Busted Trolling Transducer

[baysdad]

Anyone busted a Helix DI transducer mounted on an Ultrex just by raising the motor?

Knowing how expensive they are to replace I have been extra careful not to run it aground and to gently raise the motor when stowing. However, Saturday my sonar went out on my bow mounted Helix. I raised the trolling motor and the bracket attaching to the clamp was broken. I've noticed that when I raise the motor the transducer would rub against the front of the trolling motor mount but didn't think it was an issue. Anyone else seen this? It was dealer installed in September, maybe a warranty issue? $200 to replace.

[ezfishn]

I have a SI transducer (HDSI) on mine but have never seen it hit the TM mount. I'm using a transducer shield (TS&S) if that would make a difference.

[Wayne P.]

Are you using the DI trolling motor puck?

[baysdad]

Are you using the DI trolling motor puck?

Yes, it's the DI puck. Not built in to the Ultrex.

[Wayne P.]

Two things that will prevent that.

Don't tighten the hose clamp so much that it stresses the mount slots--use plastic cable ties instead of the hose clamp will fix that part.
Adjust the deploy depth so the transducer is not above the mount when stowed, that will keep it from hitting the mount when the angle changes during deployment and stowing.

My HDSI transducer with a TS&S mount on a Motor Guide Tour would hit the mount like your TM transducer does.
Does not do that now that I have the Ultrex which has a larger diameter motor.

[baysdad]

Two things that will prevent that.

Don't tighten the hose clamp so much that it stresses the mount slots--use plastic cable ties instead of the hose clamp will fix that part.
Adjust the deploy depth so the transducer is not above the mount when stowed, that will keep it from hitting the mount when the angle changes during deployment and stowing.

My HDSI transducer with a TS&S mount on a Motor Guide Tour would hit the mount like your TM transducer does.
Does not do that now that I have the Ultrex which has a larger diameter motor.

Thanks Wayne P!!! All that makes perfect sense.

[Bob B]

You could get one of these instead of replacing the transducer https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/tran...rd-transducers

[Wayne P.]

You could get one of these instead of replacing the transducer https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/tran...rd-transducers

TS&S doesn't make a similar mount for his puck style.

[Bob B]

Might be able to fix it with a little creativity.

[Wayne P.]

Might be able to fix it with a little creativity.

Certainly can. A pool of epoxy inside the cavity adhering the hose clamp to the puck will somewhat work with a properly adjusted deploy length.

[baysdad]

What I didn't fully understand is why my Helix wouldn't display any sonar at all when I tried to change views. It wouldn't let me move from mapping. I broke a transducer on my old Lowrance and I could still get a signal, it was just a bad signal.

[Wayne P.]

What I didn't fully understand is why my Helix wouldn't display any sonar at all when I tried to change views. It wouldn't let me move from mapping. I broke a transducer on my old Lowrance and I could still get a signal, it was just a bad signal.

Did the prop eat up your cable when the mount broke?

Did you have Sonar turned OFF?

[cevans]

Maybe this will fix it? https://www.podunkideas.com/da-puck-fixit.html

[baysdad]

I had to restore defaults to get my Helix to display the sonar option.

On another note, I lowered the trolling motor height but the transducer still hits the front of the mount bracket when stowing. So I'm afraid the transducer will eventually break again. My Ultrex seems to be incompatible with the DI Transducer.

[baysdad]

Used my dad's boat the other day. His Fortrex power head doesn't rub his mount bracket when stowing the trolling motor. It has about 3 inches of clearance. Is there a way to adjust the Ultrex to create that "space" when stowing to not bang the transducer against the front of the mount?

[Wayne P.]

Used my dad's boat the other day. His Fortrex power head doesn't rub his mount bracket when stowing the trolling motor. It has about 3 inches of clearance. Is there a way to adjust the Ultrex to create that "space" when stowing to not bang the transducer against the front of the mount?

No

I have the Compact SI trolling motor puck and I think its the same size as the DI puck.
It is about 1/4 narrower than the HDSI and my HDSI with Transducer Shield and Saver does not hit the mount with the motor positioned at the end of the mount.

Also the puck is short enough to fit between the sides of the mount, so you can use two plastic cable ties (one on each side of the motor shaft to hold the puck centered between the mount sides and it won't hit the mount when deploying/stowing.