Downriggers and NEMA

[Boats]

I haven't followed developments in the downrigger market for a few years now.
When last I checked, you could buy an electric that would vary the depth as you troll.

Has any manufacture figured out the NEMA thing and come out with a downrigger that will follow the bottom contour staying X feet off the bottom?

If so... do they work?

Thanks in advance

[Starfish]

I don't know what NEMA is but you can get a Cannon Digitroll downrigger that will track a set distance off the bottom. You can also get several other Cannon electrics to interface with a Bottomline depthfinder to accomplish the same thing.

I have a buddy who uses the Digitrolls and likes them, but I've been plenty happy with a Walker and a Cannon electrics and just raise and lower the ball myself... otherwise you need to loosen the drag more than I prefer so it won't pull off the release clip when automatically lowering, and periodically reel up any slack when the ball gets raised.

[fishingls]

It is my understanding that since the parent company of Humminbird owns Bottomline and Cannon that they have interfaced Humminbird products with Cannon for bottom tracking. I also understand that Bottom line product offering is very limited and Bottom Line no longer offers a supported product to interface with Cannon. Is this true?

[chucks electric]

hello, this doesn't just apply to any one accessory but all that use the nema network. just about all electronic devices use it but just because any two company's say it uses nema 0183 doesn't mean that they will communicate with one another. its the sentence structure between the two, basically the same sentence but the words are in the wrong order.

[bigredapes]

Are you looking for something that talks NEMA 183, or NEMA 2000 (like the newer lowrance units)?

I've been looking around for something that would plug into my lowrance network, but nothing found yet... One local dealer (don't remember who, or which brand) said automatic bottom following is only good for the great lakes. Don't know whether I would want to believe that or not, especially since I haven't actually fished downriggers yet.

Anyone know how extensive the patent coverage is that cannon has on their digitrol, meaning whether we could develop, market and sell our own version? I've got a decent electronics / microcontroller background.... :what:

[chucks electric]

nema 0183 has been the standard for a while now, nema 2000 is a CAN network or basically a high speed data buss.