Topic: Installation Help for SI Transducer - Tracker Tundra

[RIK]

Hi All,

Looking for some sage advice before I start punching holes in my hull.

I'm going to be installing an SI transducer and separate skimmer transducer (using Y cable) on my Tracker Tundra. The Tundra is stretch-formed aluminum, so it has a step-transom like a glass boat, but since it's tin, a shoot-through for the skimmer isn't an option, and in terms of locations it's more akin to a glass hull than typical aluminum. There are no rivets to worry about, for example.

I'm planning on using mounting plates in case I need to tweak the installation, but I need some insights on where to start in terms of placement.

So...
1.) The image below shows my transom. I'm concerned about SI signal clearance with the livewell intake screens. There's no jackplate either so I have a feeling I have kind of a narrow window to work with? Figuring a 3/4" thick mounting plate, will that give me enough clearance past the livewell intakes if I mount the SI transducer to the right of the intakes horizontally and above the bottom of the hull and between the drain hole and intake screens vertically?

2.) Should the SI and skimmer transducers be on opposite sides of the hull? Thinking about mounting the skimmer basically where the existing skimmer is but don't have any particular religion on which side of the boat it's on other than starboard mounting makes it easier to run wires.

Any other thoughts or advice?

Appreciate the help...

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[Humminbird_Greg]

Welcome to the Humminbird Side Imaging Forums RIK.

How far do the livewell intake screens stick out from the transom?  It may be hard to tell if they will interfere or not without first installing and testing the transducer.

Yes, it does make a difference how far apart the two transducers are and the farther the better so that the 2D transducer does not block as much of the Si sonar to that side.

Some fiberglass hull boat owners mount their Si transducers to one side of the jackplate and trim the motor up when they are using the Si sonar.  This may be something that you can do and if so the location of the 2D transducer will not make much difference as the Si transducer beams will be shooting behind it.  Is this a possibility on your boat?  More pictures of your boat’s transom would be nice,

FYI: RadarSonics makes a product called the AlumaDucer that is made for inside-the-hull installation on aluminum boats.

[RIK]

Hi Greg -

Thanks for the feedback/info.

I did look into the thru hull option, but the way the bilge is - location of livewell pumps and plumbing, access, etc., - installing one would be pretty challenging.

The livewell intakes stand out about 1-3/4" off the hull.

Some additional pictures of the transom area. No jackplate on this boat, and fully tucked under the lower unit is @ 12" from the face of the step. The step itself is 7" deep, 3" high, and laterally there is 24" between the centerline of the hull and where the current transducer is mounted....just to give a sense of scale since it's hard to tell on the photos.

Thanks, again, for the help and info.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Welcome to the Humminbird Side Imaging Forums Slant 8.

I should have asked before: which model Si unit and transducer do you have?  If this is the 798 unit with the smaller CSi transducer then I would consider possibly mounting the transducer on the transom (not the step) just to the right of the motor mount.  Not sure how far you would have to trim up the motor to use it though.  You could test this by using some double-sided VHB tape that they use on cars to hold on the chrome bits.  Test only at idle speed.

[RIK]

Greg -

Unit is an 898 HD

[Humminbird_Greg]

Well that rules out mounting it next to the motor mount as you would have to trim the motor out of the water to keep it from blocking the Si sonar to that side!

This may get down to: “you mount it where it will fit” on the step.

Try posting on the Nitro and Tracker Owners Web Site (NTOWS) to see if anyone else with a Tundra has mounted that big HDSi transducer to their boat.
http://www.nitroowners.com/default.asp

[RIK]

Just a quick follow-up on this...

Installed my new units, with the skimmer on the right side basically in the same location where the existing skimmer was, and the SI transducer along the bottom of the step to the left of my livewell intakes.

Installation went flawlessly. Took them out to a local lake to test them with the mounts somewhat loose in case I needed to adjust the location, but there was no need. SI image quality was great to both sides with zero obstruction/interference, and had great 2D and DI signal at top speed on plane. Went back to the ramp and tightened everything down without moving a thing.

I know there are tweaks to settings, etc., I'll be making as I learn what works for how I use the units, but out of the box performance was exceptional and interpreting the images was far easier than I'd anticipated. This was my first time really seeing SI and DI in action, and I was blown away by how easy it was to spot bottom transitions, etc., which is a big deal for walleyes and northern bass.

I'll be at my cabin this weekend, on a lake I've fished for 30+ years. Can't wait to see what I learn about a lake I already know very very well, plus seeing spots I already know on SI is really going to shorten the learning curve on interpreting images.

All in all...couldn't be happier.