However in 2025, VBBT announced they will now allow the technology with no restrictions or special categories. “As the sport has evolved and the equipment has become more common, it’s the right time to embrace the advancements that are shaping competitive fishing. We’re excited to see how this adds to the thrill of the tournament!” explained Marketing Director Deirdre Bell Loftin in an announcement. The White Marlin Open has embraced a similar unified approach, with the only sonar rules existing to prohibit their use prior to the “lines in” start of each day of fishing. In 2025, the Big Rock will also allow its use, but offers a “Non Sonar Level” encouraging teams to wager on winning a Calcutta among boats who will not use the technology at any time during the tournament. The Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament has perhaps the most interesting solution, assigning a handicap to sonar-equipped boats by way of a different point-scoring system for teams with and without the technology. These shifts inrulemakingunderscore the significant advantage that the technology provides in competitive fishing scenarios; the transformative impact of omnidirectional sonar on sportfishing is undeniable. A MUST-HAVE FEATURE Without question, the integration of omnidirectional sonar has quickly become a defining feature of modern sportfishing vessels. Captains and boat owners recognize that investing in these systems stand to significantly enhance their fishing success. While the cost is substantial—systems start at $100,000— the potential for increased catch rates and competitive advantage is easily justified on a mu l t i -mi l l ion- dol l a r yacht with substantial operating costs. Bluewater sportfish brand specialists can confirm that almost all new sportfish models are now being designed with the necessary space for theseadvanced sonar systems. Moving forward, it is quite likely you will no longer see certain models offered by a builder, if it can’t accommodate an omniscan sonar in the engine room. Retrofitting existing vessels has become an increasingly common request at our partner yards. On a pre-owned boat, the installation process can involve significant planning and modification, but is still well worth the effort and investment. Manufacturers such as Furuno, Simrad, and MAQ have been at the forefront of developing these systems, but much of the integration falls to local yards and electronics dealers. Craig Messick, Service Manager at Safe Harbor Bluewater, says they have done at least twenty of these installations in custom and production sportfish. They’ve even had a couple early adopters return recently to replace their first units with the newer style sonars that include gyroscopic stabilizers. Dwayne Furlough, owner of Marlin Marine Electronics in Virginia Beach has also overseen the installation of omnidirectional sonars on a variety of boats in the area. His company has recently completed work on a couple Viking convertibles in the 5664 range and several custom Carolina boats. In practical terms, the sonar unit requires approximately one square foot of hull space somewhere along the centerline and forward of the running gear, plus approximately five or six feet of vertical clearance in the engine room to allow the hoist and wiring harness poised over top of the sonar tube. The available vertical space in the engine room is a factor in planning for the install, but having enough space to move around the unit afterwards, often in close proximity to the existing engines and other equipment, is by far the biggest challenge in these retrofits, according to Messick. He also adds that cutting the 8-inch diameter hole clean through the keel is typically easier on a custom-built boat that isn’t all-fiberglass. Owners who are able to move forward with this upgrade will have to plan for at least a few weeks in the yard. “We The mother of all through-hulls: drilling through the fiberglass keel of a 60' sportfish A deployed sonar on a custom Carolina boat 18 BLUEWATER
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