Help me maximize my choices here?

flipfloplife

New member
Taking delivery of a TVee 240 DC in late July. The rough plan is TZT3 16", dff-3d, cmor, radar, NavPilot 300 and some kind of fusion stereo. I have dumb questions, I have certainly searched and read a lot of old posts so apologies if already answered. Use is fishing in the keys, from shallow to sword to spearfishing, we like all the fishing games.

1. What transducer setup do I want? I have convinced myself I want the DFF-3d for the bathy and the offshore that cmor doesn't cover -- and trolling (wideness and stuff that could come up for me). But the mount options for cats seem not great? Lift kept is plan. I think we're at pocket mount a monster transducer or transom mount? and the transom mount guys seem marginally happy at best? I'm thinking the factory isn't going to want to do the pocket mount there (if anyone has experience w/ that?).

2. What about the second transducer? I mean if I'm getting someone else to cut holes in my new boat we might as well cut two. We yellowtail, grouper, starting to deep drop -- what is a good second transducer option? What pairs well w/ the DFF-3d? What gives me the most of what I won't have? am I thru hulling that as well? potentially in the other sponson? interference? I have written down some of the combo's that guys have published on here but sometimes it's tough to figure their use case?

3. NavPilot 300 -- I'm getting the Digi new zukes JUST for these new features -- since the engines aren't even at the factory yet should I feel good about getting "new enough" ones? I read a post about "mid 2022 or newer" ---- is the a serial number I can check or something? It's worth it to me to bug the factory about this.

4. considering doing a slightly older used radar (honestly just for cost) -- and ALL I need out of this is birds. I don't go out in nasty weather, I don't go out on weekends (to get run over by go-fast boats...). Only possible use is decrease time to find dolphin n tuna. that said .... uhhhh ... best bang for the buck on that for me to look for? this one snuck up on me and I have somehow made it into a hard "must have" on my list -- so many guys feel like they upped their game when they could see birds. Heck, I'd take solid 3 mile detection, that's what ... 27 square miles searched at once? I'd take that for sure, that's gas money right there. Some guys even claim to see weediness w/ them. That's crazy but I'm in. so this question is "older radar a good idea to save money?"

5. Can we confirm that now that nmea 2000 is a thing w/ the fusions that I can just remote mount that sucker and save myself some panel space? I feel like I'm looking at potentially old documentation that requires only specific models?

I'm absolutely in receive mode for thoughts on the setup, ideas, or installer rec's etc. Great forum, have already learned a ton just reading...
 
The sonar guys may have a better answer for a SWORD transducer, but you may want to consider the popular 1kW: Airmar B275LHW AND/OR the B260 (526TID-HDD).

flipfloplife":2e7ckpbk said:
3. NavPilot 300 -- I'm getting the Digi new zukes JUST for these new features -- since the engines aren't even at the factory yet should I feel good about getting "new enough" ones? I read a post about "mid 2022 or newer" ---- is the a serial number I can check or something? It's worth it to me to bug the factory about this.

See the announcement: https://furunousa.com/en/company/news_r ... nter_drive

flipfloplife":2e7ckpbk said:
4. considering doing a slightly older used radar (honestly just for cost) -- and ALL I need out of this is birds. I don't go out in nasty weather, I don't go out on weekends (to get run over by go-fast boats...). Only possible use is decrease time to find dolphin n tuna. that said .... uhhhh ... best bang for the buck on that for me to look for? this one snuck up on me and I have somehow made it into a hard "must have" on my list -- so many guys feel like they upped their game when they could see birds. Heck, I'd take solid 3 mile detection, that's what ... 27 square miles searched at once? I'd take that for sure, that's gas money right there. Some guys even claim to see weediness w/ them. That's crazy but I'm in. so this question is "older radar a good idea to save money?"

DRS6AX is a fantastic radar for this...

flipfloplife":2e7ckpbk said:
5. Can we confirm that now that nmea 2000 is a thing w/ the fusions that I can just remote mount that sucker and save myself some panel space? I feel like I'm looking at potentially old documentation that requires only specific models?

I like the Fusion Radio RA770s. NMEA2000 for Fusion radios works well.

Hope this helped, :sail

- Maggy
 
I would second the recommendation for a DRS6AX or 12AX if looking at a used radar. I had one and it could spot birds out 7-8 miles on a calm day. Get one with the biggest antenna array that you can fit, that will help you find birds more than higher power. You're probably limited to 4' with a 24 foot boat but don't get a 3.5' just because it might look better proportioned.
 
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there is supposed to be a pic of the back of a boat just over this sentence...

votes on mounting of transducers? seems like with the setback of the engines maybe transom MIGHT be ok? still better off through hull? not sure I want to go RIGHT on centerline of sponson just because that will be sitting on bunks on lift? does there exist a ducer that I can thru-hull just outboard of centerline of sponson? maybe a 12 deg one?

Quitsa -- I think I can swing 4' up there -- thank you for the feedback on the DRS6ax, that has been one I have been looking hard at.

Maggy -- yes, I think I may be one of the first lucky few to grab that autopilot combo (if I can weasel through supply chain drama). I'm pretty stoked and think that autopilots are way under valued. In my fishing day they matter. I need to learn up on chirp and what that "gets" me (it's been a while since I bought stuff). Seems like the DFF-3d is going to show me a lot and a wide beam -- and it's mid band -- so that leaves me with something for the TZT3 itself to drive. Chirp sounds fancy but I need to know what the bang for the buck is there.
 
The 165T-B54 through hull transducer for the DFF-3D is not too big. I have one mounted in a pocket on the keel, which is the ideal location (on a monohull) being dead center and in the cleanest water. The face is flush to the hull, which was faired a bit around it due to the slight curvature. Mine was done by the boat builder. My boat's hull is a wood/epoxy cold molded composite and the keel is structural so I wasn't about to let anyone but the builder make a hole in the laminated wooded keel!

Fabricating a pocket in a fibreglass boat is really not that hard. My previous boat was a Carolina Classic and the factory was willing to make the pocket in the course of laying up the hull. I sent them the transducer and they made a wooden plug they placed in the mold and actually incorporated it into the hull as it was. laid up rather than cutting a hole later (which is also fine).

Is there a spot on the keel of one of the sponsons that will not rest on the lift bunk? That's really where you want the DFF-3D transducer to be if at all possible.

You will probably want to go with a B175L for deep water and either a B175H or B175HW high frequency. Since you will have a DFF-3D for a wide beam, the B175H adds more since it gives you a more detailed bottom picture with its tighter cone. Those are tilted element and can mount flush just above the keel. No need for a pocket. I have that combination and it works very well driven by the TZT 3 internal sounder.
 
If you want to stay traditional sonar and stay at 1KW

165T-B54/CM54 in one sponson, B260 in the other sponson, both flush mounted

This will give you 50/200 Accu Fish, Bottom Discrimination, and DFF3D , all without having to deal with transom mounted issues while reading at speed that happens in some cases ( I have two transom mounted, 165T-TM54 and TM260, so that exact transducer setup, except transom mounted)

If you want to go chirp and stay at 1KW

165T/265LH-PM488

This will give you low and high chirp, 1kw, DFF3D, and potentially bottom discrimination compatible but not yet officially recognized, all in one transducer that will be pocket mount / flush mounted in one sponson. I was considering mounting this in the keel of my boat but it will take significant work for me, including relocating my two stroke engine's sub-oil tank.

This setup will give you that high power narrow beam high chirp/ broadband capability to really pinpoint bottom structure and bottom fish, while also giving you that low chirp capability to reach out and touch fish in the deep, up to, what I've been told, is around 2500 feet or so.

If you want to add a DIFF-AMP or DFF3:

165T-PM542LM - This will give you 2KW in low and medium chirp, and you'll really have some capability to find fish in the deep, while also having DFF3D, all in a single transducer. You'll need to add either a DIFF-AMP or a DFF3 to run the higher power output with this transducer. Also, running low and medium chirp will cause zero interference with the 165khz of the DFF3D.
 
Hmmm... I like the combo ducers. The hole in the boat doesn't scare me. A no kidding flush mount on this and it could rest on life bunks just fine. Having watched the (well done) install video's w/ the airmar bubba's and our furuno folks on that SVee out of WA, you build in the flush on that w/ the skooshing of the sealant, with a 2x4 to flush it that seems like a pretty good solution. and since it's going on my lift I could just mark where it's gonna sit and notch 24" out of that bunk to 1/4" --- easy enough.

with the 165T/265LH-PM488 option --- the 165 side of that is driven by the DFF-3d - on the other side (reading the specs on it) - is a DFF1-UHD black box required here or can I drive that second pigtail (and I guess 2/3 of the ducers on the block) with the TZT3 16 in the dash?

With the scarcity that's out there it seems like it might be a solid option. Might actually be easier to GET the 165T/265LH-PM488. and once you add up all the real costs (2 holes versus one, etc) --- it's not as crazy money as it sounds.

Is there interference in this setup or are we able to tune that out w/ settings on the tzt3?

Thanks for the thoughts here -- really appreciated.
 
you are correct, the 165 side and motion sensor get wired to the dff3d, and the 265 side gets wired to your tzt3 12,16,or 19 internal sounder. another option is to add the dff1uhd network sounder which can also fire the 265 elements.
 
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