humminbird 899ci HD SI

[rbs]

Anyone have any experience with this unit? Wondering how it is on the river with the SI specifically, Thanks!

[Sorgy]

I just put a 998C HD SI on my boat and I am impressed with the quality of the SI. Over the weekend trolling I ran full screen SI.

I have been using the standard settings and getting very good images.

If you can step up to the 999 to get the bigger screen it helps with the SI viewing on the water. The images can be downloaded onto your computer once home. I will try and post some images in a few days.

Check you messages I will send you a link.

Good Luck

Steve

[proguide]

I have used the 997 extensively and have an 898. Once you get everything dialed in they work great. Obviously bigger screens are easier to see but not necessary.

[Brad B]

Anyone have any experience with this unit? Wondering how it is on the river with the SI specifically, Thanks!

I have this unit but haven't had a chance to try it on the river yet. I have how ever had it out on some local lakes and lets just say I am amazed. the coolest thing I have seen already is how you can easily see the bottom hardness differences. there was this one lake that I was on were I was over a soft bottom and off to the one side the was 3 distinct circular areas of harder bottom. I have reason to believe they may be spawning beds of either gills or bass. I plan to check them out once the water warms a little and the bass season opens. overall the 899 is a nice unit. the 999 is nice but to only gain the 1 inch of screen and the addition of the 800 Khz frequency is not worth the $500.00 difference in the prices of these two units to me.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

Works awesome for finding sunken wood, transitions, spawning beds, thermoclines, rocks, fish, fish houses, cars, boats, bodies, skeg marks, etc etc...

A purchase i've never looked back from.

I'll be upgrading to an HD because the visibility differences are HUGE from the origional screens.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

[FshBloodRiverMud]

My st. Croix crappie spot.

Bumped a log in both of these next two screen captures.

Don't need to be moving to be marking fish.

These are fish swimming past the boat while i'm anchored to shore.

More wood.

[jvm1]

I just put mine in and i need to adjust the transducer as I lose bottom as soon as I go over 7mph. Having a hell of a time with sonar readings too, the screen is just a mess of red colors

What settings are you running on SI? My picture is nowehere near as clear as that.

Right now the HD transducer does not work for this unit, you can only use it at 455hz.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

I just put mine in and i need to adjust the transducer as I lose bottom as soon as I go over 7mph. Having a hell of a time with sonar readings too, the screen is just a mess of red colors

What settings are you running on SI? My picture is nowehere near as clear as that.

Right now the HD transducer does not work for this unit, you can only use it at 455hz.

Spend some time at BBC Boards. You can learn a lot.

Here's the basics:

1) Chart speed needs to match boat speed.

2) SI Range 3x Depth

3) 455hz

4) Sonar set to 200 not 200/83

5) SI sensitivity 10 +-2

6) SI Sharpness 0 or 1

7) SI Contrast 10.

8) Great images come from good boat control, constant speed, and everything above.

Your transducer needs to be skimming on plane. Meaning water is going under it and not over it. Can't be too close to your motor and motor isn't in the way of the SI Beam.

Have transducer LEVEL (When boat is in the water)

Mine works from 0mph to 30mph (Top end)

Adjust to find the sweet spot....GO TO BBC BOARDS and start learning. Best tool on the web.

Lots of other stuff to learn when it comes to INTREPRETING the image.

[jvm1]

Thank you! Right now I have a hell of a rooster tail when i go faster coming from it. I've been checking the BBC boards and will mess with it this weekend. Hope to have it working cause I'm going on vacation tuesday for a week.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

That means you are too deep.

It also helps to get it away from the transom an extra 1" too; which is easily done depending on the mount you are using.

On plane, stick your head over the transom and look at the duecer. Should give you an idea of where to go from there based on what you see.

Every hull is different. You want to find the area of least cavitation and be skimming over it.

Lots of people's SI works at 50 mph or whatever their top end is...More people give up and install a hi speed that is less finiky to install and work when on plane.

[jvm1]

I'll try and post a pic when i get home. I mounted it on a transducer plate so moving it should not be an issue.

When using the template to mount it, do I go to the bottom of the plate or to the bottom of the boat?

I thought I was dead on when i mounted it. WRONG!

[FshBloodRiverMud]

Assemble your duecer to your mounting bracket. Set up against boat until the transducer appears to be in the correct position. Outline your mounting bracket with a pencil. Drill holes in the center of the slots on the bracket allowing for maximum movement in either direction.

[jvm1]

Not the best angle but I'm not at home at the moment, my wife took the pic... took her a while to find the transducer.

Pic

[jvm1]

a couple more views

Pic

pic

[FshBloodRiverMud]

Stick you head over the back of the boat at full speed and look at the duecer. Sometimes all it takes is an 1/8" adjustment or slight angle change to get it just perfect. Obviously, do this as safely as possible.

Here is a picture of how i have mine installed.

As water moves past the transom it actually rises slightly, by moving my transducer away from the transom slightly with the mount, i'm able to get good readings. I tighten the bracket and there is no longer a "BReak away' feature, which i think i useless anyway bases on past experience and the fact that mine hasn't disappeared yet given the things i've hit.

1st, take a look on plane, then try adjusting up or down, and lastly you can make an adjustment like mine as it may help you.

Like i said before, lots of examples and pictures of transducers mounted to various boat styles on BBC.

I'm going fishing for the wknd. good luck .