Author Topic: SI Transducer Location  (Read 16388 times)

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Offline Gary M.

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SI Transducer Location
« on: December 08, 2009, 03:36:57 PM »
I just registered for this forum and attempted to post this a couple of hours ago, but must have done something wrong since I don't see it listed.

Anyway, I just purchased a 798 c SI and would like suggestions on the best place to mount the transducer on my 2007 Skeeter ZX250. I have a dual beam thru hull transducer already installed that I will also use. Is it better to put the SI unit on the hull or the jackplate? Would you recommend aftermarket products like "Transducer Shield and Saver"?

Thanks


Offline wizzo86

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2009, 04:43:37 PM »
Gary, First of all let me welcome you to the forum! A bunch of great people are here from all over the world. All willing to help.
     Let me try to help pn your question. There should be instructions that came with your unit, If not, you can down load them from humminbird's web sight. You will want to keep the ducer away from your prop as far as possible and on the right side if you have a normal turning prop. I'm thinking on the jack plate will be too close. That is how I mounted mine just inside of the trim tabs. Make sure that wherever you put it. It should be in the water when traveling at running speeds.

Offline Gary M.

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2009, 05:40:41 PM »
wizzo86, thanks for your response. Yes, there are transducer mounting instructions with the unit that describe how to mount on the transom. There is also a separate insert titled "Side Imaging and QuadraBeam Transducer Notice!". This paper shows a diagram with a caption stating "The jack plate gives the transducer safe distance from the motor and turbulence. The side imaging has a clear view side-to-side."

That's why I was hoping to learn from people who have used both methods.

Offline Jolly Roger

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2009, 06:39:34 PM »
HI Gary and welcome to the gang!

I'm not familiar with the Skeeter, so it would help if you can post some pictures of the transom from the rear and from the side with the outboard / outdrive down.

Whizo already mentioned the most important things. Keep the ducer as far away from the prop. I've mounted mine a bit too close and get interferences when I run on the left engine. Gonna solve this this winter by mounting the ducer in a different location.

Make sure the ducer has clear sight to both sides and you should be good to go.

Regards / Harry
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Offline wizzo86

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2009, 08:38:13 AM »
i would try it then on the jack plate. It must have a clear view on both sides. Nothing can obstruct the in line sides scan view, or it will block the readings. It's mostly trial and error as each vessel has it's own unique problems with location of the ducer. If you look through the past poste you will see some of them i.e. catamaran mounting. Some ingenious thinking and even a deployable one on kayacks and extendable ones for catamarans.
    If when under way you have cavitation interferance from the prop you will have to relocate. I'm thinking your boat is on a trailor? That will make relocation somewhat easier. Just remember you will not get a clear side image under way above average trolling speeds. You should have a clear bottom reading under way.

Offline Gary M.

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2009, 09:01:35 AM »
Skeeter's have sponsons (I think that is what they are called) in back that may present some unique challenges to mounting the transducer on the transom and getting an unobstructed view. Doug Vahrenberg has a video out where he recommends mounting the transducer on the jackplate of a Skeeter, but he may just be promoting the aftermarket mounting kit of one of his sponsors.

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2009, 12:44:07 PM »
Gary,
I think that you should go to Doug’s web site that he has set up:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sideimaging/

Sign up and go to the Photos section and look for the “Installation: Transducer Photo” folder.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sideimaging/photos/album/1962751353/pic/list
It shows several images of how Si owners have their transducers mounted to their Skeeter boats (as well as many others).  Doug is sponsored by Skeeter and is pretty familiar with their hulls and also installing the Si transducers on them.  I don’t know if he has any sponsorship from Scap at Transducer Shield and Saver (I have not watched the video but think that this is probably the one mentioned) or not but I have heard from many how well these work.  You don’t have to use one as you will see in the Yahoo web site images that most don’t use them (mostly because they were not around when they installed them).

If you install your Si transducer off the jackplate you will need to use an AS-Si-DB-Y splitter cable to connect it and the inside-the-hull DualBeam transducer to your 798c Si unit.

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline Gary M.

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2009, 04:05:09 PM »
Thanks to all for the advice. I called 4 Skeeter dealers and 3 of them recommended that the transducer be mounted on the jackplate. I will let you know how it works (soon, I hope).

Offline RGecy

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2009, 05:33:03 PM »
Gary,

Please post some pictures if you get the time.  Good Luck!

Robert
Humminbird Guru and Forum Administrator

Offline Gary M.

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2009, 11:10:59 AM »
Finished install last week using Transducer Shield and Saver hardware to mount SI transducer on the bottom of the jackplate. The bracket they sent appeared to be for a larger model transducer and a few holes had to be drilled, but in the end it was a very sturdy installation compared to putting the pastic mount on the transom.

Got out yesterday to test it and the unit worked beautifully. Seemed to get SI display up to about 6 mph. It will take a lot of practice to understand some of the images and the new down imaging feature should help a lot.

Only issue is that the left side image is noticeably darker than the right side. The transducer is mounted on the right side of the jackplate as you are facing the back of the boat. I'm guessing the darker image on the left could be due to the transducer being tilted slightly so that it gets some interference from the hull.

Would appreciate any suggestions from others who may have experienced this problem.

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2009, 11:49:27 AM »
Either the transducer is tilted or something is blocking some of the left Si sonar signal.  Remember that the Si beam radiates out of the whole side of the transducer so it must be below anything else on the back of the boat.  Of course it could be the unit or transducer too.  Only way to know would be to test another unit on your boat (or your unit on their boat). If the left Si beam is only dark while on your boat, try taking the Si transducer loose and try hanging it down in the water on a pole to see if both sides look the same.

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline Gary M.

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2009, 01:46:05 PM »
Thanks, Greg. I'm going to try adjusting the tilt angle of the bracket slightly and hope that helps.
As logical as it sounds to try another unit on my boat or take mine apart to try the transducer on a pole, I'm not sure it is practical now that the installation is complete. It is definately readable like it is, just darker on one side.

Offline Kimi

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2010, 03:07:51 PM »
Hi folks! !
I made a lot of test, and I think the best place for the transcducer is in the front of the boat, and as deep as possible. This will reduce "noice" from the propeller and backwaves etc.  If the transceducer is to close on the bottom it can make a so called "ghostechoes". The singnal will first go down to the bottom, then up to the surface again, but som of it may hit the bottom of the boat, and be reflected back to the bottom again and create a "doubble" echo. This may happen if you got too much gain, and if the signal hits a hard object, or hard bottom.

I recomend to put the transcduser in an end of a pipe, and in the front of the boat for the best signalquality. The system has to be fixed to the boat so it is easy to remov if needed. For example when making a beechlanding. And you got to remeber that if you hit a rock, the first thing in this case that take the rock, is the transceducer!
 
This may not be a good solution if you got a fast boat, but it works well in slow boats in speeds up to 15 knots.
 
Kimi.. ::)

 
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Offline Jolly Roger

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2010, 03:36:43 PM »
Cool set up Kimi!

Have you seen Gert's set up? I really like this too.

Check here: http://forums.sideimagingsoft.com/index.php?topic=115.0

Regards / Harry
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Offline sonar2000

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Re: SI Transducer Location
« Reply #14 on: February 19, 2010, 03:51:33 PM »
front of boat mounting provides the best set up for us.  we bought a trolling motor bracket.  a long trolling motor shaft and then a ray transducer mounting bracket and attached to the shaft at the bottom.  the nice thing is we can adjust the shaft up and down to get the depth we want.  and since it is a trolling bracket it folds out of the wlay when running at crusing speeds.  I will tlry to get some pictures posted of the set up.  chuck 


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