Topic: 998 Transducer Install

[cousinlll]

New to the site - What a great resource!  A lot of great info & advise from all.

So I'm going to ask the million dollar question that I'm sure everybody asks.  Need some advise on the best location to mount my new 998 transducer on my 07 Ranger 1860.  As you can see from the attached pics, I don't have a jackplate and also have quite a few thru-hull fittings to deal with on both surfaces of the step.  These fittings, along with the bunks on my trailer, have been limiting my installation choices.

So what do you guys think are my best options?  My thoughts were to mount it on the starboard side just outboard of the trailer bunk on the bottom step.  Thanks for your suggestions...

LLL

[RGecy]

Thats looks like a pretty good spot.  I would have preffered it a little closer to the bottom, but the bunk will hit it. 
 
Robert

[sonar2000]

Search this forum a bit and look at other installs for your boat type.  Also posts concerning mounting.. 
there is a ton of information on this forum...all for searching...
Chuck

[Roddy]

Cous; If it were me, I would adjust the boat Aft on the trl so as the Xducer clears the trl bunk and install I/A/W HB unit inst!!! Roddy

[RGecy]

Ok, Roddy, now I am stumped, are you texting from your phone with all the abbreviations?  What is "install I/A/W HB unit inst"?

[Roddy]

Robert;  I/A/W = In/Accordance/With.
             HB = Humminbird.
             Inst = Installiton.

Give me a telephone call. Roddy

[RGecy]

Well that clears that up!

[Bob B]

Ok, Roddy, now I am stumped, are you texting from your phone with all the abbreviations?  What is "install I/A/W HB unit inst"?

Yeah, I understand Robert....I don't know the abbreviations either.  I started to make up my own when texting my daughter, such as WWYBH.  She understood that it meant "when will you be home", but got really upset because I was vioating accepted texting protocol.

[sonar2000]

I dont think we should use texting shortcuts on the forum. A lot of the guys/girls are international and this may really confuse them..
Of course I cant keep up with texting anyway so I dont use it.  I guess we will have to learn another language. 
HMMMMMMMMM I know that ESL is English as a Second Language ( in the USA) But do we have TSL about come on the horizon...
Chuck

[6speedy3]

I e-mailed pictures of the transom on my 03 Ranger 619 to Ranger and Humminbird.  Both customer service departments emailed me the pictures back, marked in exactly the same spot on the transom with exactly the same recommendation to glass a puck in the bilge area to get high speed readings. So that is what I did,works perfectly.

[RGecy]

6speedy3,

Are you answering his question and telling him to glass it in the bilge (not going to work with SI) or are you recommending that he email HB customer support and Ranger? 

Robert

[6speedy3]

Yes contact Humminbird/Ranger. I was unclear about the mounting. They told me to mount the SI xducer on the transom and glass a puck in the bilge and connect both to the Y cable, don't have the puck or splitter numbers at hand.

[cousinlll]

I e-mailed pictures of the transom on my 03 Ranger 619 to Ranger and Humminbird.  Both customer service departments emailed me the pictures back, marked in exactly the same spot on the transom with exactly the same recommendation to glass a puck in the bilge area to get high speed readings. So that is what I did,works perfectly.

Thanks everybody for your replies & suggestions!

Speedy, if you wouldn't mind, could post a pic of your transom transducer install?

LLL

[RGecy]

You will find quite a few people who have used this method.  There are many pictures in the Image (Media) Gallery and Installation photos here on the forum showing the installation as well. 

Yes, this will give you good high-speed reading for 2d, but the SI tranducer installation is critical to get good SI results, which I think is what we are looking for here.  And with good placement of the SI transducer, you may not need the extra transdcuer.

Take a look at the images in the Gallery and see what others have done.

Good Luck,

Robert

[6speedy3]

This is a picture of the transom marked by the person at Humminbird. Sorry I can't post a pic of the install, I have been laid up since June due to blowing my quadriceps tendon out on a fishing trip, can't get to the stern of the boat to take the picture. Hope this helps. Please note that this hull is a lot different than yours. I would look at various pictures of installs on hulls like yours.

[stevemc]

There is a step right in front of that, it wont work, air will be there at any speed but almost stopped.  It needs to be in a clean-nothing projecting out, like another transducer or a thru-hull fitting, or a step pad, lift strake or hydroplane step like this is.  It needs no air just clean water.  On the step itself would be best, and as advised, cut his center trailer bunk so it doesnt hit the transducer.   And if going inside with a 2D transducer, have the boat in the water, sitting still, and pour water into that area, until an inch or so deep, and put the hooked up transducer in the water in the boat in the desired place.  Move it around to make sure it is in a good spot, by turning it on and checking, and looking at bottom prior to make sure nothing is in way in front.  If it will work, take the boat out, and clean out water, dry well, completly dry, and make a small dam out of duct tape, or a bottom cut off cardboard or plastic deli bowl, margarine dish, or whatever fits, and duct tape, or plumbers putty, a little larger than the transducer in the spot, pour in some mixed epoxy (if warm enough) and then with all cables ran in place, put transducer in the dam area, into the epoxy.  Rock it to make sure no bubbles.  Let it set up and test again.  Some boats have Coremat or foam in hull to help stiffen it, and keep it light too.  You cant shoot through that type of hull.   Some boats have a spot just for that, or a thru hull spot, such as Donzi's with hydroplane notches in the hull.  I was a marine electronics rigger for many years.

[6speedy3]

Well, I beg to differ I installed the tranducer in that exact spot and it works just fine, up to about 10mph. I didn't expect it to work much greater than that for SI of down imaging. I didn't get a chance to install the 2d ducer in the bilge area this summer but will do the install the first thing next spring.

[stevemc]

Well thats good.  Yes, I am sure you start to plane and it is out of the water.  You always try to put a transducer in the cleanest water you can.