What boat product am I thinking of?

[paulspaddle]

I was reading a thread a long time ago and in it popped up a product that I hadn't heard of and in fact I'm not sure 'exactly' what it does, but if someone can tell me, I'd like to research it.

I think you tap into the fuel line and it was a little computer that monitored rate of fuel usage. From that it could calculate other functions, but that's the basics.

What is it?

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

FloScan ??.

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[Silvertip]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

The generic term is "flow rate monitor" or "flow rate meter". It provides an indication of the rate of fuel flow in gallons per hour(instantaneous and average), fuel used per trip, fuel remaining, and total fuel used since last reset. It works very much like the fuel computer in your car (if it has one). Some have an interface for connection to a gps device so it can calculate miles per gallon if that's what you are after.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

That is cool, I want one...

 

[SuperNova]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Aww. man. I was hoping he was talking about one of those fuel ionizer devices they used to try to sell to unsuspecting people.

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

YES, Floscan, cool product....not cheap though.

Thanks for that!

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Depending on what you have for a FF, you may be able to go cheaper with one that talks to your FF.

I have a Lowrance one that, along with my HDS-7 ff/gps, will tell my my mpg.

It's only cheaper if you already have a FF that will work with it.

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Sorry Tacklewasher, I don't know what "ff" stands for?

I have 4.3 mercruiser.

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

"fish finder"??

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Yeah.

Have you got a fish finder? Or are you thinking of buying one?

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Actually I was just a Cabela's today looking at fishfinders and gps'.

I don't need anything fancy as I'm not a big fisher-guy, but I primarily wanted a depthfinder and a gps.

An issue is our cabin is remote (2 hours north of winnipeg on Lake Winnipeg) and no company has made software to download the geographical landscape of that area....yet. Apparently this is coming soon.

I like this concept of a Flowscan as efficency is important to me.

Would you recommend something?

 

[esobofh]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

If you have an evinrude e-tec engine, you can just plug these devices in the CAN bus. Kits from Evinrude are $300.. and there are 2-3 other manufacturers that sell them aftermarket.


Really, any engine that is computer controlled and fuel injected is already monitoring this data.. you just need something that will display it for you.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Actually I was just a Cabela's today looking at fishfinders and gps'.

I don't need anything fancy as I'm not a big fisher-guy, but I primarily wanted a depthfinder and a gps.

An issue is our cabin is remote (2 hours north of winnipeg on Lake Winnipeg) and no company has made software to download the geographical landscape of that area....yet. Apparently this is coming soon.

I like this concept of a Flowscan as efficency is important to me.

Would you recommend something?

Yes.

I like the Lowrance products and you can get the current Navionics map that should show lake Winnipeg. I have an older map that only shows Lake Okanagan in my area, but plan to update it in the spring as the new one has a lot more BC lakes. I do recall that BC has a lot of coverage in the new maps compared to other provinces.

I have the HDS-7, but if you can find an older unit, I also liked my old LMS522, they will suit you fine in Lake Winnipeg. I do recall it is a pretty shallow lake (Okanagan is over 800 feet in places). From there, add the Navionics map and a EP-60R fuel meter and you are good to go.

The thing to be aware of with any FF/GPS is you want it to be able to talk to other devices via NMEA 2000 (not the older NMEA 0187). You can add all kinds of neat things onto the NMEA 2000 backbone, including the new VHF radios.

And 2 hours north of Winnipeg on Lake Winnipeg isn't remote. When I was a kid we had a cabin on Lake Wannipagow (sp?). Had to go through Pine Falls (stop for french fries), past Manigatogan (sp?) and almost as far a Bissett. Great Walleye fishing but it got a little cold in the winter. From when I was 11 to 14 I'd spend all summer there with my mom (dad came on weekends) and at least 1/3 of my waking time was fishing out of a 12' tinny. No GPS, FF or nothing. Just a 3 1/2 hp Viking motor, life jacket, fishing rod, tackle and a stringer.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

If you have an evinrude e-tec engine,

He's got a 4.3 Merc. No idea if it will talk on the NMEA bus or not, but that is what the ETec does.

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Thanks for all the info Tacklewasher, to be honest I'm going to have to do some more reading to understand all the terms and products you mention.

My understanding is my area will be mapped for gps for next summer by Satmap. The commercial fisherman in the area are using something, but it's pricey.

I'm going to hold onto the "remote" label for my area. The road north stops 5 miles further down from the cabin and you can only continue by ferry in summer or winter road in winter.

I like your description of your childhood. I've paddled some rivers on that side, Bloodvein, Popular, Rice, Bird, Manigatogin.....you maybe interested to hear that they are debating running a road up the east side of Lake Winnipeg. There is a fight to preserve the boreal forest. Also the area around the mouth of the Manigatogan has blown open with cottages with something like a few hundred (?) sold along the shore. This will change that area dramatically.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

Thanks for all the info Tacklewasher, to be honest I'm going to have to do some more reading to understand all the terms and products you mention.

A link from Lowrance. Only source I know since that is what I bought.

http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Marine/LowranceNET-Marine-Networking-System/

My understanding is my area will be mapped for gps for next summer by Satmap. The commercial fisherman in the area are using something, but it's pricey.

I'm going to hold onto the "remote" label for my area. The road north stops 5 miles further down from the cabin and you can only continue by ferry in summer or winter road in winter.

I like your description of your childhood. I've paddled some rivers on that side, Bloodvein, Popular, Rice, Bird, Manigatogin.....you maybe interested to hear that they are debating running a road up the east side of Lake Winnipeg. There is a fight to preserve the boreal forest. Also the area around the mouth of the Manigatogan has blown open with cottages with something like a few hundred (?) sold along the shore. This will change that area dramatically.

Tried to get back to the cottage area when I was in Winnipeg for a family reunion about 4 years ago, but didn't have the time for the 3 hour drive etc. Went to Grand Beach instead. The water wasn't as deep as I remember.

 

[esobofh]

Re: What boat product am I thinking of?

He's got a 4.3 Merc. No idea if it will talk on the NMEA bus or not, but that is what the ETec does.

Yeah, my bad.. I was thinking CAN bus, but that's the automotive equivalent.. NMEA is the correct name.