I've been reading, planning and saving for a year and a half to get a Lowrance HDS8.  I finally pulled the string and bought one.  With lots of internet help and 2 calls to Low.  I figured it out and got everything mounted and hooked up.  All systems seem go.   

YEP right.  I knew that heavy sucker would not work on the little ram that I had the console 520 mounted on so I took the larger one off the front df and put it on the dash plate.  I mounted the 8 on it and whamo the mount (that white plate in the center of the dash)broke in half and dropped the 8 right onto the steering wheel.  I got on the phone to a Ram distributor and explained the situation.  The guy says to me that neither of my rams will do the trick.  So I ordered one from him and it is on its way.  I also went to the local metal shop and had them replicate the white one with a good solid piece aluminum.

That baby is laying in the floor of the boat just begging for a road trip but the new ram is not expected to arrive until Thursday.  So all I can do is read the book and make several trips to the garage and hold her on my lap and punch her buttons.  I'm really wanting to look at some of the places where I have broken off a hundred jigs and tubes.

Hey cutbait88, I think that boat is a Champion.

Jig Man you got that thing mounted "front & center" or sure. it'll definitely need more support than the previous one.

There won't be a fish safe in the lake ! LOL ! What lake are you fishing this time of year? 

Yep you're gonna like doin a bunch of scannin.  You got a lot more garden moxie than I do. Mine is about 1/5 the size of yours and it has a lot of unwanteds growing in there. Ha Ha !

I hear ya on the heat thing. I went out today with the self propelled walk behind for about 45 minutes , 10 more minutes with the blower on the drive and cleaned 2 gutters and I was completely drenched.  I am ready to move to town.

You have an external mounted ducer on the transom for that unit ? 

That is one fine lookin DF! Of course you are going to provide us with some pictures of your favorite spots, Right? And GPS locations, Right? Can’t wait to see what that unit shows!

Hey cutbait88, I think that boat is a Champion.

Jig Man you got that thing mounted "front & center" or sure. it'll definitely need more support than the previous one.

There won't be a fish safe in the lake ! LOL ! What lake are you fishing this time of year?

Yep that unit I'm going to put on is heavy and the new ram is supposed to hold 15#.  What you see behind the 520 is a piece of cutting board.   It held up through 5 years and 2 gps units.   Man that HDS8 snapped it right in two pieces.  When the ram comes I'll be drilling out my new aluminum plate and mounting it in place of the cutting board.

That is one fine lookin DF! Of course you are going to provide us with some pictures of your favorite spots, Right? And GPS locations, Right? Can’t wait to see what that unit shows!

Scott, I will show pics of screen captures but don't look for gps wpts as Steve also comes to MO and I need to keep my spots secret.

Jigman,  is this one of the new ones like that fancy hummingbird that you can see a fish poop?

Jig Man, you already know what it's gonna look like. Once you see it   

Just make sure you're sittin down !

Seein is believin.  Poor little ole fishie