forward looking sonar sailboat

Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Best forward-looking sonar: 5 units tested

• Ben Meakins
• May 10, 2016

How effective is forward-looking sonar at flagging up shoals and obstacles on the seabed? David Pugh compares the findings from five devices

Would you like to be able to spot an obstacle before your boat hits it? Of course you would, and so would every other sailor in the world. Looking ahead is the Achilles’ heel of the conventional echo sounder , which can only tell you the depth of the water in which you are already floating. If you wait until the sounder reads zero, it’s too late. That’s where forward-looking sonar comes in.

Admittedly, the conventional sounder can tell you a lot, and in recent years plotters have started to display not only current depth, but also history via their fishfinder screens. It’s a fair bet that if the depth is steadily decreasing, the time will soon come to change course. But this approach only works in gently shoaling water: abrupt changes in depth could spell disaster.

Looking ahead

The traditional approach to looking ahead has always been to do so before you take your boat anywhere near a potential hazard. We do it all the time, using the chart and calling it passage planning. A good survey and a precise position has been the key to keeping boats off the rocks for years, but there are times when this isn’t an option. Some places are still poorly charted, and even in our well-surveyed UK waters there are moving shoals which defy the efforts of hydrographers and harbour buoyage.

One option is to jump in the dinghy with a leadline or sounding pole and carry our your own mini-survey beforehand. But if you’re nosing up a river and simply want an early warning of a shoal, or are nervous of finding the right spot to anchor in a rocky loch, wouldn’t it be nice if your echo sounder gave the depth ahead of the boat?

Best forward-looking sonar: What’s available ?

For years, the undisputed king of the niche market of forward-looking sonar has been Ringwood-based Echopilot. Various iterations of their forward-looking technology have sold all over the world, and their only historical competitor disappeared some time ago.

Now, however, things have changed. Navico, the parent company to Simrad, B&G and Lowrance, recently announced a forward sonar transducer and updated software for their SonarHub module and plotters, while Garmin have developed a version of their high-definition Panoptix fishfinder designed to look ahead. While Echopilot and Navico are in direct competition, the Garmin product is a little different, aiming to find fish at a limited range ahead of the transducer – they provide a version of the transducer designed to fit a trolling motor shaft to facilitate scanning around the boat. However, it does provide imagery of topographical features too, and hence could be of use in spotting hazards.

We gathered together five contenders: three from Echopilot and one each from Garmin and B&G, fitted them to an old 3.6m (12ft) dinghy and put them through their paces in Poole Harbour. We tried looking at a range of features, including solid piling, bridge piers, gently shelving beaches and mooring chains, as well as using the units to find our way down a narrow channel of soft mud.

Echopilot FLS 2D

A channel buoy’s chain, picked up at around 12m

The only unit tested with a dedicated display, the FLS 2D comes with a choice of transducers. The standard transducer is sold as suitable for smaller boats, has plastic encapsulation and uses a 45mm through-hull fitting. The ‘Professional’ transducer is a much heavier unit of bronze, costing an extra £170 and using a 60mm through-hull. Installation is simple – fit the transducer, plug it and the power cable into the back of the display and you’re done.

To display the information, Echopilot uses a screen showing a cross-section of the water ahead of the boat. On this are plotted the echoes received by the transducer, using colours graded from blue to red to show the strength of the echo (red being the stronger). By default, the unit is set to choose a range automatically, but the user can override this.

The user interface is not immediately intuitive, but once the unit is set up the most you are likely to need is to change the range, achieved simply enough using the ‘Up’ and ‘Down’ softkeys. There is an auto setting, which changes the range based on the depth, but in difficult conditions the manual setting is helpful.

On the water, we initially struggled to make sense of the display, but with practice the manner in which the data is shown and colour-coded to indicate the strength of the echo allows a significant level of interpretation from the user. For example, a mooring chain or stake will give a vertical line of strong, red returns with some weaker echoes either side. The red shows that you should pay attention despite there being relatively few data points. Soft mud, on the other hand, gives a scattering of weaker echoes as the sounder struggles to find the bottom, so the truth is likely to be a middle value.

We tested the range of the sounder by looking at a solid concrete wall. The wall was clearly visible at ranges just over 100m, which was the width of the channel in which we were working. Smaller targets such as mooring chains were harder to acquire, with the range typically less than 10m before we could say with confidence that the object was there. At this kind of range the narrow width of the transducer beam becomes obvious, so the bow needs to be held steadily on the target.

The seabed slopes down to the right, ending at a solid wall at 75m

In soft, shallow mud, the FLS 2D would become confused when in auto mode owing to some echoes being apparently very deep, requiring the range setting manually. This removed most of the spurious results and made the display useful once more, although the depths it recorded were clearly far too high.

Switching to the professional transducer resulted in a cleaner signal, but surprisingly a shorter range at just over 80m. The beam also appeared narrower, so on a small boat where the heading is not necessarily constant, the standard transducer is perhaps a better choice.

RRP: £1,179 / $1,569 (inc. standard transducer)

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Echopilot fls platinum engine.

Solid piling, visible at 90m on our range test

The FLS Platinum Engine comprises three components: the transducer, a sturdy bronze unit with a 60mm through-hull fitting, a transducer interface box and a video interface box. The video interface can output composite or S-video, suitable for viewing on a third-party plotter or external screen. Control is via an external keypad plugged into the video interface.

In operation, the Platinum engine is similar to the FLS 2D, with the data displayed in the same way. We used the composite video output, but it would pay to use S-video if possible to take advantage of its improved resolution.

Rocks at 32m. The scattering from the irregular shapes makes the return weaker, but there is clearly an obstacle

The transducer is identical in appearance to the Professional transducer for the FLS 2D so, perhaps unsurprisingly, our results were similar. Our range test picked up the wall at about 90m and, like the FLS 2D, it tended to show spurious depths in soft, shallow channels. It was, however, quicker to get back to normal once the boat moved out of the difficult area. We found it harder to pick up mooring chains and narrow objects with the Platinum engine, perhaps due to a narrower beamwidth from the transducer and the tendency of a small boat to yaw. It detected the multi-faceted rocks of some sea defences, albeit with a fairly scattered plot.

RRP: £1,000 (inc. transducer)

Buy it now on echopilot.com

Echopilot FLS 3D

A channel mark’s chain, appearing 30m away as a peak in the midst of deeper water

Echopilot’s flagship model, the FLS 3D, takes a different approach to the 2D products. By using two hefty 75mm through-hull units, each of which contains two angled transducers, the sounder can combine the data to display a 60° sector ahead of the boat.

The amount of data from four transducers would produce a confusing mess if displayed with no further processing, so Echopilot have included a computer in the system to render a surface which best fits the data, and output the video. As a result the system comprises three stages: the transducers, the transducer interface and the computer. From the computer, you can output VGA or DVI to a screen, or go through a converter for composite or S-video.

Like the 2D models, the picture is colour-coded to aid spotting the difference between shallow and deep water. This makes for a very intuitive picture, but a user needs to bear in mind that the surface displayed is similar to that which would be made if you were to drop a blanket over the seabed –spikes are smoothed into curved peaks and vertical walls become steep slopes.

On the water, the display is very easy to read, and we found it good for seeing continuous features such as channel edges. Our range test yielded a shorter range than the 2D sounders, with the wall ahead convincingly visible from about 35m. I suspect this may be due to there being insufficient data points for rendering until you are closer to the obstacle, while the 2D products show the data for the user to interpret.

Approaching a steep wall at about 15m. Water appears to exist beyond the wall

Another oddity when approaching the wall was that the sounder showed a depth of water continuing beyond it – not a problem, but something that takes getting used to.

The FLS 3D is primarily sold to larger boats, so our test in a narrow, shallow channel was perhaps unfair. Nevertheless, variations in depth consistent with the channel edge were visible, and had a shorter range than 40m been available would have been clearer. Heading down the edge of a deepwater channel, the edge was clearly defined and navigation mark chains appeared as steep peaks, suggesting that this would be a valuable tool for nosing up a river.

RRP: £9,550 / $13,000 (inc. 2 transducers)

B&G ForwardScan sonar

With simple structures like the wall, the danger is immediately obvious

As might be expected from a plotter manufacturer, this unit is designed to work with B&G’s own displays, removing the video interface element common to the Echopilot black box products. However, you will still need an interface box (SonarHub) to connect the transducer to the plotter. Once done, and with your software updated to suit, a new option will appear on the menu: ForwardScan. By default, this shows a shaded area designed to represent the seabed ahead of the boat – brown in our pictures, but you can change the colour pallette. Essentially, this is a line of best fit – the data points can be overlaid if you wish, either both above and below the line, or just above. These points are colour-coded in a similar fashion to the Echopilot plots.

ForwardScan in use

In its default state, just showing the line of best fit, the screen is easy and intuitive to read. On our range test, the sounder showed the steep wall at a maximum range of 65m. This is significantly shorter than the Echopilot, but turning on the data points showed evidence of the wall at around 80m – the software clearly needs more data points than the human eye to confidently predict the seabed.

Mooring chains are shown by the data, but ignored by the line

In shallow, muddy water the best-fit line lost its lock on the bottom, but turning on the data points again made the display useful, with the distribution giving an indication of whether the water was getting deeper or shallower ahead of the boat.

Because ForwardScan is integrated into an existing navigation package, it already has reliable depth information from a separate transducer, so is more resilient to scaling problems based on false readings than the Echopilot units. It also proved useful to be able to display the data alongside the chart, especially when moving along a channel edge.

In soft mud, the line of best fit fails, but data points still show trends

RRP: Transducer £540, SonarHub £470 / $1,079

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Garmin Panoptix Forward

RealVü scans from left to right to build a realistic image of the seabed. Here’s a wall at 14m

A single transducer, which plugs directly into the back of a compatible Garmin plotter using Ethernet, Garmin’s Panoptix Forward sonar product is more intended as a fishfinder for looking around your boat than as a device for spotting obstacles while under way.

The transducer comes with two mounts – one for the transom, the other to fit it to the shaft of a trolling motor, allowing it to rotate. The transducer itself is large (approx 170mm x 90mm) and dips below the transom at an angle of around 45°, so it is unsuitable for sailing craft in its current incarnation owing to drag. It also loses picture at speed, presumably owing to disturbed water around the transducer, while the Echopilot and B&G products can be successfully used on the move.

The plotter offers two forward views: LiveVü and RealVü 3D. LiveVü will look familiar to fishfinder users, with the classic blue screen and smeared lines, coloured to show the strength of the echo. RealVü scans a 60° arc ahead of the boat to build a picture of the seabed ahead, similar to the Echopilot 3D. However, unlike the Echopilot, which shows a picture all the time, RealVü scans, building the image from left to right.

A piece of rail marking a channel edge, viewed at 8m

The Vü ahead

Using LiveVü, the range is limited compared with the other products, the best we achieved on the solid wall being just under 40m. At close range, however, the system offers significantly more detail than any of the other products, suggesting that it operates at a higher frequency, trading range for detail.

This conclusion was borne out by a test we tried in the shallow waters of Poole’s Holes Bay, looking at a channel mark made from a piece of old railway rail. Both the Echopilot and Navico products showed this as a collection of a few echoes, while the Garmin showed a clear vertical obstacle at about 8m.

Shoaling depths are clearly shown

In RealVü mode, the range is reduced compared with LiveVü by the rendering facility – as you move away from a feature, the image begins to fragment as the quality of the data reduces. It’s also a bit slow, taking several seconds to build each picture before starting again. However, the image produced is realistic and detailed. Data points not used in the rendering are overlaid to give an indication whether any features have been ignored.

If RealVü could work faster and under way, it would make a great tool for exploring narrow channels.

RRP: £1,299 / $1,499 (transducer only)

PBO Verdict

If you’re looking to avoid collision, rather than carry out a close-range survey of the seabed, we have to discount the Garmin from the running. Its limited range and intolerance to turbulence make it unsuitable for use at anything more than trolling speeds, but if Garmin can produce a through-hull transducer that deals with these problems, its impressive level of detail makes it a product to keep an eye on in the future.

The Echopilot FLS 3D is best suited to larger boats, not least because of its size and cost. We also found it worked best in deeper water, where the ability to see for a significant angle either side of the bow proved extremely beneficial, picking up the edge of the shipping channel in Poole with a high level of detail.

For smaller boats, however, any of the 2D products would prove a useful addition to your instrumentation. ForwardScan is the most intuitive thanks to its line of best fit and is the obvious choice if you already have B&G, Simrad or Lowrance gear on board, but with practice I found that I preferred to see the raw data and draw my own conclusions – the approach used by Echopilot. In this mode, the Echopilot pictures were cleaner, with fewer spurious echoes either side of the true data. As the long-standing market leader in forward sonar, it’s perhaps to be expected that their filtering of the data might be better, and this seems to be the case.

Which of the Echopilot products you choose depends on personal considerations. The FLS 2D offers best value for money, and we found the standard, cheaper transducer to be perfectly adequate. The Professional transducer adds detail but is bulkier and heavier, with a greater protrusion below the hull. For a little extra cost, if you already have a plotter the Platinum Engine offered best performance across a range of conditions.

Whatever you choose, it’s important to remember that they aren’t infallible, and are affected strongly by the surface at which they are looking. All of them worked well in shoaling water, the plots clearly indicating reducing depth from a shelving beach. Soft mud and shallow water confused them all to a greater or lesser extent, as is only to be expected when you fire a sonar beam obliquely into a soft medium. Broken rock (used as sea defences for a marina) scattered the beams, confusing attempts at 3D rendering by the Garmin RealVü or Echopilot 3D, but visible as scattered dots on the other products. Plane surfaces or protrusions from the seabed worked better.

When I set up the test, Mike Phillips of Echopilot warned ‘it’s a bit like using radar. You have to get used to it’. He’s right, and like radar, forward sonar needs interpretation. Software can help, but a practised operator will get more from it than a novice. It doesn’t replace a chart or a good position, but teamed up with other information might just keep you off the rocks or putty, or help avoid that uncharted underwater obstruction.

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Sonar and sounders: 4 new models that are good for more than just fishing

• April 22, 2020

Developments in technology are now allowing us to see the shape and structure of the seabed, including vegetation, in increasingly clear detail. Rupert Holmes reports

Sonar has potential to help offshore racers like IMOCA 60s avoid submerged obstructions. Photo: Vincent Curutchet

Sonar and forward-looking depth sounders are often seen as the preserve of those whose primary interest is fishing. However, a huge amount of effort has been invested in these products over the past few years and the latest models can be powerful tools for both cruising and racing yachts . They offer sufficient clarity, for instance, to be able to pick out areas of seagrass and patches of sand in an anchorage.

Much of this improvement is thanks to the availability of CHIRP transducers that, unlike a traditional sonar, can distinguish between multiple targets through scanning using a signal of varying frequency. This enables them to show individual fish, rather than just indicate a shoal, to resolve vegetation growing on the seabed, and distinguish between a sandy/muddy shoreline and a rocky one.

For those of us who spend large periods of time in the Mediterranean during autumn months , when overcast skies or dark evenings can mean anchoring when it’s not possible to see the seabed, this could be a significant boon. As well as the obvious safety advantage, and convenience of being able to find sand at the first attempt, there’s also a benefit in avoiding damage to environmentally important seagrass beds.

Article continues below…

Forward-facing sonar: Everything you need to know

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On yachts, we’re most interested in what lies roughly ahead of the boat, unlike fishing where a good picture of what’s directly underneath or to the side is often more important. This means not all transducers developed for the fishing market will work well for our purposes, but we’ve listed a selection here that could be useful.

Even so it’s important to recognise that forward-looking sonar doesn’t replace existing data sources such as depth sounder, charts and visual references. Instead it provides additional data to help make more informed decisions. However, short ranges of typically 30m-90m mean this is a tool for use in confined waters in which the navigator is focussed on the task and not distracted at a critical moment.

As with radar, a degree of skill and knowledge is also required to set the system up and to correctly interpret the picture.

On the racecourse

Short tacking along a shoreline to gain relief from a foul tide is a key element of racing in many tidal areas. However, there’s an ever-present risk of grounding , which has been implicated in the subsequent loss of keels of several yachts, sometimes with devastating consequences. Anything that can help reduce that risk is therefore clearly advantageous.

A B&G ForwardScan image from Newtown Creek on the Isle of Wight

B&G ForwardScan

Professional navigator Mike Broughton specified B&G’s ForwardScan sonar for a new race-spec Swan 78 he sails as navigator. The system, which has a 180kHz transducer, scans the seabed over a 15° arc up to 90m ahead of the vessel, though gently shelving mud may bring the viable range in shallow water down to as little as 25m.

As well as showing a graph of the depth ahead of the boat, the ForwardScan data can also be superimposed on a chart, with shading to indicate safe, warning and critical depths. ForwardScan uses a removable slimline transducer that extends 31mm below the hull.

Writing in Yachting World , Broughton said: “I have used ForwardScan to great effect short tacking against a strong tidal stream in the Solent, gaining the confidence to tack back to the shore before our competitors helped make significant gains. Confidence that you are clear for just another boat length as you approach the shore can be gold dust information and allow your boat to achieve a clear lane of clean wind.”

The company therefore also offers a wider range of products, including a StructureScan transducer, which are geared towards fishing markets and show more detail of the seabed.

Price guide

ForwardScan transducer: £731 ForwardScan fairing block: £41 B&G Sonar Hub or StructureScan 3D Module: £628 StructureScan through-hull transducer: £649

EchoPilot’s long range FLS 3D system updates the seabed image every second

Long-established British brand Echopilot was one of the forerunners in this market and has been owned by the Danish Daniamant group since 2017. Echopilot’s range is optimised to show as much seabed detail as possible, rather than focussing primarily on displaying fish. It updates with very low latency and can be used at speeds of up to 20 knots.

The FLS 2D system has 30° beam width and maximum forward range of 200m, or ten times the depth in shallower water. The 7in screen uses different colours to represent different types of seabed structure, with hard materials such as rock showing as red and softer echoes from sand and mud showing as blue.

A more powerful FLS 3D model has twin retractable 200kHz transducers that give a 60° beam width. The range extends to 20 times the water depth, so around 200m in a 10m depth. Echopilot claims it can detect rocks at up to a distance of 500m.

Both models are also available in a black box format that will connect to any display with HDMI or VGA video input. In this case settings are controlled by a separate keypad that can be positioned next to the display.

FLS 2D with standard transducer and 7in display: £1,000 Echopilot FLS 3D with Dual Pro Transducers: £9,000

Garmin’s Panoptix LiveScope can differentiate between fish, seagrass and patches of sand

Garmin Panoptix

Many fishfinders show only the area below the boat or at the sides, but Garmin’s Panoptix products offer features that can be of use on cruising yachts. This range is available with through-hull transducers intended for fitting to yachts and has forward-looking functionality.

The FrontVü mode displays the seabed ahead of the boat at a range of up to 90m although, in common with other models, this reduces to eight to ten times the depth of water in very shallow water. The scanner has a 20° beam width and provides a clear picture at boat speeds of up to 8 knots.

The LiveVü Forward function allows you to see fish and the structure of the seabed at a reduced range of up to 30m. Both options are offered with the PS51-TH transducer at a cost of £1,360. This unit is a similar size to that of the B&G ForwardScan transducer.

Garmin’s top of the line Panoptix model, which has received rave reviews in the fishing community, is the LiveScope. This gives real-time scanning both forward and around the boat, with enough detail to see the difference between seagrass and patches of sand at a maximum range of 60m from the boat. On the downside, the LVS32 transducer is much larger and heavier.

PS51-TH transducer £1,360 Panoptix LiveScope with through-hull mounted transducer £1,870

While the ranges of recreational sonar units are clearly limited, they are a whole lot better than conventional depth sounders that have no ability to look ahead. Larger and more powerful transducers can provide more range at a frequency that allows a great deal of detail to be shown, but these may not be convenient to mount on a yacht and costs are significantly higher.

Race teams are interested in Far Sounder Argos 350 development

Far Sounder

Rhode Island-based Far Sounder produces a range of forward-looking sonar for large vessels with ranges of up to 1,000m at operational speeds of up to 25 knots. The company’s latest model has a smaller transducer with a 350m detection range that’s suitable for craft of 18-40m length.

The sonar map can be overlaid on CMAP professional S56/63 series charts in a similar fashion to the way we’re accustomed to overlaying radar on a chart. The downside, however, is that the transducer is still large for a sailing yacht – it measures 160mm x 200mm (6.4in x 8in) and needs to be at least 1m below the surface.

Could this system be used by racing yachts such as IMOCA 60s to give advanced warning of a potential collision with whales or shipping containers ? CEO Cheryl Zimmerman says the standard product could certainly do this for targets that are a couple of metres below the water.

She told me Far Sounder has been approached by race teams to “discuss some of the issues they are experiencing” and is “very excited” about the prospect of developing custom products with alarms to alert solo sailors.

Argos 350: US$55,000

Sonar performance

With sonar there’s always a conflict between range and detail. A low-frequency sonar of around 80kHz will be able to reach greater depths, but without a great deal of detail. Conversely, a higher frequency unit, operating at around 200kHz, will reveal more detail, but at the expense of range. Larger and more powerful transducers can provide more range at a higher frequency, but these may not be easy to mount on a yacht and become expensive.

Accuracy can be affected by factors including location of the transducer and water conditions. The strongest echoes are from hard seabeds such as rock and coral, whereas gently shelving sand or mud will only be seen at closer ranges and even then may not be as distinct.

Black box hubs can generate data for use on compatible chartplotter screens

Compatibility

We’ve come to expect much of the basic functionality of instrument systems and sensors to be compatible across displays offered by different manufacturers. However, this is by no means automatically the case for sonar, where there can even be gaps in compatibility even within a single manufacturer’s product range. In addition, many MFDs lack the software needed to process sonar data, so an intermediate sonar hub may be needed.

Before buying sonar equipment it’s important to understand exactly what the chosen technology will do and the equipment it will interface with. The technology is certainly not for everyone and, with a few notable exceptions such as short tacking along a shoreline, units for the recreational market are next to useless at typical passagemaking speeds due to the short range.

However, there are plenty of use cases in close-quarters slow-speed scenarios, including exploring poorly charted anchorages. This is just as relevant for cruising Greenland or Patagonia as for finding the deepest water over the bars of rivers such as the Rio Dulce in Guatemala or Senegal’s Sine Saloum. In these situations sonar could prove a powerful additional tool, particularly if time is spent on learning how to get the best from the system.

First published in the March 2020 edition of Yachting World.

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• Marine Electronics

Practical Sailor Takes Interphases New Forward-Looking Sonar for a Spin

Sea trial finds the se-200 useful for those heading to out-of-the-way places..

With charts and GPS, it is not too difficult to avoid dangers. However, cruisers are increasingly sailing to places like Labrador or Southern Patagonia-such places lack buoyage, and charts often give no more than an outline of the shore. Closer to home, in the Intracoastal Waterway, marks may be far apart, making it hard to stay in the channel.

Thanks to powerful processors and phased-array transducer technology, relatively small forward-scanning sonar has become available. Two years ago, we fitted an Interphase Color Twinscope unit to our 42-foot cutter, Balna, and four months ago, we upgraded it to the same companys SE-200 Sonar Engine. The newer unit incorporates several improvements made as a result of feedback from users.

Photos by Andy O’Grady

What We Tested

Interphase offers various configurations of forward-looking sonar, ranging in price from about $1,700 to $2,500 without display. Each system comprises a transducer, a controller-the “sonar engine”-and a video display.

We tested the SE-200B with through-hull transducer ($1,200 without display). Instead of a single transducer transmitting and receiving sound impulses, Interphase uses eight “elements” capable of transmitting and receiving simultaneously. By varying the phasing of the sound impulses, the unit creates a beam that can be directed up to 60 different directions. This is steered electronically by the SE-200 and the echoes returning from underwater targets are displayed on a screen.

The sonar engine is a red aluminum box (10 x 6.5 x 2.25 inches) with connectors for transducer cables on one side and display and power leads on the other. The transducer draws about 1.1 amps, is flat and measures about 6×2 inches.

Input Options

Interphase offers a variety of options for installing the SE-200 transducers: a single transducer for through-hull mounting, intended to be mounted near the centerline where there is no keel to obscure the sideways view; transom-mounted transducers for horizontal and vertical scanning; and paired transducers, to be mounted on either side of the hull, each producing the signals necessary for its side, avoiding interference from the hull or keel in-between.

Display Output

The unit has many output options. You can connect it to a VGA (video graphics array) or video monitor, to Interphases VGA display, or displays made by other companies. The Interphase display has built-in controls. For use with other displays, there is a separate keypad. I have simultaneously used the Interphase display and my 19-inch computer monitor. The output can be displayed in several different views:

Vertical: The unit displays returns from scanning ahead in a 90-degree arc from the surface to the bottom. The distance ahead that is displayed is typically three to five times the depth.

 Horizontal: The unit scans ahead in a 90-degree horizontal arc (180 degrees with twin through-hull transducers) angled down 10-degrees from the surface. A level bottom ahead will register when it is at a distance of about five times the depth.

Down: This records the bottom that has passed under the boat. A reduced version of this display can be shown simultaneously with vertical or horizontal displays. There is also a down zoom display that enlarges any 25 percent of the depth display.

Data: A segment of the screen can display an enlarged depth figure and GPS or other data sourced from an NMEA input.

How We Tested

As with all ocean-tested reviews, the evaluation consisted of at-sea trials for an extended period. Balna is a 42-foot full-keel cutter. We installed a single through-hull transducer in the stem about quarter of the way back from the bow. We fitted the SE-200 in a locker and the display unit at the wheel. The unit has been primarily used in the Spanish rias (valleys drowned by rising seas) and shallow, often uncharted and muddy rivers in Brazil. Although we have not completely mastered the technology, we feel comfortable in our ability to assess the pros and cons of the equipment.

What It Does

There is a lot of hype surrounding look-forward radar, and it is important for potential buyers to understand what it can and cannot do. Here are six points that stood out after our six-month evaluation.

Learning curve: The views obtained take some getting used to, especially the horizontal view, and there are many options for adjusting the instrument. Even after several months of practice, we are still learning. Dont expect sonar to change your navigation overnight, it will take time and effort.

Signal strength: The unit has an automatic gain control that is satisfactory in many situations; this can be over-ridden when needed. It is important not to use too much gain, which results in false echoes and a frightening mass of red ahead. The strength of the echo is represented in color, from the strongest (red) through shades of yellow and green to blue. Strength will be greater when the bottom is sloping up and weaker when it is sloping down. Hard rocks or obstructions give stronger returns than soft bottoms. Grass and weeds tend to give a weak, diffuse return.

Depth: The shallower the water, the smaller distance ahead that we can see. In 30 feet, we may get an idea of what lies up to 150 feet ahead, but in 10 feet, it will only be 50 feet. This means that we have to adjust our speed accordingly.

False echoes: If the water ahead shoals suddenly, the increased return can be excessive and appear as a red or yellow band stretching down from the surface-just like a brick wall. It can be hard to figure out whether it is a false echo due to excessive gain or if it is an obstruction at the surface.

Range displayed: Normally, the displayed ratio of depth to forward distance is 2:1. In shallow water, the display is crammed up to the top. A depth expansion option changes the display ratio to 4:1 allowing much more of the available screen area to be used. An auto range feature resets the depth and forward range as depth changes. Both these features are new to the SE-200 and are a great improvement over the Twinscope.

What We Use It For

After much trial and error, weve found some practical uses for the various views.

Finding a channel: The horizontal scan is most useful. We see an arc of returns ahead of the boat. If the bottom is level, these are between four and five times the depth ahead and equidistant from us. If its getting deeper ahead the angle at which the beam meets the bottom decreases, return decreases, and the signal becomes weaker, showing up as light green or blue on the screen. Conversely, if it is shoaling, the angle of the bottom gives a stronger yellow or red return, and the signal moves closer on the screen. The most useful display is when the echo is getting stronger and closer in one spot ahead, indicating shoaling water to avoid, or getting weaker and further away, indicating deeper water to steer for. This view is the most difficult to learn to interpret.

 Warning of unexpected obstructions when underway: Where the chart has no soundings, we are constantly on the watch for unexpected rocks or reefs in fjords and rias, these can often rise steeply from great depths. For this, we use the vertical scan, which gives a very easily understood left-to-right view of the bottom ahead. Even though the bottom may only be displayed for three times the depth ahead, a hard shallow obstruction often shows up well ahead of this.

Checking an anchorage: Here we often swap between views to check out the area for unexpected shallows, rocks, or wreckage.

Limitations

The SE-200 is a great tool for many situations, but it is far from perfect, and there are some tasks that we would not rely on it to perform.

Spotting containers at sea: In flat, deep water, the sonar will pick up a surface iceberg or perhaps a log, but given the interference caused by surface waves, I would not rely on the device to spot a container at sea in rough water.

Auto gain for depth: The accuracy of the depth reading depends upon signal gain. If it is too low, there is no return; too high, and you can have false echoes, usually close to the boat, giving a depth that is too shallow. There is a clutter control telling the instrument to ignore returns in a selected depth directly under the boat that helps the problem. However, the depth reading is not very reliable, and we find it better not to use auto gain on depth. Interphase is working to fix this.

Auto depth: The auto depth option should make life much easier as it can adjust the vertical view to varying depth situations. Unfortunately, in combination with auto gain, it often gives false readings. It is better to manually set the gain for each depth range. If the depth reading is not accurate, then the settings for the vertical scan will be incorrect, and a false view will appear.

 Interference: We have false echoes appearing on our screen from electrical interference. This was improved, but not totally abolished, by moving the SE-200 to a new location and by grounding the case. Balna has relatively few electrical items compared to many modern boats, so others may experience more trouble than us.

Alarm area: The ability to choose an area of the screen-avoiding areas of interference and false echoes-rather than a set distance ahead, would make this function more usable.

Reaction time: I think this is an inherent difficulty with forward-looking sonar. In shallow water, an obstruction may be detected, but the boat may have arrived at it before the crew can react. It is important to discuss beforehand when to scan, how fast to sail, and what to do if something appears. This was dramatically illustrated for us when we hit a rock 2 seconds after seeing it on the screen. In less than 10 feet of water, we don’t use the sonar if we have an up-to-date chart that shows no dangers, otherwise we motor slowly and stop as soon as anything appears ahead.

 Space: We don’t have a lot of room on Balna, and the ideal locker for the SE-200 turned out to be subject to interference. We imagine this problem is common.

Single transducer: I chose to fit a single transducer in the stem. This has led to two problems. First, it is too far forward and exposed to turbulent water, especially when it is rough, which creates interference. Second, it is vulnerable to knocks: in a collision mentioned, even though we were hardly moving, the knock was enough to damage the transducer.

Conclusions

We use our sonar regularly and would feel lost without it in some of the out-of-the-way places we visit. The new model is an improvement on the previous Color Twinscope, but will benefit from further refinement, especially of the gain controls and depth readout. I would recommend the SE-200 to anyone with a special interest in what lies under the waves or anyone planning to visit remote places. But remember, it will take a lot of practice, if it is going to be useful. Longtime cruiser Andy OGrady and his partner, Ulla Norlander, collaborated with Rod Heikel on the informative, illustrated guidebook, Ocean Passages and Landfalls ($53, Imray Lorie Norie and Wilson Ltd.).

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Forward Facing Sonar – The Experts’ Guide

by John E. Phillips | Jul 20, 2023 | Fishing

As in most other sports, the equipment that an angler chooses is often most likely due to brand loyalty and personal preferences rather than comparing the features and benefits of that equipment. In this article, we will learn why several pros and avid fishermen use the brands of forward-facing sonar they select. All of these anglers depend on their forward-facing sonar to fish better and catch more and bigger fish, no matter which species. 

Targeting Bass With Forward-Facing Sonar

Trolling motor forward facing sonar, forward facing sonar for catfish, forward facing sonar for crappie.

Larry Nixon from Bee Branch, Arkansas, has fished competitively in the Bassmaster, Major League Fishing (MLF) and Forrest L. Wood (FLW) circuits for 46 years, winning many tournaments. He’s also won the 1983 Bassmaster Classic and the coveted title of Angler of the Year for two years.  

“Forward-facing sonar is what all the tournament fishermen are talking about right now. I’ve seen and used all the different depth finders from flashers to down-scanning to side-scanning and the other GPS and mapping features that have evolved in the electronics industry for bass fishing,” Nixon said. “However, forward-facing sonar has been the biggest change and made the biggest impact in the way we fish.” 

“In 1976, when I was guiding bass anglers, I started fishing with Lowrance depth finders because that equipment never broke down, and I never had to send a unit in for repair. I told myself then, ‘Larry, you should never buy any other depth finder than Lowrance,’ and I’ve held to that belief ever since. 

Lowrance HDS Live 12 With Transducer

“The Lowrance depth finder I use has mapping, down-sonar, side-scanning, GPS and a water-temperature gauge, all on the dash of my boat. On my boat’s front, I have two Lowrance HDS Live 12s , one for my forward-facing sonar and one for split-screen with mapping, down-imaging and the ability to keep up with the day and the time. The HDS Live 12 comes: preloaded with C-Map Contour; plus mapping and integrated support for high-resolution ActiveTarget Live Sonar that lets you know what fish are doing in real time and tracking them in every direction; Active Imaging 3-in-1 with Lowrance CHIRP that’s sonar for fish targets;  SideScan/DownScan Imaging and Fish Reveal. That covers everything I need from sonar when I’m fishing and I know I can depend on Lowrance.”

Brandon Lester, a professional basser for 10 years from Blaine, Tennessee, says he uses his Lowrance ActiveTarget to pinpoint brush piles.

“Since most reservoirs we fish were built in 1940 – 1960, and most of the natural underwater cover is gone. The manmade brush shelters are on underwater stumps, points and bottom structures. You must have a quality depth finder to pinpoint these brush piles,” Lester noted.

Lester uses his side-imaging feature on his Lowrance ActiveTarget to mark the brush he sees underwater as waypoints and takes advantage of its forward-scanning feature.

 “That new development in sonar has changed the way I fish dramatically. That feature allows me to stay 60-80 feet away from an underwater brush pile but still make accurate casts,” Lester said. “I can see how-many bass are on an underwater brush pile, identify any bluegills and watch my lure go down and fall right into the brush pile. I can see that same lure go over the top of that brush pile and determine if the bass are chasing my bait.”

Lester uses the ActiveTarget to tell the difference between bass, crappie, bluegills or other fish that may be holding on structure like stumps, logs, rocks, points with no cover, underwater humps and/or bottom breaks. 

“The more you use forward-facing sonar, the easier you can determine the species of fish holding on that structure by the way the fish act or don’t react to your lures. When you pull a bait in front of a catfish or a carp, they won’t even look at your bait but the bass will,” he said.

Hank Cherry of Lincolnton, North Carolina, the winner of two Bassmaster Classics is a huge fan of the Garmin Panoptix LiveScope that’s on the end of his trolling motor . With the LiveScope and his Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv , Cherry can:

Panoptix PS22-TR

* spot suspended bait fish and bass; 

* determine the lures to use, the depths to fish and the places to fish;

* use the mapping screen to pinpoint the subtle drops off on the bottom; and 

* know the depths where bass are holding and learn how they’re positioned.

Cherry said that he’s often asked why he runs four depth finders on his boat. 

Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv

“I have two on my console and two on my casting deck. I use the two on the console for side scanning. I want my depth finders to be full screen. On my right side, I want the depth finder to scan the right side of the boat, and the depth finder on the left console to scan the boat’s left side. Of the two depth finders on my boat’s front, of my boat, I have one that’s a full-screen map, and the other that’s my LiveScope,” Cherry explained.

“On tournament days, I always have the two depth finders on the front of my boat running the entire time I’m on the water. I’ll have the mapping function up on the back depth finder,” he said.  “Depending on how windy the day is and the clarity of the water, I like to pan out with my LiveScope from 70-100 feet in front of me, around me and on the bottom. I don’t need total clarity; I just need to see the markings of the fish I’m trying to fish for and learn how they’re reacting to my lure moving past them.” 

A longtime, avid catfisherman from Corinth, Mississippi, King has won many regional, national, and even international tournaments fishing for catfish . He uses a Humminbird depth finder and recently fished with a friend who had a Humminbird Mega 360 Imaging that:

Humminbird Mega 360

* swept up to 125 feet;

* provided very-clear images in every direction of structure, the bottom and the fish, even when sitting still;

* gave a 360-degree view under the water that was constantly updating;

* offered maps and other sonar views to see the big picture;

* zoomed up to 10X to show fish, structure and vegetation; and 

* had Range Rings to show the distance from an angler’s boat to the target.

The picture that King’s friend showed him on his Mega 360 was so accurate and precise, that King reported, “I even could see the fins on the catfish swimming nearby.”

These two brothers from Eufaula, Oklahoma, have fished crappie tournaments the past 20+ years, winning state, regional and national tournaments. 

Garmin LiveScope System

“We couldn’t have won many of these tournaments the past three years without our Garmin Panoptix LiveScope ,” Ryan Young explained. “We’ll move into trees out in a lake and start looking for crappie on our LiveScope. Often we’ll locate crappie holding in-between trees, perhaps in 13-15 foot deep water. Darin and I have the advantage of the knowledge we’ve learned from the crappie trips we’ve guided and the 400+ hours we’ve spent studying and learning how to use the LiveScope more effectively to catch bigger crappie.” 

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In development, ocean sailor equipment, forward-looking sonars.

• March 1, 2021
• , Ocean Sailor Equipment

Case History

By Dick Beaumont

Fifteen years ago, on passage from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia to Phuket Thailand, in Moonshadow , my Tayana 58, I motored, at dusk, into an anchorage called Port Klang, in northern Malaysia, it was very aptly named as we later found out. The anchorage there was clearly marked on my Navionics chart, as you can see below ( see Fig.1 ).

I selected my anchoring position in 6m over a flat mud seabed and then continued to box the anchor, scanning the bottom to ensure there were no bommies, rock outcrops or seaweed beds in the 40m swinging circumference (anchor chain length plus the boat length) surrounding my selected position.

All was good for 3/4 of the circle when suddenly crash, or perhaps klang, we hit something very hard and unforgiving. I backed up along my track and ran below to see if we were taking in water. To my relief it seemed that the 20mm thick hull of Moonshadow had withstood the collision and I found no water in the bilge, my pulse rate started to return to normal. I checked the chart again, we were clearly in the area marked as an anchorage and surrounded by dozens of small coasters and large fishing boats ( see Fig.1 ). 

Two of my crew went up on the bow with big diving torches to scan the water where we had crashed. Nothing. With my confidence at a low ebb, I very slowly turned Moonshadow round and followed my track back 100mts or so, selected another area of flat mud, still at 6m, and again proceeded to very gingerly box the anchor, with my crew peering in the torchlight into the turbid waters. This time all was completely clear and I dropped my anchor in the circle of certainty I had created. When dawn came I donned my diving gear, took a torch, because the water visibility was less than a metre, and jumped in to inspect the damage. To my horror, I discovered a gouge in the hull three feet (1m) long. The gouge was the depth of my thumbnail. We could only have ⅛” (2-3mm) of GRP left between us and disaster. I used a two-part epoxy putty which sets underwater, which I always carry onboard, to temporarily fill the gouge, and got back on board ready to head on to Phuket. There was no chance to be hauled out until Phuket. Before leaving I was determined to find out what we’d hit, so took the dingy over to the collision area, and slipped over the side with my mask and snorkel. There, sitting with its bridge section just three feet below the surface, was the wreck of a small steel coaster. The paint was still on her, she had clearly been down only a few months or so.

I sailed on up to Phuket, hauled out at Boat Lagoon to repair the damage and had an Interphase forward-sonar fitted. The penny had dropped for me; just because there’s 6m beneath the boat does not mean there’s 6m depth in front of the boat. That piece of equipment improved my confidence no end when going in to anchor anywhere new and after dark. I’ve lost count of how many times I have arrived at an anchorage later than expected and been obliged to sail on through the night rather than risk going in after dark. The forward sonar changed that completely, allowing forward vision underwater as well as above the surface day or night.

Another significant benefit is being able to get in closer to land and sit in calm, sheltered water while other yachts further out spend the night rolling around in a swell for fear of going in to close and grounding.

The forward-sonar also allows you to get close in to a coral reef to drop scuba divers off, without the hassle of anchoring, launching the dingy and loading all the dive gear into it, or the fear of wrecking the yacht.  

In this manner, I spent three months sailing and diving uncharted coral atolls in Papua New Guinea, something you couldn’t consider without the forward sonar.

Forward-looking Sonars on Review

By Trystan Grace

To paraphrase Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, yachtsmen can now ‘boldly go where no man has gone before’ thanks to the forward-sonar. By installing a forward sonar it completes the advantages of GPS plotter systems loaded with electronic chart chips that can pinpoint your position above the water within a few inches and lets you see what’s below the water in front of your yacht as well.

Whilst GPS can tell you exactly where you are, it can’t however tell you what’s in front of you underwater. There are still plenty of remote uncharted parts of the world which reward the more adventurous sailors that get to them, with pristine untouched coral reefs and fascinating and sometimes primitive cultures, that remain largely unvisited by foreigners.  Poorly or uncharted seas represent a different challenge for the voyaging yacht as there is no certainty of the underwater terrain. A grounding or collision hundreds, or sometimes thousands, of miles from assistance could be catastrophic.

The earlier systems were expensive and required the insight of a Jedi Knight. Today as more of the mainstream electronic manufacturers are producing them the price has dropped considerably.

Many will think of fish finders when sonar is mentioned, but technology has moved on with CHIRP transducers that operate over a wide range of frequencies. The ability to scan past objects and differentiate between bottom structures and topography with high definition imagery has dramatically improved safety. 

There are a few things to consider when buying a sonar and transducer. Higher frequencies produce far more detail than lower frequency transducers but do so at the cost of range. Smaller, less complex transducers are cheaper, but larger higher power transducers can provide clearer images with extended ranges in 3D.

Many of the sonar units will require a certain brand of chart plotter, so if you are installing a new system or thinking of upgrading, this must be taken into consideration. 

We have reviewed the three main market leaders as a starter guide.

B&G ForwardScan

Designed to directly integrate with their own plotters, the B&G ForwardScan has a 31mm,180kHz transducer which scans the seabed at a 15° horizontal arc and up to 90m in front of the yacht. This range does decrease quite significantly as you move into shallower water, providing a range of about 4x the depth. It has difficulty at times registering the seabed in shallow muddy waters but as it is paired with the depth information already captured from the chart plotter’s depth transducer, false readings are not common.

If you use a Vulcan or Zeus³ chart plotter, it allows direct connection between the transducer and plotter. If you have an older model plotter or if your cable length is more than 12m, you will need to buy the Sonarhub processor unit to pair up with the transducer. 

The depth data is presented onto a 2D graph which shows the area ahead of the yacht and can also be superimposed onto the chart. The ability to split the screen and show this arc in front of the yacht on the chart is a useful feature, however, the visuals overall are a little basic when compared to other models on the market. The price reflects this.

Price & Conclusion

ForwardScan Transducer with Sleeve and Plug £731 / €720 / $699

Sonarhub £628 / €617 / $699

The slimline 31mm transducer is a low impact appendage for the hull and overall the ForwardScan is easy to use, and comparatively easy to install. The visuals are a little basic but plus features include the ability to display a cone in front of the yacht on the chart mode. The range, depth and arc area are smaller than other brands and the range certainly drops off significantly in shallower water. However, if you are running a B&G system or are set on upgrading to their system, it is a good buy.

This British-based company has been leading the market for a number of years and offers three models that focus on seabed scanning over fish finding: the FLS Platinum Edition, FLS 2D and FLS 3D. Each varies in complexity and price. 

FLS Platinum Engine This option comes with a 45mm transducer, black box and video interface which allows it to display on third party chart plotters via VGA or HDMI. With a 30° horizontal arc, a 90° arc forward and down, it scans at 100m depth and 200m range forward. The graphics shown are similar to the B&G ForwardScan, a 2D cross-section of the waters ahead, however different colours denote how solid the scanned surface is, hard materials like rock in red or soft materials like sand or mud in blue.

FLS 2D – The FLS 2D is very similar to the Platinum, featuring the same arc, ranges and graphics, but it comes with its own 7” LCD display and with a choice of transducers. The standard transducer is the same as the FLS Platinum however the slightly larger professional bronze through-hull transducer (60mm) provides more details. The user interface is a little clunky compared to other brands.

FLS 3D – The FLS 3D is the flagship model and is quite a step up from the other two. It uses two 75mm units, each with two 200kHz transducers which allows it to show a 60° horizontal ahead of the yacht. The range shows at about 20 times the water depth. 

Like the Platinum model, it also plugs into third party chart plotters through the video aux mode and again through VGA or HDMI ports. We tested this model on a Raymarine unit and were unable to achieve a full-screen image, however, we cannot confirm how it is displayed on plotters from other brands. It does feature an HD full graphical cone in front of the yacht which makes mapping the seabed very easy.

The package includes the two transducer units, a black box processor, transducer interface and a helm mounted keypad.

FLS Platinum Engine £1,000 / €1125 / $1,362

FLS 2D £1,179 / €1,325 / $1,569

FLS 3D £9,550 / €11,235 / $13,000

These units are quite cost-effective, especially for the sailor who does not wish to upgrade his navigation system to a certain brand. Although still a 2D display, the data is displayed with more detail than the B&G ForwardScan. The user interface is not as user friendly as the other models on the list but these units certainly offer higher detail and more range than the ForwardScan.

The FLS 3D is certainly the best model on the list however it comes with a high price tag. This model is certainly not for everyone but it will appeal to the ocean sailor who is planning on serious remote ‘off the grid’ blue water exploration where safety is the highest priority. The display shows an accurate 3D profile of the seabed which is easy to understand and, due to its dual transducers, it has an excellent range and depth. As it is not specifically designed for a certain chart plotter, it may not display perfectly on some models like the Raymarine plotter we tried. You will also need space to install the keypad which might be a problem if your helm console is tight on space. 

With all that said, it is an excellent unit and certainly, the best on our shortlist if money and consol space is no issue.

Garmin Panoplix™ PS51-TH – WINNER

Like B&G, Garmin has also designed and produced sonar equipment for their range of plotters. Their sonar range has received excellent reviews which are due in part to Garmin acquiring Interphase™, the leader in Marine Phased Array Scanning Technology in 2012.

Many of the Panoplix options are designed for fish finding, however, the Panoplix™ PS51-TH is a 50.88 mm through-hull transducer that provides a horizontal arc of 20° and 90° arc downward. The sonar data is displayed on a 2D cross-section like other models however it is a lot clearer and with more detail. The information is also displayed near-instantly, much faster than the other models tested.

In FrontVü mode, the range is about 90m range in-front of the yacht or about 8-10 times the depth of the water as it gets shallower. It will show a clear picture with boat speeds up to about eight knots.

The LiveVü Forward mode displays at a higher detail and it should be noted that with its 417 kHz transducer, has a higher level of detail than the other brands however this does come at a cost of range, bringing it back to about 30m in this mode. 

There is an extensive list of Garmin chart potters that this transducer plugs directly into so no black box is required.

Ps51-TH £1,359.99 / €1,530 / $1,499

Although not a 3D display, the Panoplix™ provides the highest detail of the units on test. Its ease of connectivity to many Garmin chart plotters is a huge bonus for those sailors who are using or upgrading to a Garmin system. In FrontVü mode, the range in shallow water is impressive and if the detail is more important than the range, LiveVü provides great versatility.

All the forward sonars we reviewed offer a considerable advantage to sailors heading into unfamiliar waters, however, the B&G system has a much reduced forward range than the other systems. It may seem fine that in 50m of water you can see 200m in front of the vessel but a forward sonar is most useful in shallow waters, and in just 4m of water you can only see 16m in front of the transducers so only 14m off the bow, a boat length which isn’t enough to stop in unless you’re going very slow. 

The Echopilot FLS 3D definitely provides the best visuals but at a price that is above most cruisers budget.

After taking into account price, usability and detail, we think the Panoplix™ offers the best overall package on the market. It’s ability to see forward 8 x the depth is a big bonus and it will certainly improve the level of safety for your yacht and your crew.

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What is Forward Facing Sonar, and How Does it Work?

Forward Facing Sonar (FFS) is one of the most exciting and important technologies to reach the recreational fishing world in the last decade.

DEAL ALERT : Save over 50% on the Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv and 106sv Combo at Bass Pro Shops. Sale Ends March 27th!!

By now, you’ve heard the buzz surrounding this new category of fishing electronics. But what is it, and is it worth the intense hype surrounding it?

In this article, you will learn in simple terms what forward facing sonar is, how it works, the cost, and how it can help you with fishing.

Quick Navigation:

What is Forward Facing Sonar

Forward Facing Sonar are transducer systems that can show sonar returns from whatever direction an angler is fishing. Some call the whole category “Livescope,” having been released first, but each major fish finder brand has developed a version of the technology.

Most people will tell you Forward Facing Sonar is only “live” sonar imaging, like Livescope, Active Target, and MEGA Live – and that will be the focus of this article.

However, 360 Imaging should also be considered FFS! 360 imaging shows a continuously updated picture of what is in front of and around the boat ; it’s just not a “live” image.

Up until FFS, fish finders were showing us “history.” Whatever you saw on the screen was either directly below or already behind the boat . The transducer pinged, received a return, and the fish finder painted that to the screen.

With FFS, anglers can now have real-time forward-looking sonar on their fish finders while the boat sits entirely still.

Anglers with Forward Facing Sonar have the massive advantage of seeing structure and fish on their screens before ever needing to make a cast.

How Forward Facing Sonar Works

Think about forward-looking sonar systems as large ultrasounds designed for use in water. They both create an image that appears “live,” capturing movements in the target area. There are key differences, of course.

Expensive medical ultrasound transducers are designed to image small areas of the body at close range (a few feet) , operating at high frequencies ranging from 2.5 to 15 MHz .

Forward Facing Sonar transducers must cover broad sections of the water column at much longer ranges (up to 120 feet) and operate at medium frequencies in the 0.5 to 1.2 MHz range.

So how does this all work on the water? Forward Facing Sonar system has three components:

• Transducer – Sends and Receives the sonar signals.
• Black Box – Crunches the sonar signals with complicated math and algorithms and sends the data to the display.
• Fish Finder – The images are displayed on the screen and can be adjusted with the typical Contrast and Sensitivity settings.

Most anglers are familiar with sonar “black boxes” and fish finders, so let’s focus on the transducer. Lowrance had one for years to run their Side Scan and Down Scan sonars.

I am still waiting to see someone cut open a Livescope transducer, so we have to look at the available information on ultrasound transducers.

On a Livescope transducer, we can observe three long rectangular sections containing the piezo elements. Google searching for ultrasound transducer images, we find these pictures that look similar.

We can infer that each section of the Livescope transducer also has many piezo elements. Each small piezo crystal sends and receives many sound pulses from a tiny part of the water column. Each section of elements then makes up one-third of the total image.

Think of FFS as hundreds of tiny transducers working together as one larger transducer.

Combine them all (using electronics and math magic in the black box), and you get an image on the fish finder of the water in front of the transducer that appears to be live, much like the squirming baby in its mother’s belly at the ultrasound appointment.

What Forward Facing Sonar Can Do

Forward facing sonar gives anglers a live view of the water column in whichever direction the transducer is pointed and oriented.

The FFS transducer can be oriented in 3 ways – Forward, Down, and Top Down.

What kinds of things can these sonar views tell us?

• Type, size, and shape of cover and structure
• Presence of fish
• Quantity, Size, and Position of the fish
• Presence of bait

Forward Mode – In this most commonly used mode, the transducer shows us a vertical pie slice of the water column stretching from the surface to the bottom.

Anglers that can cast their lure in the transducer’s cone (a skill in itself) can track the lure back to the boat, watching how the fish react.

Down Mode – The transducer has the center section pointed straight down. This mode is best for vertical fishing with spoons, jigs, drop shots, and ice fishing.

Anglers can target and fish for individual fish, dropping their lure directly above them. This technique is deadly for walleye, smallmouth bass, and deep-water fishing.

Horizontal Mode – On Livescope, this is called Perspective Mode and is named Landscape Mode on MEGA Live. This orientation images a horizontal slice of the water column useful in shallow water and trolling.

Fishing for bedding panfish has never been easier than watching them as they guard their beds.

With that information at your fingertips – at all times – in any direction you choose, you can see how powerful this technology is for fishing.

What more could you possibly want to know without ever having to make a cast?

Is Forward Facing Sonar Ethical?

The ease of locating and catching fish has made many anglers question how fair fishing is with forward facing sonar like Livescope.

Some anglers view it simply as a new tool for locating and catching their fish.

Some anglers believe it takes the sport out of fishing and that the technology will ultimately harm the health of our fisheries.

It’s best to spend some time fishing with FFS to understand what it can and can’t do before forming your opinion.

Does Livescope Ruin the Fun of Fishing?

I can’t say I’ve seen the fun aspect talked about much concerning live sonar.

Remember when you were younger and didn’t have all these expensive electronics? Half the fun of fishing was wondering when and where your next will happen. Using your eyes and ears to imagine where the best areas to fish could be.

Forward looking sonar diminishes the mystery of fishing as we experienced it as kids. But – fishing with live sonar is undoubtedly fun, but in a far different way than we are used to.

Should Livescope Be Banned?

The most extreme voices on social media will yell at clouds and say – Livescope should be banned!

On the other end, they say only after all our lakes get fished out will FFS be outlawed.

Certain fishing leagues, both pro and amateur might someday offer different classes of competition – One with Forward Sonar and one without.

The Professional Muskie Team Tour has already taken that step, becoming the first tournament series to ban its use in competition .

Bottom line – the tech isn’t going away, and will only get better with time, so we all have to get used to it.

Your Next Steps

If you want to learn more about FFS and the different systems you can buy today, here are more related topics to continue your journey:

• What is the Best Forward Facing Sonar?
• Best Livescope Combos
• Best Battery for Forward Facing Sonar
• Garmin Livescope vs. Lowrance Active Target
• Garmin Livescope vs. Humminbird MEGA Live
• MEGA 360 vs. Livescope

Related posts

5 Best Fish Finders Under $1,000

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The FFS technology is really just another tool to assist the angler in locating fish. The article states that back in the day that half the fun was trying to locate a good fishing spot. Well I was a kid back in the day and locating a good spot was not really any fun, because if you were fishing an unfamiliar body of water, you most likely would locate that good spot only 10% of the time. Today there are a lot fewer young people fishing then there were back in the day. one reason for that is a child today has very little patience for most things, especially when it comes to fishing. So maybe this technology can change that somewhat. You still need to have an idea of where the fish will be before you ever cast out a line. Even knowing where the fish are doesn’t guarantee you’ll catch fish. You still need to have the right baits, the right presentation to have a chance at catching a fish. As far as fish population goes, the fishery management will simply have to place better harvesting regulations and more regulations on the type of baits and tackle that can be used to catch fish. Elemenating live a cut baits would greatly help with fish survival. Tournament fishing will have to decide on their own what they will and will not allow. There’s nothing more frustrating for a young child to be so excited about going fishing, especially for the first time and not catching anything. The chances of getting that youngster back out to fish again is not going to be easy.

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To save or not to save: Can Detroit's Belle Isle Boathouse row forward?

A rare glimpse inside the 1902 belle isle structure shows its unique architecture, including ballroom, balcony and pool just off detroit river..

The Belle Isle Boathouse sits on the island's north side with the Detroit River and the city skyline in the background. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

Detroit — When they cross the MacArthur Bridge over the Detroit River onto Belle Isle, the first building parkgoers see to their left is the Belle Isle Boathouse, which two years ago was buzzing with a championship rowing team. But today, the team is only allowed in the parking lot.

The Belle Isle Boathouse, not to be confused with the nearby Detroit Yacht Club, is a 40,000-square-foot Venetian Spanish-style building constructed more than a century ago. It's one of the first structures built on the island and has primarily been used and kept up by the Friends of Detroit Rowing Inc.

That was until August 2022 when a ceiling in the oar room and a 15-foot section of the porch slab collapsed. The building was quickly deemed "structurally unsound" by Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials, who took over operations of the isle in 2014. Water damage was cited as the cause, but park officials said, there are more than a few fixes needed.

Now, the three-story building is at the center of a debate between history buffs, along with the rowing club, who want to see it spared and restored, and state officials who aren't sure they can save the building or should.

DNR officials, who put the price tag of renovating the 1902 building at more than $42 million, opened a request for proposals earlier this month to restore it, but no bids have come back. Some local architects and the rowing club rebut the state's estimate, saying it should be no more than $25 million and could be supplemented with historic preservation tax credits. The deadline to submit bids is at the end of March.

As the debate continues, the building has grown in disrepair. There's a caved-in roof, leaks have collapsed portions of other ceilings and stucco is peeling from the boathouse's exterior. The boathouse sits on the isle's calmest waters and is unique in that it perches actually over the Detroit River.

"I've been studying this building for 10 years. I know every square inch of it," said Stephen Malbouef, a historical and preservation architect who spent 11 years rowing at the club before its closure. "The foundation is perfectly intact. The areas of the facade that are of concern account for only 3% of the facade itself.

"No one's arguing that it will take work. It's more of the argument that it doesn't need $30 million to $40 million worth of work, and everyone I've talked to, including my bosses (who work on historic restoration), say that's way out of the question. It should be no more than $25 million."

Malbouef, who now works at InSite Consulting Architects in Wisconsin, said portions of the building may look bad but are being over-embellished by the DNR. State officials take issue with the suggestion they're letting the building fail.

Thomas Bissett, the urban district supervisor for the parks and recreation division of the Michigan DNR, said the DNR has provided pictures from engineers hired to address areas of concern and that "there's an interpretation with everything."

"I don't dispute we could stabilize for less, but the other side is that by investing $10 million to stabilize it, you're saying yes, we're going to restore it," Bissett said. "You'd never invest to delay a decision ... but sooner than later restore it. That's why we get this criticism of this false dichotomy that we're out to demolish it rather than restore it. That's the narrative here when, in reality, you wouldn't put $2 million of the public's money without certainty." 

A rare glimpse inside the unique building given to The Detroit News reflects a bygone era when the boathouse used to host some of the biggest names in the automotive industry, including Henry and Edsel Ford.

Above the first-floor locker rooms and boat sheds is a stunning two-floor reception hall with a grand, pastel pink ballroom that has seen many concerts and wedding receptions. Gold leaf designs look as if they were just painted on the ballroom ceiling beams. Polished cherry wood columns and broken porthole windows feel like the Spanish Renaissance meets Titanic in design.

(The boathouse) has a significant history and we're not here for the social aspects of running a business. ... This is a hallmark site off the island and at the very least, a portion should be spared as a visitor center.

At the center of the building is a third-floor balcony with memorabilia from six previous boathouses and multiple rooms of rowing trophies dating back to the 1800s. The stained glass windows at the entrance are perfectly intact and showcase "1902," a nod to when the structure was built by the Detroit Boat Club.

That's why there's a push to save the unique structure. The state is considering whether to rehabilitate the beloved boathouse after 80% of public responses to a January survey were in favor of its restoration despite the multimillion-dollar cost. The DNR was initially in favor of demolishing it with an estimated $2 million in pandemic relief funds earmarked for the boathouse if used within the next year.

The Friends of Detroit Rowing has a 30-year lease, which started in 2015, to operate the boathouse with the parks and recreation division of the DNR. The group formed to save the Detroit Boat Club after the club filed for bankruptcy and was evicted from the building in 1996 because of $400,000 in unpaid taxes.

"This is the first structure on this island. We're the longest leaseholder, and our organization has been around since before the Civil War," said Henry Goitz, president of the Friends of Detroit Rowing. "It has a significant history, and we're not here for the social aspects of running a business. ... This is a hallmark site off the island and, at the very least, a portion should be spared as a visitor center."

Temporary tent in parking lot

Since the boathouse's closure, the rowing club has been operating out of the Belle Isle Athletic Shelter, a mile and a half from the boathouse, with no heat. Earlier this month, dozens of high school students gathered on a weekday to do safety training as they prepared to compete in South Carolina over spring break. Some questioned if they'd ever return to the boathouse.

The DNR approved a plan in October for the club to erect a temporary tent in the boathouse's parking lot for practice and the storage of a dozen shells and sculls, which cost $45,000 each. Goitz is more concerned about a hole in the roof of the boathouse that is exposing the inside to the elements.

The current boathouse, designed by Alpheus W. Chittenden, is especially unique in that it was constructed on 28-foot wood pilings that were driven into the riverbed. It's the seventh structure the Detroit Boat Club built for itself along the Detroit River. The current building is the first made of brick and concrete and is intentionally "fire-proof" after the previous buildings, all made of wood, burned down.

“The rowing club signed the lease that indicated that they would raise funds and try to stabilize the building and bring it back up to code. And when we first came on the island (in 2013), we had 50 buildings that were in similar shape,” Bissett said. “We had no idea what the scope of the issues in this building were, but the rowing club obviously didn’t either because there’s no way they would have agreed to do the maintenance and keep this up.”

'Do not enter'

The state installed a large perimeter fence in September to prevent trespassers from entering. The DNR said trespassers at the boathouse are not as big of an issue as they are at the abandoned Detroit Zoo property on the island. They caution that the site is dangerous and violators could face tickets. A Detroit News reporter and photographer were escorted through the property, with hardhats, to document the boathouse's current condition.

“Our biggest concern are the porches. People just don’t think of the hazards," Bissett said. "There are tiles from the roof on the floor, and on any windy day, sharp pieces slide right off the roof. The sun porch, the main porch off the dance floor, has been closed off for years. There’s even a sign on the stage podium in the ballroom that says 'do not enter' that wasn't placed by us."

We had no idea what the scope of the issues in this building were, but the Rowing Club obviously didn’t either because there’s no way they would have agreed to do the maintenance and keep this up .

The structure has a collapsed floor, caved-in roof, peeling exterior stucco, and deteriorated steel and concrete structural members, according to an assessment by architectural firm SmithGroup in September 2022. It concluded that preserving the building would require repairs to its "failing exterior envelope (roof, walls, windows and doors)." It wasn't the first assessment. There was another in 2019 citing needed repairs.

"If left unattended, the building structure and key interior spaces will be compromised beyond repair," according to the SmithGroup.

Still, there's an undeniable character in the boathouse's hanging red lanterns, grand mirrors and themed sail rooms with anchor patterns embroidered into the kitchen doors. Outside, there's an unmatched view of the bridge, an uncovered green pool that opens to the river and a curved concert bandshell that was restored five years ago.

During a recent visit, several spots were blocked and curtained off to hide the damage. The overlook of the ballroom where honored guests would make their entrance was too unpredictable to step on, officials said.

“It’s been like this for at least two or three years, and it’s gotten progressively worse,” the DNR's Bissett said. “When we were talking about possibilities of rehabbing the building, some of this stuff like porches are just going to have to come off and rebuild either way."

Seeking proposals

New windows, decks and a boiler room were installed by the club as part of a 2019 master plan, but they couldn't keep up with the "Band-Aid fixes" during the pandemic, Goitz said. He estimated that 90% of the building is salvageable and doesn't believe there's a good faith effort to pursue restoration since the DNR's deadline to receive bids is at the end of March.

Since 2014, the DNR said $604,607 has been spent on the boathouse. Of that, 67% — $405,000 — was from public funds (including for assessments) and 33%, or $199,607, from the Friends of Detroit Rowing for roof repairs, a new boiler, windows and the west upper porch wall's removal. Goitz disputed the DNR's figure, saying the group has raised $1 million that it has spent over a decade maintaining the building.

"I understand they have $200 million in needed repairs on the isle and they can't focus all their time on one building, but they have no time for this process at all," Malbouef said. "We waited all of 2022 for them to do the structure analysis, and they stayed quiet until August 2023 when we met with them about $2 million potentially available for the boathouse, and they weren't interested in how we could mothball that money."

In October , a Belle Isle advisory committee added an accidental agenda item proposing the demolition of the boathouse, but it was quickly removed and reissued in the form of a public hearing.

Last year, the department launched a project web page and online question-and-comment form to invite the public to weigh in. Of the 1,429 comments recorded in January, 80% supported rehabbing the property. The Detroit City Council and Historic Preservation Board also passed resolutions supporting the building's rehabilitation.

Bissett said he understands that people don't want to lose a special building but contended the issue is really about funding.

"Every building means something to somebody," he said. "The problem is, the funds just aren't there, and ARPA is a once-in-a-lifetime thing" — referring to the COVID relief aid package known as the American Rescue Plan.

The DNR said it is open to partnering with the private sector, but proposals should incorporate public recreation elements. Information on how to submit letters of intent, which are due March 29 .

“The narrative that we’re letting the building fail is so false. You can see the gas meter going, and we’re heating the building,” Bissett said. “This is a concrete building sitting on piers, and that is sometimes deep and other times not depending on the height of the river.”

Still, Malbouef challenged the DNR's efforts, saying the survey was released during the holidays and created a rushed deadline with a lack of photos and measured drawings of the boathouse.

"How is someone supposed to put a proposal together if they have no information on this building?" he said. "We were bringing in over $100,000 a year in rentals just before COVID. And we had every weekend booked and most weekdays booked."

Best rowers trained here

The Belle Isle Boathouse's member roster reads like a "who's who" of automotive pioneers: Henry Ford, Edsel Ford and Ransom Olds. Other members included eight mayors, senators, congressmen and presidential cabinet members.

Although the boathouse is not listed as a historic place on the National Register, Friends of the Detroit Rowing believes it should be. The building was occupied by the Detroit Boat Club Crew, founded in 1839, and is one of the world's oldest rowing organizations in continuous existence.

There are tales of a 12-mile race from the boathouse to Grosse Ile in 1859, concerts to raise money for boathouse expansions and the club's ball in January 1865 toward the end of the Civil War. It was attended by 400 guests, including the mayors of Detroit, Monroe, Saginaw and Toledo, who paid $5 a ticket.

Nearly 70 rowing clubs have dotted the Detroit River shoreline over the last 190 years, according to Detroit Boat Club Crew archives. Rowing later grew in popularity as a social event as clubs began racing each other once Belle Isle became a public park.

The Detroit Boat Club Crew produced more than 500 U.S. and Canadian national champions, 19 Olympians and 35 National Team members.

Todd Platt from Grosse Pointe remembered training at the club as a Michigan State University student in 1977 when he had to pay $50 for a little card to show at a coat check just outside the building and was relegated to use only on the first floor.

"We weren't allowed on the second floor, which was a private unless we were invited up by a member," said Platt, vice president of the Friends of Detroit Rowing. "We'd be drilled into practice twice a day in the back. It was serious training while parties were going on upstairs we couldn't attend. It was elite."

His daughter followed his footsteps, training at the boathouse. She was recruited to row in Minnesota. Platt said many of their rowers receive scholarships to row at Ivy leagues, and they're seeing more women join the sport.

"My fondest memory is really how much people felt it was almost like home. You spend so much time here as a rower getting so close to your teammates and coaches," said Platt, who pointed to where outdoor metal pull-up bars used to be next to the bridge. "It was fun because there were a lot of members who had kids that rowed as well, so it all kind of blended together. In its heyday, there was a beehive of activity here."

Today, there's still an all-pink women's locker room with handprints of the varsity team, not far from the collapsing ceiling tiles. Maps of the Detroit River are posted alongside recent calendars, and awards litter the entire space collecting dust.

"We have so much history," Goitz said. "Our masters win gold medals at national and international races every year. It's mind-boggling. It's almost like a small secret. One of our individuals won a gold medal in the U.S. World Games in 2022."

Rower input

The rowers said they'd like to be included in proposed plans for the boathouse and want to pitch a plan they're calling "From the bridge to the beach," where visitors could rent equipment and connect the path to the Belle Isle beach more toward the shoreline.

For now, they're calling for an extension of time for developers to see what's worth saving. The DNR does not need the city's approval if state officials decide to demolish the boathouse.

Fundraising for a seventh boathouse has taken a dramatic hit because the club claimed it currently has no income stream.

"We're trying to help these folks pay for themselves to compete," Goitz said. "Ideally, we'd love to have a point where we have a scholarship fund where everybody comes here for nothing.

"That's the goal, one day," Goitz continued. "Right now, we're just trying to keep our heads above water."

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@SarahRahal_