Transducers on Alum Bass Rigs

[Craig N]

Hey Folks,

Thinking real hard about making a switch from a glass rig to Aluminum. Leaning towards the 1875 or 2075 ProV Bass XS. I just love the hardcore bass layout, but still options for the whole family to have a good seat. Ski pole option too. Anyway...

One main hangup for me is not being able to "shoot through" the hull with sonar while on plane. I can't tell you how many good (or at least decent) fishing holes I have found while cruising. I have experience now with one through-hull, and the sidescan module sitting a little high on the outside, but haven't relied on an outside only transducer in about 20 years. I am especially concerned considering how the tranducers how "grown" with all the features the units have now.

1. How fast can you folks hold a bottom reading?
2. Did it take a lot of tweaking to get it right?
3. What model unit/transducer are you running outside?
3. Did the factory install, or did you do yourself? I like rigging electronics, which is why I ask.
4. Considering I am looking at a riveted rig, think that makes the situation much tougher?

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Regards,
Craig

[Team Colibri]

Hey Folks,

1. How fast can you folks hold a bottom reading?
2. Did it take a lot of tweaking to get it right?
3. What model unit/transducer are you running outside?
3. Did the factory install, or did you do yourself? I like rigging electronics, which is why I ask.
4. Considering I am looking at a riveted rig, think that makes the situation much tougher?

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Regards,
Craig

1. 41,5 knots (which is as fast as my boat can go).
2. Yes.
3a. Right now StructureScan 3D (not used while on plane), Airmar TM185HW (not used while on plane) and Airmar P66 (used while on plane). But previously I have used HST-WSBL and HST-DFSBL as well as Airmar TM150M while on plane.
3b. I would NEVER rely one anyone but myself to do such work. There is no way I`m trusting anyone to do my electronics, or mounting my transducers. :)
4. No.

That said.... For most bassguys fishing shallow water (and I now talk about shallow as anything less then 100 feet) it is almost surprizing how well a shoot-through can work in a tin as long as the plating is thin enough. You simply have to test, just the same as you would on a fiberglass-hull. Put the transducer in a plastic bag and fill the bag with water, zip tie it closed. Now hold the transducer close to the hulll while a buddy handles the steering, and test at different speeds.

With the dual-sonar capabilities of modern sonar-units like Lowrance HDS and Garmin GPSmap (xsv), you can connect (and use) two seperate transducers for 2D on one unit. So you can have one shoot-through and one transom-mount connected to the same sonar and switch between the transducers in the menu on your sonarunit. This also means that you can use your transom mount up to whatever speed it will read, and from there use the shoot-through, without changing physical connections. Thus, getting the best of both worlds.

[PolarKraft195]

I have a thru hull transducer inside back of hull that is for the small in dash Lowrance that I use for "running", not searching for structure/cover/fish. It was on outside of hull when I purchased boat, but I moved it inside. to make sure it was in a good place I used vaseline to "temporarily" mount the transducer. I got lucky and had it in a good place the 1st try. But, I have not removed the transducer to permanently mount it. It is still held in with a large glob of vaseline, and holding good!
I get good readings up till around 40mph, and then get "good enough" reading any faster. Good enough to see depth I'm running in, and that's all I use it for anyway.

[kybluediver]

I have a 2075 pro xs. I've tried all i can with the exception of an alumnaducer (which i actually considered) to get readings at speed. Nothing seemed to work. I can get readings most of the time if i'm just barely on plane or if i'm in a slight turn but that is one thing that has been an issue. I have the mounting boards so i can move the position around a bit. even bought 2 and have tried port and starboard. Tried a aftermarket device that moves the ducer back about 8 inches that according to the marketing was supposed to guarantee good reads on plane. Nothing seems to work. I've laid on the back deck and looked while on plane to see if there was any clean water and there really isn't. That row of rivets goes from one end of the transom to the other and water does not come off of that cleanly. With that said, i've learned to deal with it but it is definitely a trade off from my previous glass rig.

[Skeeterbait]

Alumaducer inside the bilge of my Ranger is working very well for me. In good water I get steady readings at any speed. In rough chop I can read up to about 30 which is as fast as I want to run this boat in chop anyway. Not the same as your boat so your hull and bilge may be different though.

[HOOK N EM]

If the PRO V is a double hull the alumaducer might not work.

[Seguin Fisher]

I have a Helix 10 si mega with the splitter cable and the regular 2d transducer mounted on a transducer board. It took a bit of tweaking to get it in the right spot but I can get depth readings up to 50mph which is as fast as it’ll go. I also mounted a small piece of thin plastic cutting board just above the transducer, to act as a spray deflector, due to the transducer being a bit deeper for better readings. Works great for me.

[F150owner]

I also mounted a small piece of thin plastic cutting board just above the transducer, to act as a spray deflector, due to the transducer being a bit deeper for better readings. Works great for me.

Can you post a pic?

[Transom]

You can get a reading at 60+ if they are adjusted right.

[Craig N]

I have a Helix 10 si mega with the splitter cable and the regular 2d transducer mounted on a transducer board. It took a bit of tweaking to get it in the right spot but I can get depth readings up to 50mph which is as fast as it’ll go. I also mounted a small piece of thin plastic cutting board just above the transducer, to act as a spray deflector, due to the transducer being a bit deeper for better readings. Works great for me.

Wow, great. I would also love to see a picture of that setup.

[Craig N]

Great feedback, everyone. I appreciate your posts and input. Keep it coming.

Thanks,
Craig

[Seguin Fisher]

Can you post a pic?

I won’t be able to get a pic until this weekend when I bring it down from my storage to my garage, but I’ll post one as soon as I get it here.

[F150owner]

For an aluminum boat, does anyone have the 2D alumaducer in hull and the sidescan mounted on the transom (just a tad higher than the water stream coming out from under boat to not cause water spray or get knocked off) Idea: use alumaducer shoot thru hull while running 35mph and then at slower speed like idle, side scan functions.

[Skeeterbait]

For an aluminum boat, does anyone have the 2D alumaducer in hull and the sidescan mounted on the transom (just a tad higher than the water stream coming out from under boat to not cause water spray or get knocked off) Idea: use alumaducer shoot thru hull while running 35mph and then at slower speed like idle, side scan functions.

Yes that is how mine are set up. The Hbird HDSI transducer mounted on a small HDPE board up from the edge of the transom to protect it and prevent spray. The Vexilar Alumaducer with Hbird adapter mounted in the bilge. The two connected in the bilge with a Hbird AS-SIDB-Y cable and the excess transducer cables double coiled in the bilge. Then a single transducer extension cable running from the Y cable to the console unit. Then a single Ethernet cable running from the console unit to the bow unit.

[Seguin Fisher]

Here’s how mine look. Mega si transducer is on one board mounted up high enough so it’s not in the water while on plane but works perfectly at slow speeds, 2d high speed transducer is on another board mounted low enough that it works at full speed (50mph), and a small piece of cutting board mounted on top of the board to deflect all rooster tail. Both are connected to the graph with the splitter cable. This works great for me, with no spray from the transducer at all, and the big one is up out of harms way while running.


https://postimg.cc/gallery/34q299w84/

[exx1976]

I have a thru hull transducer inside back of hull that is for the small in dash Lowrance that I use for "running", not searching for structure/cover/fish. It was on outside of hull when I purchased boat, but I moved it inside. to make sure it was in a good place I used vaseline to "temporarily" mount the transducer. I got lucky and had it in a good place the 1st try. But, I have not removed the transducer to permanently mount it. It is still held in with a large glob of vaseline, and holding good!
I get good readings up till around 40mph, and then get "good enough" reading any faster. Good enough to see depth I'm running in, and that's all I use it for anyway.

You moved a thru hull from the outside to the inside? What did you do about the hole in the hull?

[Craig N]

Thanks for all the feedback and images, folks. I appreciate the info. Looks like running upwards of 40-50 with bottom reading should be not issue with a little experimentation and tweaking. I will update if I make a move to aluminum and how I set the graphs up. Good fishing everyone!

-Craig