REW

[ifitfliesitdies]

Thanks for the advice with the transducer. I really appreciate your input and knowledge that you give on this site. You are able to put some things that are technical in laymens words...good for me.

A couple of friends and myself pass the info that you give out here around quite frequently...we are REW groupies!!

I have had this Starcraft Pro Elite 1800 with a 150 Optimax for a year now. Many things that I would like to do...I do not because I do not want to screw anything up. I would like to mount the transducer on the boat..the situations that you describes, such as drifting etc. happened a few times last year. I had to put the trolling motor in to watch the graph.

What is the best way to mount the transducer on the boat? Do you use a different style transducer? What do you do with the cord?

Again I really appreciate any help that you can give...or anyone else out there with any input I would love to hear it.

I live in SD and I am heading to the river on Monday/Tuesday. I may be working on some other things on my chocolate buzz from the kids baskets on Sunday.

[REW]

Thanks for the heads up.
As far as mounting is concerned, it is pretty straight forward.
1. If you want to mount a transducer on the trolling motor, it makes sense to use a puck style transducer that can be easily strapped on with an airplane style hose clamp. The, simply use plastic tie wraps to keep the transducer cable under control.
Also, it is a good idea to have the cable make a 360 degree turn around the top of the motor, to allow the cable to unwind if necessary, and to leave enough slack, to allow it to wind up if necessary.

Another thing that works quite well for the transducer cable, if mounted on the trolling motor is to make a cable mount out of aluminum rod. Basically you make a bracket, that is about as long as your trolling motor. You make this bracket wide enough to clear the motor mount, and to allow the motor full rotation.

The bracket will be made of 3/16" solid aluminum rod. Put a 90 degree bend in the rod, about 2 inches from the end. This will be used to clamp the bracket to the trolling motor shaft. Then put an opposite 90 degree bend in the bracket, some distance away. This distance needs to be enough to clear the mounting mechanism on the motor. This distance could be 2-5 inches, depending on the motor. Now the bracket will be straight up the length of the shaft. Finally at the top end, make 2-90 degree bends, which are just opposite the bends on the bottom of the bracket. So, to give you the overall summary - this bracket will basically look like a flattened out C shape, the ends of the c - will be clamped to the trolling motor shaft, and the trolling motor cable, will be tie wrapped - to the center part of the c.

The telling is much more difficult than the doing.

As far as a transom mounted transducer, the common styles are the skimmer style, as sold by Lowrance and others. This mount, simply requires two screws to hold the transducer in place. If you don't want to drill holes below the waterline of your boat, it makes sense to mount a board to your boat, above the waterline, and then mount the transducer to the bottom of the board at the lower edge of the transom. An inexpensive board to use for this purpose is a plastic cutting board, that is available at wall mart or target for just a few dollars. Cut the board, so that it is about 6 inches wide, and it should be about 12-15 inches long to allow the board to be screwed to the transom above the water level, and have the lower edge of the board at the bottom of the transom.


However, before mounting the board, you want to take your boat to the lake with a friend who can drive the boat.


Put on life jackets on everyone in the boat.
With a friend, who knows how to drive, and you at the back of the boat - looking over the transom - take the boat through its full range of speed. Also, take the boat through smooth and sharp turns at all speed levels. The reason for the life jackets, is that if you get thrown in, the jacket will hold you up in the cold water, until your friend can fish you out.

The thing that you want to find is the area or areas of smooth water - at the largest amount of overall boat operation. i.e. when the boat is just starting slow, starting fast, turning right, turning left, mid range, wide open, smooth water, and rough water -- you are looking for a spot behind the boat -where the water is most smooth.
Remember, rough water - equates to bubbles and loss of bottom or accuracy of the depth finder and transducer.

Conversely, smooth water means few bubbles, and less obstructions for the depth finder to run through, and thus better and more consistent bottom readings.

Some general rules of thumb for mounting transducers are as follows:
1. don't mount behind a strake, chine, or bottom protrusion.
2. Don't mount any closer than 12 inches on either side of the motor.
3. Don't mount any closer than 12 inches from either edge of the boat.

This normally means, that for best operation, the transducer needs to be mounted in a pretty small spot on the transom for perfect operation. Don't drill any holes until you find where that "sweet" spot is, by actual on the water test.

You can imagine where the best spot is, but only on the water test, will really tell you where it is located.

When, mounting the tranducer - directly in the boat - if desired, use stainless steel screws, a good sealent in the holes, and drill just slightly undersized pilot holes, so that you don't crack the fiberglass, or tear the metal out, in the case of an aluminum boat.

If mounting on a transucer mounting board, again, use stainless steel screws to mount to the transom above the water line, and then use stainless steel screws, of the right length, to just go through the board, without hitting the boat.

Take care and enjoy.
REW

[tly]

REW,
What can you tell me about interference with other transducer? I plan a transom mount on opposite side of boat from my LPG 2000 transducer. The flasher will be in bow of boat with cable routed under gunnel. I have an adjustable aluminum portable bracket that clamps on so my concern is the flasher (Vexlar F18 or Zercom Classic) will walk all over the other unit.

I saw a post recently where the frequency matching is critical and that makes sense but I am lacking this info and I so far haven't found the LPG stuff or equivilent since the 'bird took over.

Thanks

TLY

[Ifitfliesitdies]

Thanks REW...

Is it possible to mount the transducer for the front graph on the bow of the boat. I think that I have seen a boat that clamped a piece of tubing to the side of the bow with the transducer attached. Obviously they clamped it on when they began to fish. I do not want to do that...but how about a transducer mounted on the front of the actual boat.

Thanks again.

[tk]

I would either exchange that trolling motor with the univ. sonar or I would get a skimmer transducer....extra long cord from the front fish finder....run that under the floor...bring it up around the splash well...use marine cord clamps...run it out the splash well holes...clamping the whole way with small screws and marine silicon...then plate it opposite of your current transducer in approx. the same position opposite side...I would be careful in having your friend from MN drive, since he likes to drive fast and even with a life jacket you might not float. I am looking forward to out fishing you...if money can buy fish, I have bought enough tackle to catch both our limits in the past couple of days.

[Ifitfliesitdies_]

TK..I thought you would follow with your same old advice and tell me to just "tape it on"!

I hope that the amount of money we spent on tackle and gear this weekend somehow does equate to the quantity and numbers of fish that we may catch this next week.

I learned one thing though....when you tell your wife that you need 20 minutes in Cabelas instead of an hour...you still spend 300.00!!

Talk to your tomorrow.

Tap...Tap...WHAM!!