SR-71

I'm planning on upgrading the electronics package on my 38EC this summer. I've decided on the Garmin 8612xsv GN+ Chartplatter with GXM54 (XM) Weather Bundle. I'm curious if any Fountain owners have installed this Chartplotter/GPS unit, and if so, do you have any suggestions, and what transponder you used?

TIA

Butch
NC

mawfun

Hey Butch,

Not heard from you in a while, and not been on the forum, I did a dash/MFD upgrade. i went with a 12inch simrad evo 3s. mostly because of the interface to the merc engines. I reused the B60 transducer and upgraded the radar to halo 20+. very happy with it. only thing on reflection is the 12inch unit is marginally to big.

i ve lost the end to the bravo trim indicator, do you know who makes them?


can post some pics if you interested.

SR-71

Hello, good to hear from you again. Yes, I'd be interested in seeing some photos of your installation. I've been considering the Garmin GPSMAP 8612 MFD, although I have the same concern whether its 12" screen will be too large.

Butch

mawfun

before

simrad 12evo3s, and lowrance ais reciever radio

SR-71

Looks good! I may have go with some sort of Plexiglas back plate too. I'm debating whether to reuse my existing transducer or go with something new. My current transducer stops reading as soon as I get up on plane, I guess because of the Steps producing air bubbles under the hull (perhaps there's no way around this). What year is your 38EC?

I'm also finally getting around to replacing my old tube TV with a 27" flat screen.

Butch

mawfun

Mine is a 2008. If i am honest the transducer wont keep up over 25-30knts. and fish scanning accuracy goes before then. It does however work better with this MFD then the old one. It isnt chirp so I am not using that functionality and i am not in mega deep water, mostly <200m. For me as it was working, i may put a chirp one on the otherside, if i was getting into fishing. You also have to consider the replacement ones size, it prob needs to be a little bigger Diameter. the B60 (600w) is still a good unit, and i at least had the sonar module from northstar 495, which i could remove and plug it directly into the simrad. (the plug had to be changed). The new cmap charts are very very good, and mostly underway you dont need a sounder, especially at speend.

the black glass back is by need rather then look. the 12inch actually over hangs a bit. from the front you cant tell. my measuring was a little off, if i had mounted it directly then the hole for it would of been the entire height of that dash.

I already had a flat screen tv. but it used alot of power, and i had to run the genset to make it work, so i swaped it out for an LCD one that works on 12V. fairly happy with it.

SR-71

Mawfun - I own a 2004 38EC with HP500's and XR Drives. I also purchased a 27" 12v TV although I haven't installed it yet. I'm curious how you mounted your TV and routed its cabling. Whenever it might be convenient it would be great to see a photo or two of your TV install.

I'll probably do the same thing you did and use my existing transducer. A new transponder would provide more modern features but as I mentioned previously, my sonar only works while going slow. As soon as I come up on plane air bubbles under the hull (from the hull steps) pretty much renders my sonar sensor useless.

Something else I'd like to eventually upgrade is my mechanical Tab and Drive arrow indicators. I need to start looking into that.

By the way, I live around the corner from the Fountain Factory. It would be great if the factory offered upgrade/retrofit work for older Fountains. Unfortunately the last time I contacted the factory they said they didn't do that type of work. That's too bad. The more Fountain's that are kept upgraded and kept running, the more advertising the factory reaps.

Butch

PFSUPERCAR

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