Convert. fish finder to port. unit

[Steve]

Anyone know where I can go to(website?) to convert my fish finder to a portable unit to take to Canada. Or any of your homemade plans for an Eagle unit. Thanks for the help.

[Steve CO]

Cabela's sold portable battery boxes + transducer to convert your regular sonar. I bought one for my older Eagle unit several years ago and one for my Lowrance X75 last year. I'm also pretty sure you can buy them direct from Lowrance/Eagle on their website. The system works great. I've taken them on fly-ins to Canada.

[JCarp]

Mounting the Transducer - I've used a 3.375" suction cup that orig. came with a portable (round puck) transducer with a large old style (triangle) high speed transducer and a friend recently used it with a newer (torpedo) high speed one. I think there is a good chance a standard 3" carrier rack (canoe rack) suction cup might work though they are not quite as deep. You can find them at hardware places. Just run the screw on the end of the cup through one side of the transducer bracket.

ALWAYS tie a cord from the transducer to a cleat or something. Occasionally they come loose and you want to keep it out of the prop and from wacking you.

Alternative - I've seen store bought transducer brackets that clamp to the top of the stern.

Power - 12 volt sealed lead acid "ice fishing" battery w/charger. Better - extend power leads to needed length, clips to boat battery, fuse at clips. Springy power cords from things like old 12 volt spotlights work great.

Box - I favor a 1 or 2 gallon bucket and just set the finder wherever it works in or out of the bucket. You might be able to c-clamp it somewhere. Alternative - buy an "icefishing" box or build your own from web site/catalog pictures/dimensions. On a fly in, I'd probably consider rolling everything up in my sleeping bag or transporting everything in the original case.

Years ago I converted one to a portable by mounting it inside of a 6-pack cooler. I mounted a couple of 6v lantern batteries to the bottom and drilled a hole, about 3/4 inch through the side for the transducer cable and then siliconed the hole up. The transducer was mounted on one of those portable mounts that have a "c" clamp and mount on the transom. It worked well for years before I bought a "store bought" portable.

I mounted the unit to the inside of the cooler on the sidewall so when the lid was opened the unit could swing up for use and then put back down and the lid closed when not in use. I'd leave it in the boat all week on fly-ins. Close the lid and its weather-tite.

Its was one of the original "Bottom Line" units and it still works. I lent it to someone last year and they had no problems. The 2 6v lantern batteries last well over a week of almost constant use. Get alkaline like Duracell.

[Steve]

Thanks! now I have a place to start. I have an old small plastic tackle that I will try to use if it will hold the 6volt batts.

[George Eh]

Hi Steve, I went with the tackle box also and mounted the gimbal bracket to the tray. To close I just loosen gimbal knobs and fold sonar then close the box. The batteries can fit in the bottom or run the leads to the boat battery which I do and carry your pliers, bottom bouncers, etc. in the bottom of tackle box. It is easy to convert the transducer to suction cup or also for about $25 you can buy a rod mount which clamps to the transom of the boat, I prefer a rod mount but the cup will work, just don't forget the safety line. Good fishing

[Walleye Express]

Steve.
I may have what you need. I have an Eagle Magna fish finder on my 18 foot smokercraft. A couple years ago I wanted to get a unit I could take out on the ice. I was going to buy a FL-8 but figured why not use what I had. So I went and bought a unit that houses my Eagle Magna. It came with the carrying case, folding aluminum armature for the transducer, all the connections for power and transducer and the transducer itself. It runs on one or two 6 volt batteries, which are incased inside the carrying case. Heck, the whole thing cost me $165.00, almost the same price I would have paid for the FL-8. Long story short, I used it about 2 times and bought a FL-8 ice package anyway. I'm thinking that any Eagle unit attachment plug/cable would work on this unit. I'd sell it to you for $70.00 if your interested. I'm going to post it in the WC clasifieds at the same price, just so youo know. My web address is www.walleye-express.com Capt: Dan.

[Pitts]

I have an X-85 that is on a Ram mount in the bow of my boat and the ducer is on the troller so I removed it and used a 2X10 about 15" long. I mounted a 1/2" stove bolt on one end with 2 nuts and the round end sticking above the board about 1.5". I then bought an additional power wire that had alligator clips for the unit. Coiled up the ducer wire neatly and taped together and mounted the ducer to the end of a flattend piece of conduit and the other end I flattend drilled a hole and screwed into the wood with a washer and woodscrew.
The ram mount fit the head of the 1/2" stove bolt and it allowed folding flat. The ducer would swing down on the pipe and go into a ice fishing hole.
This setup worked very well and was very stable sitting on the floor because the 2X10X15" was fairly heavy and made a good base.
Substitute a clamp on rod for the flattend pipe and set the unit on the floor of the rental or camp boat.
The guys at the Millelacs get together this last winter saw it my son was using it and he likes it better than my FL8.
Cheap and about an hour to make. Any 2" board will do and countersink the nut and washer on the bottom so it will sit flat.

Hope this helps.


Pitts