Electronics on or off ?

[AllenW]

Just curious, all these years I've been pulling the electronics (gps/depthfinder) off the boat for traveling, what's everybody else do?

I always thought all the bouncing wasn't good for them, but the last 7 or 8 boats I seen I think 5 or 6 of them had there's in the boat.

Al

[Hot Runr Guy]

Honestly, I probably stopped pulling the electronics out about the time I started running trailers with radial tires. I watch them in the mirror a lot, and see the sidewalls absorbing a lot more of the bumps than the old bias-plys used to.
HRG

[Stripehunter]

I pull mine. Would it be OK if I didn't? I don't know. Don't want to take the chance. Main thing that really makes me do it is that I don't want a $1200 piece of electronics that can be removed in 1 second and can all but fit in a pocket sitting right there for everyone to see if I stop for gas or a coffee or something. I have a 700 series humminbird with the quick release mount, so it's really so easy to remove that there's no reason not to.

[walleyewillie]

The one I have dash mounted stays in its protected by the windshield and was not very spendy.The others come out to be protected from the elements good and bad.

[went522]

Mine stay right where they are. About the only reason I could see removing them is if your worried about theft. Those electronics see more abuse(shock) while on the water than on the trailer.

I've been in the boat, on the trailer, going up to I suppose 40mph. Back and fourth from the landing to the cabin, very smooth. I've done this in a Ranger, skeeter, lund and alumacraft...all of them very smooth, wouldn't worry about shock.

BIRDDOG

[perchjerker]

I stopped removing them too. Except if I think theft is a risk.

I think the wear and tear on the plugs and sockets from plugging and unplugging is worse than the wear and tear it takes while trailering.

[KHedquist]

I leave mine on, the bow one I lay down flat on the floor connected to teh RAM mount

Like Perch says, the wear and tear on and off on the connectors, I do take them off if I dont trust the place where I am staying:mad:

[gmerz]

never have taken them off...

[BGunn]

I leave mine on too. As stated above, the boat ride is a lot rougher than the trailer ride.

[ffishman]

On long trips, I pull mine off. Mainly because I tarp the boat, and the bow mount one would be in the way. On short trips, under 100 mi, no tarp, I leave them in place.

[Nimstug]

Al,

I came to the electronics board just to bring up this very topic.

:bowdown:

Until this last week I was taking the graphs off after every outing and putting them in one of the rod lockers. I keep my boat in a reasonably safe place, but I thought that was the best thing to do. 99% of the time I tow with the cover on the boat.

This past June, I had Florida Daughter and her boyfriend out. In his enthusiasm to help get set up, the boyfriend messed up the pins on the bow unit. Then this past week, I had a hard time getting the console unit lined up and connected.

I've decided to keep them connected, unless I think the boat is parked in an iffy area. Just too easy to mess up those pins. Yeah, they probably get bounced around more on the water than on the trailer, but I'm going fold them into the down position and pad them with towels before covering the boat.

I messed up the wires to the transducer on the bow unit so I got a whole new system which I am installing tomorrow. (I have to learn to not be in a rush.)

Why can't these electronics companies use something like a cat 5 connection?

Lowrance? Garmin? H-bird? You out there anywhere?

Nimstug

Many men fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish that they are after.
-H.D. Thoreau

[dewyg]

I trailer my boat alot! My electronics never leave the the boat. I will take them off if I'm staying in a hotel, but 90% of the time they stay on the boat.

[Burr]

I left mine on for trailering once. After a rock destroyed it while trailering, I had to remove it anyway to install the replacement.

Just guess what I do now.

[Ristorapper]

I used to pull them off until my partner whined about taking the time at the lauch to put them on and take them off. I now leave them on and use the lowrance covers to protect the screen during travel. I heavily rubberband the covers on so the wind won't take them off while trailering. I too question the wear and tear on the plugs if constantly taking them on and off and the dirt and debris that can get in there while traveling.

The high topper on my truck helps protect the graph(s) on the bow and have the one on the console behind the bubble.

[AllenW]

Thanks, and good points, I'm not overly impressed with the connections so I can see repeated use causing problems possibly.

In my case I don't see rocks as being a problem and using rubber bands to keep the covers on will no doubt keep them around longer.

Sounds like I'll leave them on for the one day trips and remove for longer trips where I might be stopping enroute, it wouldn't take much to steal one, so I'll pull them off for those kind of trips.

Thanks much.

Al