Buy the HB at 50% off, sell it on eBay and use the proceeds to purchase the HDS at 20% off.
jdc

bluffhunter,

On Sunday morning the water was 58 degrees in Sand Cut and we caught some fish. The last time I was in Kakagon was a couple weeks ago and the water was 57 and muddy, as Tom said. I’m sure Kakagon is at least 60 by now. The water in Sand Cut was still a little murky, probably 3-5′ visibility.
jdc

Was there yesterday. The water in Sand Cut was 49, Kakagon Slough was 53 and the bay itself was about 46. Water levels look about like they were last year and is a little murky yet. Wind is predicted to be northeast 10 – 20 on Saturday so it’ll be chilly out there. jdc

Sounds like you might be describing this item. Check this in the search box on the website to see if it’s what you need. jdc

Spring-Lock™ Power Stand-Up Pedestal

Three seasons on my HDS7 and it’s been great, no problems. jdc

My grandson got this one early on opening morning. jdc

My Triton came with a Panther 35 lift. My kicker is an 8 hp 4 stroke Merc and the lift has worked very well for me. jdc

It’s on the way Norseman.

I have one norseman. I took if off my Triton when I installed and HDS 7 and I won’t be using it. Email me at [email protected]

Try this page from the Lowrance website. jdc

Lake-Insight-HD/Map-Coverage/Lake-Insight

I spend most of my time on Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior and I have both the Insight and the Navionics chip for my HDS7. For my use, I prefer the Lowrance Insight map as it seems to have better detail for the bay and the area around the Apostle Islands. When I go to inland lakes, I’ll try both maps and choose the one that seems to offer the best view. I’m glad I got the Insight option although I have never looked at the maps of the base model. jdc

For my installation, Brett supplied a plate that was pre-drilled to fit the original seat mounting bolts. The plate extended the “new” seat position backward to offset the fact that the suspension system moves the boat seat forward. My seats still swivel 360 degrees and slide fore and aft like the original seats. I was also worried that they appeared pretty bulky in the photos, but I’ve been very happy with the installation. That said, the Triton 215X is a large, roomy boat to begin with. jdc

DTWH,

I installed a pair of Smooth Moves seats in my Triton and couldn’t be happier with the results. 95% of my boating and fishing is on Lake Superior and Chequamegon Bay, where it seems the wind is always blowing on the way out or the way home. These seats have several inches of travel, are adjustable and very well made. I’ve used them for over a year, many times in very rough water, and they are great. Check out their website.

jdc

Craigslist-Nashville believe it or not (land of the bass boat). Love the boat too. We’re on Lake Superior and it is a great big-water boat for both trolling and casting the shallows. I installed two Smooth Moves seats up front and they make it quite comfortable even when the wind and waves kick up. jdc

That looks like a great solution Tweak, thanks very much for taking the photo. jdc

Thanks for the reply Tweak, good information. I was wondering if both would fit in that space. Look forward to the photo. jdc

BrianK,

I installed two Smooth Moves seats in a Triton 215 this summer in about two hours. The second was a little quicker as I knew the routine. My installation included removing the original seat posts, bolting in a flat plate to move the post back about six inches, installing a new, shorter post, and bolting the new suspension system to the original Triton seat.

The project is a relatively simple bolt-in job. All the parts were in the box and instructions were clear, even for me. This is a quality product that works as advertised. I live on Lake Superior and encounter rough water on most trips.

jdc

Like BKS, I got a 215X this spring for use on Lake Superior and couldn’t be happier. Mine is a 2005 powered by an Optimax 225 and an 8 hp kicker. Quality is top notch for both the boat and trailer. I found mine over 1,000 miles away so I know what you’re going through. I don’t know the 177, but the big brother is great big-water boat. The ride is dry and the boat is solid. Tons of storage, lots of fuel capacity and very fast for its size. I don’t think you can go wrong with a Triton. jdc

I’ve owned both and prefer outboard power now that we have excellent four-stroke and high-efficiency two-stroke outboards to choose from.

Inboard engines are normally heavier than the outboard counterpart. They take up room inside the boat, where the outboard clutters up the transom area of the boat. I used to fish early in the spring and late in the fall. With the inboard I had to drain the exhaust manifolds after each trip to keep them from freezing. Now I can just tilt my outboard down and the water drains out on the ground. The inboard I/O will need to be carefully winterized to avoid any freeze damage if stored outside. My I/O required more maintenance and you have to be especially careful of any leaks or wear to the rubber bellows connecting the drive to the transom. My I/O would not tilt up higher than the bottom of the boat, so shallow water access could be less as was mentioned earlier.

luckydog

My HDS-7 shows a depth reading shortly after powering up. Assuming you’re in very shallow water when you turn it on, perhaps the sensitivity setting is too high to get a good depth reading. Battery condition might also be an issue. The units seem to be quite sensitive to voltage and you may be experiencing low voltage just after starting the outboard.

My son has one of these, powered by a Suzuki 140 four-stroke. I have fished with him on small lakes, rivers and Lake Michigan and Superior. I’ve been impressed with this boat, very solid in rough water, and a good ride. It has lots of storage, especially the center rod locker. I think he’s happy with his purchase after three or four years.

luckydog

I was able to get the time to display on the GPS screen along with the speed. I opened the screen to edit the overlay data and selected “Add”. I was then able to select “Time” from the list and save the entry. The time was then displayed on the screen below the speed. Hope this helps. lucky dog

I downloaded the update to a 2GB card Saturday and the update loaded into my HDS-7 without any problems. I put the card in the slot, turned on the plotter and the update started immediately. It took a couple minutes to complete the process.