Your aqua vue can be lowered into the water from docks, breakwaters, and fishing piers as well as from any anchored boat and pontoon.
If you’re ready to get more advanced and want to rig your amazing underwater camera system to a boat for an immersive viewing of gripping underwater scenery- weeds, rocks, other bottom features, (and fish!)- read on to learn how to pull aqua vue behind the boat.
How to pull aqua vue behind the boat
Follow the steps below to rig your evolutionary aqua-vu camera system to your boat for an out-of-the-world underwater fishing cum viewing experience:
Step 1:
Unplug the power cable from the back of the monitor
Step 2:
Unscrew the two mountain nuts and remove the monitor from the shuttle.
Step 3:
The ports at the back of the monitor allow you to attach the aqua vue monitor to a wide range of boat electronic mounts, including bluewater mounts.
Connect your camera to your preferred mount, then fix it to the boat.
Step 4:
You’ll use the accessory’s wiring harness to deliver power to the aqua vue camera from your boat’s 12V power system. You may need to install a 12v quick connect plug to make it easier for you to wire the aqua vue camera to the boat.
The plug also helps you quickly remove the camera from the boat when it’s time to get back on the ice. You are now ready to power the aqua vue camera system..
Simply connect the two labeled ports on the wiring harness to the monitor and the shuttle.
Voila!
You have successfully rigged your camera to the boat, so go ahead and swim your magical camera over the bottom-most landscape of your favorite fishing grounds while observing “what’s truly down there.” for more fun!
Use of ballast weights and front viewing fin
Most open-water viewing is done in “moving” situations – you may be drifting or slow-trolling.
In situations where viewing is done from a moving boat, the best way to control the camera (hold it down and keep images forward-looking) is to attach ballast weights along with the front-viewing fin (included in most models) to the camera before you rig it.
If you’re unaware, the weights keep the camera weighed down while the front-viewing fin typically helps maintain a forward-oriented viewing posture as the aqua vue moves through water.
The attachment procedure is explained below…
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How to attach ballast weights
- Line up the pre-drilled holes (of the included ballast weights) with those on your camera’s underside.
- Attach these weights to the aqua vue by bolting them to the camera.
How to attach the stabilizing fin
- Locate pre-drilled holes at the tail of the aqua vue camera.
- Slide the plastic fin onto the tail while ensuring the predrilled holes in the stabilizing fin line up perfectly with the pre-drilled holes in your camera’s fin (the holes should match precisely).
- Proceed to bolt the fin to the camera (if your model uses locknuts, you may need to tighten them with a pair of pliers).
Note: The weights and fin should be removed when engaging in ice fishing.
Viewing tips from a moving boat
Lower the camera all the way to the bottom
To begin your viewing expedition, simply lower the aqua vue to the bottom- in most water bodies, fish relate to the bottom structure.
Quick Tip: The camera cannot get damaged if you suddenly “hit bottom” or bump a rock so lower it all the way!
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Don’t forget to guide the camera
You obviously need to properly guide the aqua vue over the ups and downs of the bottom contours while drifting /slow-trolling. Fortunately, most explorers quickly master how to “swim” their aqua vue over bottom terrain.
You should quickly wrap your head around it too.
Here is how to guide the camera:
- With the cable in hand, simply raise/lower the aqua vue camera, paying out less or more cable depending on the depth and the speed the boat is moving at.
- As you continue moving along, you should view on the monitor screen a continual image of the passing-by bottom and the watery zone occupied by fish just above it.
Important: When viewing over soft bottom, ensure the camera is indeed above the bottom -not plowing or “stirring up” the muck.
So, what should you do if you actually can’t see the bottom?
Well, if you’re unable to see the bottom, just raise/ lower the aqua vue to “look” for the bottom!
What if the camera becomes snagged?
Another possibility is the camera becoming snagged. If it happens, maneuver your boat so the pull direction goes back to the same it was when the aqua vue became snagged.
Then, jiggle the camera a little (or tug it lightly). This usually helps get the camera out of the snag.
Quick Tip: Avoid pulling the aqua vue through thick brush or heavy weed cover. You could damage it.
How do I steer the aqua vue in the direction of travel?
For viewing of the underwater scenery in the travel direction, use the previously-attached front-viewing fin. To achieve this, just slowly troll (we recommend a speed of not more than 2 mph) or drift along whatever you desire to view.
Thanks to the front-viewing fin, the aqua vue will face your boat’s current direction of travel.
Quick Tip: The opposite is true- if you use the back-viewing fin (it can be purchased online or from dealers), the camera is positioned to allow you watch the scenic underwater in the direction opposing the boat’s travel.
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Learning how to pull aqua vue behind the boat is like riding a bike- it becomes easier only after you do it several times.
To that end, don’t pull your hair out if it looks as if it’s a tough nut to crack at first- the more repetitions you attempt, the more you will master it.
Ultimately, the incredible fun that is watching real-time, real-life video of fish (and their habitat) makes it worthwhile.
References and Citations:
Aqua-Vu: Underwater Viewing System Owners Manual- https://www.aquavu.com/core/media/media.nl/id.329/c.1318068/.f?h=fdfdd88dbf13bd726a30#
