Using Mega SI transducer in "high speed"?

[BoatNoobie]

I just mounted my new transducer on the pad of my aluminum boat.

The reason I did this is for depth reading while running.

Bad idea and it won't work? Top speed is 50 mph.

Not the best Pic but gets you and idea where it's at. It replaced that Garmin transducer you see.

[BrownTrout]

Hope there are no stumps in the lakes you fish!

[Real L]

It's possible to get a high speed reading from a big transducer but it's more complicated. I prefer to use a small high speed transducer for high speed reading and raise the large transducer higher than the bottom of the boat for slow speed Di and SI. You can connect both to your unit via a Y connector.

[MichAngler]

I my biggest concern is how far back it is from the transom

Not only will this make it more difficult to get a good 2D signal at high speed it can also allow water to put some serious forces on the transducer has you come down off plane or bounce through waves and wakes that it may bust it off

Real L is correct

Using a Y cable and a second small high speed transducer at the transom while mounting the larger SI transducer in a safer location is the way to go

[BoatNoobie]

Hmmm, I hate to try and run another transducer cable but which transducer is recommended for the high speed usage at this location? And where can I mount the SI transducer without getting blocked. I do not have a jackplate.

This is the Basspro special Helix 10 "G2.5N"

[Real L]

I think that the transducer to use is the XNT 9 HW T ( somebody correct me if I'm wrong ). I would use it at this location. I would mount it on a metal bracket MHX MX NT if there are no stumps in the lakes you fish. That is my case. I would relocate the large transducer to the left side (other side) and mount it on a board a little higher than the bottom of the boat. That is what I use and can read the bottom at more than 50 mph.

[MCIPinkie]

Get out there and try it. I have a similar set up on 16' aluminum boat. It's an old riveted hull so I have a lot of problems with water flow under the hull. I get good signal up to about 15 MPH. The boat will run 25 or so. Just too much turbulence off the rivets for much better.

Everyone has a good idea, but you really will never know until you get it wet.

Could be an issue if you fish where there is a lot of hard cover, but if you don't rip off a transducer at least once a year, you ain't fishing hard enough. In the picture, the transducer looks awfully low. I'd try about 1/4" below the hull line.

At least you have a transducer block where you can experiment. Hopefully your lakes are not frozen where you can.

If you will be happy with SI/DI at slow speed only, I'd raise my big transducer straight up until protected by the hull. I'd mount what ever skimmer works with your unit between the drain plug and the live well pick and run a Y-cable. May get some interference with the SI signal hitting the skimmer.

Personally, I'd leave it alone, get in the water and see what happens. Transducers and aluminum boats get funny some time. For future reference, mounted as you are, I would have notched the board to clear the drain plug and dropped it down to flush with bottom of the hull. Mich is probably right. You are going to get some crazy turbulence in that gap.

[BoatNoobie]

I don't know if you can tell, but this is a setback or step transom. Here's a little bit better look at it.






I've been running that big Garmin transducer for about 2 months without issue. It works perfect at full speed. If the water is choppy and running WOT, I do lose bottom sometime. I decided to play it safe. I went ahead and picked up the XNT 9 HW T and 9 M SIDB Y 9-Pin splitter today.

I'll mount the smaller transducer as shown in picture and mount the SI transducer somewhere higher up on the starboard side. I'm thinking on the surface where the right bunk is lined up at. I'm hoping to minimize a shadow from the smaller transducer on the left.

[n_gong]

That location may cause problems with turbulence in front of the prop, most transducers are installed 12 inches or more from the center line of the hull. If you have cooling or prop slip you may have to move the transducer.
Hope you don't have to , but something to think about if you have problems.
Nelson

[BoatNoobie]

That location may cause problems with turbulence in front of the prop, most transducers are installed 12 inches or more from the center line of the hull. If you have cooling or prop slip you may have to move the transducer.
Hope you don't have to , but something to think about if you have problems.
Nelson

Here's the spot I'm thinking of.



Install a new mounting plate so it's aligned with bottom of hull and install the transducer higher and to the right area. I guess I could put it on the next step to the right but like I said, the new transducer would be even higher up, which I'm suspecting will get blocked by the 2D ducer.




That location should be more than 12" from the center line. I'm using the drain plug as the center line.

[Wayne P.]

If the 2D transducer comes with the plastic mount, get the metal one to replace it.

[BoatNoobie]

If the 2D transducer comes with the plastic mount, get the metal one to replace it.

haven't looked in the package yet but why the metal bracket? Just more rigidity ? And breakaway version or plain one?

[SLYDoggie]

Not exactly the same thing but I do run my Solix 15 SI G2 transducer on my pontoon boat. I do have it below the bottom of the aluminum tube so it stays in contact with the water at speed. The top speed for me is about 25 MPH. At speed, I do continue to get depth readings but do get a lot of turbulence on the 2D, SI, and DI readings. I have found that, if I tilt the back of the transducer very slightly down from level, I get a more reliable reading than if I have it perfectly level. I'm only talking about a degree or so since, with anything more than that, you would impact the image accuracy.

[MCIPinkie]

All of these are good ideas, or maybe not. Regardless of how you decide to go, you won't know how it works until you get in the water.

If I could, I would test what I have before I spent a lot more time and money.

Hell, what you have may work.

Other than that big gap between the hull and the transducer, I see nothing that says "No way this will work".

[Wayne P.]

haven't looked in the package yet but why the metal bracket? Just more rigidity ? And breakaway version or plain one?

The plastic one is more fragile and can be easily distorted or broken if one is overzealous tightening the mount screws.

This one comes with the MEGA DI transducer.

https://humminbird.johnsonoutdoors.c...unting-bracket

[SLYDoggie]

Since I do have my transducer slightly below the pontoon so I can get readings at cruising speed, I did use a spring loaded metal transducer bracket/shield mount for my Solix transducer. I feel that it has already saved me a couple of times when I ran over some floating debris in the lake. There may be other options but this is the one I bought on eBay --> https://www.ebay.com/itm/TRANSDUCER-...ty!37067!US!-1

[bigfoot17]

SI/DI is best only at lower speeds so you don't have to worry about anything but 2D when you're at WOT. I would lose bottom reading after 7 or 8 mph because of where I had my mega transducer located, I kinda expected that though, more interested in protecting the transducer. Still got awesome imaging at lower speeds.

I ended up purchasing a separate highspeed 2D ducer and a y-cable and have had no issues anymore picking up bottom at higher speeds. Works great.