Transducer Question

[Jim Mac]

How far below the water surface does the transducer need to be? Since I removed my outboard motor, it's only about 2" below the surface, and it seems to be acting up. It keeps flashing a certain depth, and it seems to be stuck. After turning it off and on again, it does the same thing. I'm trying to figure out if it's too close to the surface, or my 20 year Eagle finally went bad. Thanks.

[Kevin22]

1/4 inch. It needs to be below the boat though or it will get interference

[Jim Mac]

Below the boat? How far below the boat?

[Kevin22]

Just below or exactly flush. Your sonar shoots the waves out in a cone shape from the bottom of the transducer. If it hits something on its way down (like the boat) it will show interference and lose a lot of sensitivity. I set mine up so I can run a piece of board or something across the bottom of the hull and it just hits the bottom of the transducer. 

[Downeaster2010]

Just think of it this way.  The transducer must always be making full contact with water.  When on plane

if the transducer is off to one side, sometimes, air from passing under the hull causes the transducer to

have poor water contact, giving bad readings.  Lowering the transducer some and tilting just a bit forward

can improve many situations.  Only you know your boat and the placement of the transducer, so making

some adjustments can improve you situation.  Never ever cut the cable of a transducer to shorten it.  That

will create a improper electrical length, and will give incorrect readings forever.

[Wayne P.]

If it worked fine with the outboard attached, it should work the same without the outboard as long as the transducer is wet.

If when you are running the boat at the bow, you could be raising it out of the water.

Have the unit operating and go to the back of the boat and see if it works OK then.

If it does, add some more weight to offset the loss of motor weight. Another battery at the back of the boat is a useful weight addition.

 

A friend of mine has a 14' Grizzly jon boat and his transom is out of the water when he is at the bow running his bow trolling motor.

[Jim Mac]

Thanks Wayne. I think that's the problem. Not only did I lose the 230 lbs. of the motor, but I fish from the bow now. I did lower the transducer a little, so I'll see if that helps.