Transducer Location

[davey buoy]

I know it isn't rocket science but have fooled around with it a bit the last couple evenings.Used a square to find the straight angle to the location from the upper trim of the boat.Does it really matter if it is mostly in the water flow?,not half way.

I do realize it will be more prone to be hit by debris but is lower the better if you will, the best/accurate readings?.

Where it is mounted the transducer is straight.The bottom of the boat where it is mounted is slanting up and out for stability.

I hope this makes sense,it is not a square bottom boat.Stepped v's might be more accurate.

Thanks guys for any info.

 

 

Dave.

 

 

[Sinker]

As long as its in a steady flow of water, it should be fine. You might get a little spray coming off it if its a bit low, but it should still work.

 

Hopefully there are no air bubbles passing under it from the "slanting out and up" part of the boat, that may cause bad readings on plane. Too low could cause this as well.

 

S.

[davey buoy]

Shane it is in the middle of that tier/angle?,Another higher step after this one.It's probably close to a foot wide this step before the next..Good 12" from the motor.The old one was way to close to the motor,moved it about 6" away

Edited June 18, 2014 by davey buoy

[Sinker]

All ya can do is try 'er out. Pics would help too.

 

On a glass boat, thru hull is hard to beat IMO.

 

S.

[davey buoy]

Here are a couple pics,hope this helps.

[bushart]

Your call but it looks a bit too tilted---I may be wrong

 

I've always had mine straighter

[davey buoy]

Your call but it looks a bit too tilted---I may be wrong

 

I've always had mine straighter

That's what I thought,but when I click it up one notch,it looks to high.I think I'll bring it up one notch.The trailer is jacked way up,that may be throwing me off.

[wallyboss]

Go for a boat ride with a buddy and get him to look at the back of the boat when you are on plane and see where the water comes out nice and smooth and mount your transducer in that spot. Mine was first installed in one spot that looked fine until I looked at it while somebody else was driving the boat and it was full of bubbles right where the transducer was, i moved it about 5-6" and now its in a very smooth area and it sure cleaned up my sonar readings.

[Bill Shearer]

I always had mine tilted to the stern more, so that I could watch the down riggers , and the fish that were attracted to the baits. Turbulance created by this 'negative' tilt was an issue at speed. I could get depth but not fish.

If you don't need to see that, then the thing to consider the most is not if the bottom of the transducer is square to the transom, or parallel to the bottom of the boat, but parallel to the bottom of the lake when the boat is at rest. If you can stand in shallow water with a level on the bottom of the transducer, you can get it bang on.

Edited June 18, 2014 by floatman55

[misfish]

Dave

If you can get to the launch around 3 pm Thursday,we can see whats what..

[davey buoy]

Thanks guys,just used a level as a straight edge under the boat and out the back.Clicked it back up one notch and it shows the front half,1/2 way below the bottom tilting slightly down to about 3/4 below the boat.I think I'm now in the sweet spot.Optical allusion because of the trailer nose being so high.Now none of the transducer is 100% below the bottom.

Edited June 18, 2014 by davey buoy

[davey buoy]

Dave

If you can get to the launch around 3 pm Thursday,we can see whats what..

Thanks Brian,thinking it will be ok.,Working Thursday, Friday looks like a Sat 5:30 am start working or not lol.Still have my fishin buddy if need to hone in on the catch .No air bubbles,things should be good.Feeling better it's not 100% below the bottom.

[Sinker]

On my boat the transducer is tilted up at the back for best results. Trial and error is the best way now. Its easy enough to adjust.

 

S.

[BillM]

Position is fine, you might have to tilt it either way when you eventually get on the water.

[RickOnt]

Hey Davey

 

My .$02

 

About 1/2 of transducer below the hull and slightly lower in the front.

 

In your pic, it is hard to tell how low it is, but I would say you need to tip it back.

 

Are ya going out Saturday?

 

Rick

[davey buoy]

Hey Davey

 

My .$02

 

About 1/2 of transducer below the hull and slightly lower in the front.

 

In your pic, it is hard to tell how low it is, but I would say you need to tip it back.

 

Are ya going out Saturday?

 

Rick

Wind permitting?Thinking I may bring the back up one more notch,Each click seems to make a very big change in position.Saturday is the plan.10km's is the forecast so far,any higher than that we will be heading to south Simcoe.You?

I'll adjust it on the water if need be.Won't be too dificult.Thanks.

Edited June 18, 2014 by davey buoy

[doubleheader]

If your depthfinder readout is in tenths/ft, drop the boat in the water and navigate to some fairly flat bottom, adjust the transducer angle to on the most shallow depth reading you can achieve. That is your optimum adjustment.

[davey buoy]

If your depthfinder readout is in tenths/ft, drop the boat in the water and navigate to some fairly flat bottom, adjust the transducer angle to on the most shallow depth reading you can achieve. That is your optimum adjustment.

Thanks I will do that.Some like up at the back,others down for better water flow.Just so happens one click either way can achieve both lol.I will have my allen wrench with me tomorrow to adjust.Right now the back is slightly,slightly down from level.

[davey buoy]

Tried the finder worked awesome,a couple questions ,When I start to speed up I get I get a grainy look on the display.I can see fish,bottom depth temp without any hesitation.Would there be a setting that may clear that up while moving?It's a 718x humminbird.

Secondly,forgot to shut it off in the water.Noticed when clearing the boat at the ramp.Shut it off of course.Can't really think that would hurt as I'm sure everyone has done this at one point and probably a lot longer.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Dave

[misfish]

If you leave it running out of water for a long period of time,it will heat up. Yup,done it.

[davey buoy]

If you leave it running out of water for a long period of time,it will heat up. Yup,done it.

Thanks Brian,what's a long time?1 hour,day?.this was 10mins max.How long would it take to fry if that would even happen?.Thinking todays technology wouldn't really do any damage.They would of stopped this as I know everyone has done it.Just my thoughts.Thanks.

 

Found a interesting read,they say no damage at all when on out of water.The same transducers are used for shoot thru hulls with no water cooling at all.I guess years ago they heated up a lot,but from what I am now uderstanding no issues.

Edited June 21, 2014 by davey buoy

[doubleheader]

You didn't mention how fast you were going when it started to get 'grainy", but there really isn't much you can do. Recognize that the faster you go the more "stuff" is getting pinged from your transducer, so yea, you can turn the sensitivity down, but then what are you going to see?? If you're only looking for depth you would be okay, but whether or not you'll be able to pick up fish who knows. You just have to experiment, but the faster you're going the narrower the arc will be.

[davey buoy]

You didn't mention how fast you were going when it started to get 'grainy", but there really isn't much you can do. Recognize that the faster you go the more "stuff" is getting pinged from your transducer, so yea, you can turn the sensitivity down, but then what are you going to see?? If you're only looking for depth you would be okay, but whether or not you'll be able to pick up fish who knows. You just have to experiment, but the faster you're going the narrower the arc will be.

 

[davey buoy]

Thanks,I understand better.Pretty much when starting to speed up and continues.Ihad the sensitivity set at 8.Guess I could turn that down to 5 and see what happens.

[BillM]

Sensitivity really doesn't matter. If the angle of the transducer is different when you're on plain, you'll never get a good reading if you're going fast. That's the problem with the old transducer mounts, they're fixed. The one that came with my 898C pivots just a wee bit which gives me great readings even when I'm going WOT. Try to find a decent balance between both.

Edited June 23, 2014 by BillM