Lowrance X67C Advice

[bluesky1713]

I am interested in buying the Lowrance X67C unit for use in summer and winter.

 

Just looking for some advice on where to buy in Canada (best price) online or in store (Ontario).

 

I am also wondering whether to get the Ice Machine unit or just set up the transom mount model to work through the ice. Will the results be the same or does the winter transducer do a much better job through the ice?

 

Finally, I would like to know boat speed and it doesn't look like the X67C (transom mount) transducer comes with this feature (only tells temperature not speed), but you would have to purchase an optional transducer to accomplish this. Is this true?

 

Cheers,

 

Josh

[Fisherman]

From what I understand it's the same unit, the boat model doesn't come with the battery pack and soft cover, that's why the price is more for the other one. As for transducers, they achieve the same thing, just different shape, the ice model would leave a pretty rooster tail behind the boat. That said, the summer transducer can be used, you just have to fabricate a bracket to hang it level down your hole in the ice. Don'tknow if there's any available at his time of year, maybe Lebarons or Radioworld.

[BillM]

I run a normal transducer with my Humminbird, works fine. The ice transducer is nothing special, other then being made specifically to sit in a hole

[SlowPoke]

Get the ice machine if you want the iceducer. Getting thie iceducer afterwards is almost impossible; Lowrance is months behind on filling orders.

The transom ducer works fine but you have a 15' to 20' cable to contend with.

Transom ducers are readily available when you want to mount in your boat.

[SlowPoke]

Better yet, get the ice machine and sell me the iceducer.

[Bondar]

Radio world has the best price i have seen ($329.99 for the ice machine) but not sure if they are in stock or not , if i were you i'd buy the ice machine than buy the transducer for the boat, the little case is handy with the battery and everything already wired and the inline fuse keeps everything from bouncing around, i really like mine but i've never used it on a boat

Edited February 22, 2010 by BONDAR

[bluesky1713]

Would a battery charger like this work on this battery?

Edited February 22, 2010 by bluesky1713

[BillM]

Would a battery charger like this work on this battery?

 

I dunno if I'd put that on a 7amp gel battery.

 

Why not pick up something like this battery/charger kit?

 

http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?products_id=5868

[bluesky1713]

Yeah, that works, Bill. Was trying to avoid having to buy the charger. However, I did not realize RadioWorld sold them as a combo.

 

Does the x67c ice machine come with the charger?

[Fisherman]

Check the Radioworld site, it says it does come with the charger.

[Radnine]

I am not sure about all of the winter/summer questions, but (as I recently posted on another occasion) the dude from Lowrance told me at the boat show that the Eagle colour model (the low level one that is on the same level as the 67C) is a better unit. He showed me side by side how the picture was better on the Eagle and it was substantially cheaper. Radio World had them at the show for around $180 or $190 (can't quite remember, but they were cheaper comparatively).

Good luck!

Jim

[limeyangler]

i hve he x67c....the battery charger you posted will work fine....i use a similar one on mine. The small chargers burn out quickly in my experience....i have gone through 2 already so i now use THIS ONE...the same one i use to charge my boats deep cycle 12v.

 

you can use the transom mount trans ducer on a stick....it works great...just make sure you weight the end so it hangs vertically. I did this before i bought the iceducer....the ice ducer is far better in my opinion though....it allows me to move from hole to hole quickly and also packs away neatly in the softsided cooler i use as the "icepack' I bought the cooler at CT for $15......................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would suggest getting both, i have the transom mount transducer screwed onto a piece of aluminum flat bar that i clamp to my transom....making it truly portable.....i can swap to my small 12ft bots when going into smaller lakes.

 

 

Anyway.....i would retro fit...the icepack is expensive.

 

 

If you want any pics or more info on my set up feel free to ask.

[bluesky1713]

Limey,

 

Love your setup. Would it be pretty easy to set mine up the same as yours? What is that blue divider piece you have your graph mounted to? Does Cdn Tire sell that same cooler still?

 

Thanks for the tips!

 

Josh

[MJL]

I am not sure about all of the winter/summer questions, but (as I recently posted on another occasion) the dude from Lowrance told me at the boat show that the Eagle colour model (the low level one that is on the same level as the 67C) is a better unit. He showed me side by side how the picture was better on the Eagle and it was substantially cheaper. Radio World had them at the show for around $180 or $190 (can't quite remember, but they were cheaper comparatively).

Good luck!

Jim

 

I was told this as well by Jos at Angling Outfitters when I was shopping around for a new finder. He recommended the Eagle FishEasy 350c over the Lowrance x67c.

 

What I don’t get is a lot of places online list the specs for the x67c as having a maximum sonar output as 800 watts whereas the x67c 'Ice Machine' has a maximum sonar output of 1500 watts.

 

Radioworld, Lowrance and a few other websites I googled up had the 800w/1500w difference

 

Lowrance x67c

 

And x67c Ice Machine

Lowrance x67c ice machine

 

Is it a typo? Is there a software/hardware upgrade that comes with the ‘ice machine’ package? My friend is in the same boat and looking for a new colour fish finder as well which he can mount onto my old portable Eagle cuda base when he fishes with me.

Edited February 24, 2010 by MJL

[Fisherman]

I think it's a typo, if you go to the Lowrance marine site check both the x67 and the x67c you will see they both run 800W same as the Eagle 350C. Check the downloads and you will find they are pretty much the same unit,(except the 350c doesn't have the rotating rainbow flasher option) something like Chev/GM.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Fisherman

[canadadude]

They use to sell these units as a combo you got both transducers in one package, not sure if the combo is still available

[bluesky1713]

Can you remove the graph from the ice pack and transom mount it in the summer?

 

Also, Limey, I would love to see how you made your summer transducer portable by clamping it to your transom.

[Fisherman]

Yes, you can remove the bracket that holds the graph and mount it in the boat. There are store bought brackets available from Lowrance that fit the summer water skimmer transducer, you can either suction cup mount it or screw the bracket into the hull. Very easy. One more point, unless you have a mounting point to keep graph out of the burning sun and road dust, etc, I would mount it in something such as a dry box or lexan box. Even though they are waterproof to a degree, I don't take that chance. Less chance of it getting stolen too.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Fisherman

[limeyangler]

Hey Bluesky,

 

They have one more of the same cooler at the CT in Dryden , although its on the top shelf above the display as none of the coolers are on display for the winter. Its made by 'ESCORT' and the blue plastic divider comes with the cooler....thats why i got it....its almost designed perfectly for the fishfinder....just mount the bracket to it with some short bolts with a lock nut underneath.

 

 

THE COOLER IS MADE BY ESCORT AND COMES WITH THE BLUE PLASTIC DIVIDER

 

 

 

 

 

 

As i was saying, to make the fishfinder portable, i attached the summer transducer to a piece of aluminium flat bar...measured to fit my 16' but works on smaller boats, even those whose transoms are higher than my 16'. I actually use the cooler set up when swapping to another boat as i bought another mounting bracket so one is on my 16' permantly and one in the cooler permanently.

 

 

 

HERE'S PICTURES OF THE TRANSDUCER MOUNTED TO THE FLATBAR, AND PICTURES OF IT CLAMPED TO THE BACK OF MY 16' BOAT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bluesky1713]

Thanks, everyone!

[Sharkbait22]

Quick search on the net http://notjustfishing.com/Lowrance/lowrancex67.shtml $280 CAN I have one paid more than this!

[Fisherman]

Don't hold your breath on that one, if you go further into the website, you'll find out X border shipping will bite you big time, one fellow ended up paying around $400CDN, so no saving there.

[snoryder]

limey, nice setup.

 

Here is my macivered floating skimmer. It has the ratchet on the skimmer, so you can tweak. But once its set your good to go.

 

Edited February 26, 2010 by flyguy