrad. Setup was super easy and very similar to the Lowrance.

As to what you should do, hard to say. Go to WM and put your hands on both units and see which one suits you. For me, very pleased with my choice in the Simrad.

 

[Blaugrana]

Take a look at what your physical dimensions are on your current unit vs that of the GO7, GO9 and whatever other Simrad unit you are looking at.

When researching, I thought the 7in Lowrance had a similar physical dimension of the GO9. So you may be able to go bigger

 

[trapper]

Thanks Ky and amaamola, Never had issue with my 10 year old Lowrance. Certainly liked Navionics mapping as apposed to C-Map which I have on my Furuno. I guess if I go with either Lowrance or Simrad it would be making the right choice for a transducer. Fish mostly salmon at 200 ft + and Ling cod at various depths. Have the old structure scan on my Lowrance but not much use at the depths I fish. Do a little lake fishing. Yes I will go and talk with a GPs guru, we do not have WM here but will talk with our local dealer.Thanks again!

 

[Blaugrana]

If you can wait, keep an eye out on WM website. Some of us just bought the GO9 with Active Imaging Transducer and Navionics for 899( back to 1199 now). Think they are the only ones that offer it with Navionics.