Speed & Distance Log?

[Big Cat Dad]

I am choosing between the lowrance 339 & 334. Just a quick question about these two depth/gps units. My question is about the "Speed & Distance Log" option. I don't know what this is and if it is worth the extra $50 to spend on the 339 which has the option standard. Thanks

[musky hunter]

I have the 334C. The log tells you how far you have gone. One year I put on 660 water miles before I reset the thing. It's kind of neat but of marginal value. Don't know what the speed log is.

[Big Cat Dad]

Another question I had was about a Thru hull ducer or transom mount. I am putting the unit on a River Pro 176 hipro so I will be in rivers mostly. I've heard the transom mount will get damaged often and you loose a lot of sensitivity on the hull ducer. Any comments?

[Ralph Wiggum]

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I am putting the unit on a River Pro 176 hipro

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Lucky!!!

[Big Cat Dad]

Quote:

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Lucky!!!

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I agree Ralph. The thing is I'll be paying for it the rest of my life....but what the hey you only live once right

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'll see if I cant get Dennis Steele or Rusty(Wiskers) in here... they both have HiPros...

[musky hunter]

I fish the St. Louis all the time. Once in a while the thing does get bumped, but it has never broken off because it has a ratcheded release designed to give if hit just right. I'm told that through the hull is not as sensitive so I've never done it. But I can tell you this, my experience in rivers has been just fine regarding the transom mount.

[Dennis Steele]

With the extra thick aluminum hull on the River Pro's (.190 as opposed to .100 on most boats) you will loose some sensitivity. What realy happens is your unit can't read the depths its designed to. You still get a clear picture in the depths you can read, you just have to bump up the gain a little.

I have a Vex Edge II on my RP and shoot through the hull, using the standard ducers that come with the unit. THe unit has 1600 watts of power and I have no trouble scanning depths up to 80 feet deep. My gain is usually set around 75% of its max sensitivity. When the water is a little dirtier or really turbid, I have to bump it up a bit more. In any conditions, I have never had any trouble in depths under 50 feet. On most of the rivers I fish that is some very deep water!

So if you get a good quality unit with plenty of power you should have no trouble. If your still concerned, Vex does make a transducer that is specialy designed for shooting through metal hulls and is compatible with many sonar brands. I think they go for around 150 bucks or so.

[cat ferret]

What about the diff, in power between the 2 units. The 334 has 2500 watts vs. 4000 for the 339. Does a person want to spend the extra $50 for more power? And then the other diff between the 2 units is that frequency deal. I've heard you don't need the 200/50 unless your fishing really deep, but are their any drawbacks if you will just be fishing shallower stuff.