Story by Todd Goade
As Technology has improved and with most boats running at least four graphs now (I’ve seen some with six), the need for more power to run all of these setups can be challenging. With the right setup, you can set yourself up for a successful day on the water without fear of having any issues and focus on the task at hand — catching fish!
My 2024 Skeeter FXR-21 is the best setup I’ve ever had in a bass boat. Period. Trent Palmer and the guys at SonarPros in Cumming, Georgia, have rigged this boat to perfection. I know that when I launch my boat, I’m going to have clear, consistent power all day and all of my devices will work as they should. However, in the event that something should happen, this setup has redundancy built into it so I can change my setup at the flip of a switch and keep right on fishing. Here is a breakdown of what I’m running this year:
4 — Lowrance HDS Pro 12s
1 — Lowrance Active Target 2
2 — 36 volt Lithium Pros trolling motor batteries
1 — 12 volt Lithium Pros electronics battery
1 — 12 volt AGM battery for cranking (And redundancy)
1 — DC|DC Run & Gun charger
1 — Power-Pole Charge charger
1 — Noco 12-volt AGM battery charger
When I mention redundancy, here’s what I mean. There’s a switch in my battery compartment. The options are “L,” “A” and “OFF.” I turn it to “L” every time I’m going fishing, and the electronics are powered by the lithium battery. However, if the unexpected happens, I can flip this switch to “A” and my electronics run off the AGM battery. That keeps a great day on the water going because you still have all your electronics running as they should!
SonarPros manufactures all their harnesses on site, and each one of my Lowrance units has its own wiring harness. In the event of one graph failure, I still have three running independently on their own harnesses, keeping me in the game.
When my Yamaha 250 SHO is running, that’s where the DC|DC Run & Gun charger comes into play. For every hour that the engine is running, it puts approximately 15 amps back into my 12-volt electronics battery. At the end of the day after many hours fishing, using my Lowrance Active Target and my other three Lowrance HDS 12 Pros, my battery strength has never been below 80%.
Lastly, I charge the three lithium batteries with my Power-Pole Charge, and the AGM with a NOCO 12 volt AGM charger. The at-home charging plug is designed to wire both chargers up to it, so it only requires one plug-in cord. A few hours after plugging it in, I have all green lights and I’m ready to go again.
I hope this setup helps if you’re looking to purchase a new boat or looking to upgrade the boat you currently have. We have a lot to think about out here on tour — before and during an event — and when you don’t have to think about your batteries, that’s a great feeling.
See y’all on the water!
Todd Goade – Angler Profile
