Proper Battery Storage

With many of you putting your boats and batteries away for the year there are a few steps you should take to be sure you have fresh batteries for next years fishing season. If you are going to store your batteries outside make sure that all your cells are topped off and your battery is fully charged before storage. If you need to top off the cells is it best to use distilled water and not tap water. Also check to make sure your battery terminals are clean and free of corrosion. During the winter months it will be a good idea to charge your batteries again. If you have a built in charger just plug it in for a night and this will bring your batteries back to fill charge. If you opt to keep your batteries inside at the start of the storage season take the steps to make sure they are topped off and charged before you move them inside. After these steps have been completed store them on a piece of wood and charge them when you get them back into your boat in the spring before your first fishing trip. By following these proper storage steps your batteries will serve you for many fishing seasons to come.

Proper Transducer Installation

Electronics are the heart of any fishing system as they are your eyes under the water so how can you tell if your transducer is installed right and you are getting the most from your electronics? The easiest way to tell is do you get a bottom reading when you start to go onto plane and keep your reading at top speeds until you slow back down to a stop? If your answer is yes, than your transducer is properly installed, but if your answer is no, than you will have some adjustments to make. If your transducer is glassed into your boat and you are experiencing loss of your bottom picture try the poor mans fix to see if the problem goes away. Take some water and put it in the back of your boat where your transducer is located. You will not need much water when doing this you will need just enough to cover the face of the transducer. If this cures your problem and you keep your bottom reading your transducer is coming loose from your hull and will need attention from your marine dealer. If this does not cure your problem you may have a bad transducer and will again need the attention of your marine dealer.

If you are running an aluminum boat and you loose your bottom reading when on plane your transducer is not low enough in the water meaning you will need to make some adjustments. Try lowering your transducer a _” at a time until you get a reading from take off until you stop again. You may have to do this a couple of times until you get it right so do not get discouraged if it make take a few try’s, but every time you make adjustments you should start to see improvements. When you have your transducer properly adjusted, make sure you lock down all screws and bolts that hold the transducer in position. If you need more information contact your manufacture, as they will be pleased to help in any situation.