UNDERWATER RADAR

Furuno's CSH-8L Mark-2 Full-Circle Scanning Sonar can look-everywhere.

- DAVID SCHMIDT

CAPT. JOHN ADAMS ADMITS he wasn't tuned in to what Furuno's CSH-8L Mark-2 Full-Circle Scanning Sonar could do when it was first fitted aboard Griffin, the 65-foot Rybovich he runs out of the Palm Beach, Florida, area. His level of understanding changed as soon as the lines hit the water. "We caught three blue marlin and a sailfish that day," he says. "Without a doubt, we wouldn't have seen these targets without it."

¶ Adams compares trolling with standard sonar transducers to mowing an expansive lawn with a 30-inch push mower. By comparison, searching with Furuno's 8L is akin to riding a Dixie Chopper. "Nothing really gets by you," he says, adding that he's won tournament money because of the Furuno system.

¶ While sonar is commonly employed as a noun, it's actually an acronym for "sound navigation and ranging." The technology was developed in the early 20th century and was initially used to hunt submarines in both world wars. Omnidirectional sonar, which transmits acoustic energy simultaneously in a 360-degree pattern from the system's transducer, has existed for decades. Furuno's 8L was introduced in 2016, but recent years have seen sales increase, and it can now fit on smaller vessels too. The result is that more anglers have 8Ls to see 360 degrees around their boats' hulls and out to 5,000 feet. The system can also be used for peering forward.

¶ An 8L installation consists of a processor, a transceiver, a transducer, a control unit, a hull unit and cabling. Imagery can be displayed on a dedicated monitor or a networked Furuno TZtouch2 or TZtouch3 multifunction display. Owners can add items, including a loudspeaker, remote control or motion sensor, to simplify operations and increase system performance. The Furuno-built equipment retails at an $80,000 base price, but owners should expect an additional $30,000 to $50,000 for installation.