Topic: SI transom/transducer location?

[Knock]

I have an 1198 at my console but am having trouble getting good picture on SI, DI, and sonar.  I am running a 99' Stratos 295 Pro.  The transom has 2 steps in it plus a lot of turbulent generating corners and lines.  Anyone familiar with this hull design and best mounting location?

[Humminbird_Greg]

Welcome to the Humminbird Side imaging Forums Knock.

If no one with the same hull design responds back, you may want to post some pictures of your 295 Pro’s transom area so we can look at it and make suggestions.  A few Screen Snapshots of what you are seeing would help as well.

[Knock]

Ok...I should be able to get some pics of it tomorrow.  As a baseline, though, anything port side of outboard is out and minimum of 12" from centerline...right?  Or is directly behind prop or jack plate mount ok?

[Humminbird_Greg]

You don’t have to be 12 inches from the centerline unless your boat demands it.  The statement in the install guide is a general statement and is meant to encompass many boat types including those with inboard motors and propellers that would be forwards of the transom.  On boats with an outboard motor, you can be closer and sometimes directly in front of the prop – but on some boats, placing a transducer directly in front of the prop will cause water flow problems through the prop and also cooling water intake issues.  It just really depends on whether the transducer ends up producing an air cavitation bubble in front of the motor or not.  Many have installed their Si transducers on the jackplate.

Most bass type planning hull boats use a two-transducer install.  The Si transducer gets placed where it will produce the best Si sonar readings and yet remain somewhat protected and a second 2D transducer (XP-9-20) gets installed inside-the-hull and is connected, along with the Si transducer, to an AS-Si-DB-Y splitter cable that is plugged into the transducer connection on the Si unit.

[Knock]

[Knock]

Here are the pics

[rnvinc]

I agree with Greg ...

That high performance hull design (including the large intake screens) is served best by adding a Hole shot plate with the XHS 9 HDSI 180 T  mounted in the center of the Hole shot plate...

And then use the XP 9 20 shoot thru Dual Beam with the AS SIDB Y cable for high speed depth readings ...

Transducer Shield and Saver makes a jackplate bracket that can mount to one side of the jackplate ... But this can cause a reflection from the opposing jackplate surface that shows in the SI image as a bright white line echo parallel and close to the SI image centerline ...

Rickie