About SonarWise: Who We Are and How We Work
What SonarWise is, how we research trolling motors, fish finders, marine batteries and wiring, and how the site makes money without selling recommendations.
SonarWise exists because the parts of a small fishing boat’s electrical system are usually sold, and written about, one at a time. A trolling motor review rarely tells you which battery bank it needs, and a battery review rarely tells you which wire and breaker sit between the two. This site treats them as one system.
What SonarWise covers
SonarWise is an independent guide for anglers rigging a jon boat, a kayak, a small aluminum boat or a small bass or bay boat. It covers four connected areas:
- Trolling motors: bow mount versus transom mount, spot-lock GPS anchoring, kayak motors and saltwater models.
- Batteries: deep-cycle lead-acid, AGM and lithium (LiFePO4), how many you need and how long they last.
- Fish finders: small-boat and kayak units, portable and castable sonar, side and down imaging, and forward-facing sonar.
- Wiring and charging: wire gauge, circuit breakers, 12, 24 and 36 volt banks, and onboard chargers.
It is not written for offshore boats with networked multifunction displays, commercial survey sonar, or AC shore-power design.
How we work
Published numbers first. Thrust, amp draw, wire gauge and breaker sizes come from the manufacturers’ own manuals and sizing tables, such as Minn Kota’s battery and wiring installation sheet. Sonar specs come from Garmin, Humminbird and Lowrance documentation.
Dated prices. Electronics prices move often, so every price carries the month and year it was checked.
Rules of thumb are labeled. When a page or the System Planner uses an estimate, such as a margin for wind or a typical battery weight, it says so and shows the formula.
Trade-offs are named. Every buying guide says who a product is not for.
No invented testing. We do not claim hands-on reviews we have not done. The byline is the SonarWise editorial team.
How the site makes money
Reader support: some links are affiliate links that pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. Recommendations are chosen before affiliate status is checked. The full policy is in the affiliate disclosure.
Safety and scope
Boat wiring follows ABYC standards and US Coast Guard rules for over-current protection. Our wiring pages explain what the manufacturer tables say; when a job goes beyond them, follow your motor’s manual and use a qualified marine technician.
Corrections and requests
We would rather be corrected than confidently wrong. If a spec, price or model on this site does not match what you see, tell us and we will check it against the source.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what anglers ask us most
Is SonarWise affiliated with Minn Kota, Garmin, Humminbird, Lowrance or any battery maker?
No. SonarWise is independent and is not sponsored by any manufacturer or retailer. We quote manufacturers' published specifications and name where brands differ, rather than picking sponsors.
Does SonarWise test products on the water?
No, and we do not pretend to. Our pages are built from manufacturer manuals, spec sheets and published tables, with every figure sourced and prices dated. Where a number is our own estimate or rule of thumb, the page says so.
How does SonarWise make money?
Some product links earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you, disclosed wherever it applies. Commissions never decide a recommendation.
Can I submit a correction?
Please do. A spec that has changed, a price that has moved or a model we missed is exactly what we want to hear about, and corrections shape what we update next.