Z-21 with Humminbird electronics reading on plane

[T-man71]

Hello everyone, I have a new z-21 with Humminbird helix 10 gen 3 with shoot thru the hull transducer with Y cable and side imaging mounted to jack plate so here is the problem I’m having. I lose bottom on plane over 41 mph, I have had it at 2 different dealerships and 4 high speed transducers glassed in, in different locations and can’t read bottom over 41 mph in while on plane. One of the dealerships got the factory involved and after being at the repair shop for 3 weeks I got a call from the factory on Friday and there response was that after researching and talking with other factory personnel and Humminbird that there is nothing more that can be done at this time. I know other guys that run different brands of boats and don’t have any problems reading the bottom at 40 mph plus. Is this common with nitro or is it something that the factory doesn’t want to deal with and just trying to pass on to me that this is normal. Humminbird recommended a external transducer and do away with shoot thru the hull transducer but I Thought that was what the shoot thru the hull transducer was for? Thanks for reading my post and any comments made.

[steinybass]

I have a 2019 Z19 and i lose contact with bottom at 45 mph. I didn't bother going to my dealer because they didn't even know that the transducer was included when they set my boat up. I had to research the transducer after i got the boat home. The dealer told me that the hockey puck transducer that i had was for my trolling motor which was incorrect. Scary thing is that my dealer told me they have been selling boats for 25+ years.

[T-man71]

Did you get the problem solved? I know that they have glassed in different transducers ie high speed ones

[steinybass]

No I have not. I do get a better reading if i trim down.

[steinybass]

I did forget to mention I have Humminbird helix 9 gen 3. From what I seen the transducer I installed was a high speed.

[T-man71]

I have been told that the boat is causing turbulence or bubbles while on plane at that speed and that’s causing the problem, that info came from the Humminbird rep last weekend, he told me to run the trim down and see if that helps with the readings over 40 mph and if it does slow trim slowly and see where it loses bottom.

[steinybass]

Sounds about right. I had a Procraft before i got this boat in April and I would lose bottom with it ever now and then also. But with this Z19 45 mph seems to be the number with a lot of trim. Get better as i trim down. Now when I get in water that i have to know exactly where i am i just slow down under 45. Kinda a pain but i t will work until i get word of something better.My guess it is with the new hull design.

[T-man71]

That’s funny, I had a 2004 procraft before I bought the nitro there’s been times I wish I had it back. Lol
I fish tournaments on different lakes and tried to explain that to the factory that it’s necessary to know the depth but they seem to not care. Very frustrating

[steinybass]

Yeah I can understand that. I fished tourneys regular with the procraft and have just gotten back into them again. I don't travel all over the country but do local ones. Next year i plan to do more of a variety on different lakes and some i probably don't know but that is where i will have to remember from my prefishing on where i can run or not. My old boat was a 1997 procraft 180 bass. Nice boat but very happy with my Z19. With i didn't have a payment but what do you do. My procraft was paid of and was in great shape for being as old as it was and i bought it new. Besides the sun doing damage to the paint still looked good.

[jasonG]

Same here on my z21 3 transducers and I lose bottom around 40

[T-man71]

For the price of boats today there shouldn’t be problems like we have, I have reached out to the rep from Humminbird that put on the Humminbird seminar last weekend to see if he has any advice, during the class he stated he would do a lake test so hopefully he will keep his word.

[steinybass]

Keep us up to date.

[KCLOST]

My shoot thru transducer barely works at all, even when sitting still and directly connected to the Helix. I believe it is a poor mount causing the problem. Gave up on it!

[Flippin 416]

The one thing I found important when installing my thru hull transducer in my old 929 was to do a on the water test before installing it permanently. The way it was explained to me and the way that I found the best spot for my transducer (yes this is a pain) is to set the transducer in a spot you think might be the best place for it. Add enough water to your bilge to nearly cover the transducer. Next put a sandbag on top of the transducer to hold it in place and then take the boat for a test run and check the reading you get. If not satisfied with it...move it and try it again. Obviously you do this until you are happy with the reading and the speed you are getting them at. Mark the spot then epoxy the transducer in.

The one thing I think you have to consider is the small amount of the boat (the pad in this case) that is in the water during a 60-70mph run. It's a small triangle area that the boat is sitting on. You may never get a solid reading at those speeds but you can tweak the location of the thru hull transducer to get the most out of it.

[Fishysam]

When I over trim at 45 I loose signal. Raise your motor trim less= better speeds and better signal

[T-man71]

I will do some playing around when I get it back, thanks for all the info and comments

[BMCD]

Same way mine barely works, but to be honest i'm not sure I care. I always use down scan when idling.

[TXZ21]

My boat came with Lowrance graphs/senders. When I switched to HB and did the install, I water tested the mounting location before I epoxied it in. I had to test 3-4 mounting sports before I found one that worked well. I also do not use a "Y" cable. I run the shoot through transducer to my RH Solix, and transom mounted SI/DI transducer to my LH Solix. The 2D image scatters on the screen at speeds above 30, but the depth reads consistently all the way up to about 60, then it starts to flake out.

[T-man71]

#25Today, 06:47 PM

I just picked up my boat from the Springfield nitro dealership and after they did testing in different locations with the shoot thru the hull transducer I still can’t get any readings over 40 mph, per the service manager there I should be able to pick up bottom readings well over that speed and I also have in black and white from hummingbird saying it should be getting readings in the range of 50 to 55 mph. So it looks like the factory doesn’t want to deal with the problem at hand so I guess I will try and go up the food chain to get the problem solved. Not a very happy nitro owner

[Flippin 416]

Man there are so many variables when it comes to this stuff. I wouldn't let anyone else do the testing and troubleshooting for myself other than myself.

Hull density can also play a huge roll into how well the thru hull transducers work.