Sonar trouble at speed...Please help

[Walkingboss]

I have a Lowrance x37 and am having trouble getting depth readings when traveling faster than headway speed. My boat is a Tracker PT185 and the dealer had installed the transducer. I've included some pics for reference.

I think the transducer is getting spoiled water from the vee ahead of it. Could simply moving the mounting location to the left, away from the vee improve things? I also realize that electronic 'noise' from the motor could be involved.

I really need to have this resolved for safety and performance reasons asap. Please help.

[RatONaStick]

The transducer needs to be mounted on the pad(or vee as you call it). At speed the boat actually rides on the pad and unless it's mounted there it will never be deep enough in the water to get a good reading.

[Wayne P.]

You have two choices. You can move the transducer to the "pad" area so it is in contact with the water at all speeds. You can also purchase a transducer that is designed to shoot thru an aluminum hull and eliminate the possibility of getting your transducer damaged or misaligned from being exposed---http://www.vexilar.com/products/alumaducer.html

[Bass_junky]

I agree it needs to be moved closer to the "pad" but if that doesn't work you might also check your ping speed.

[Walkingboss]

Thanks gents, I'll move it on down to the pad area.  I like the "Alumaducer" idea but the my financial partner (see: wife) would frown on any more expendatures.....Also, I have a litte Humminbird I plan on mounting on the bow and wanted to mount the transducer on the trolling motor.  Will electronic noise and/or weeds fetching up on the transducer make this frustrating?

[Jig Man]

The first thing I would do is loosen the bolts and drop the td as low as it will go and try it.

Before you go drilling a bunch of new holes, you might want to find out how the transducer board works on a Lund. You mount the td to the board and never have holes below the water line. That would give you some margin for error and potential movement trying to find the perfect place.

Very few alums have smooth enough water flow to read much past 30 mph when the water is calm.

[ol_grayfeather]

http://www.lowrance.com/Manuals/Files/X47TX_042503.pdf

I don't know if this is the same unit but the transducer set up should be pretty much the same.

[xvirginian]

myself i would go back to where the thing was installed,have them fix it and make them go with you to test it at all speeds,that way if any new holes have to be drilled they can repair the old one,s they made when they installed it,surely they never tested it,and its clear from your picture its not getting proper water flow,remember customer satisfaction is more important than,anything to a dealer,or it should be,hey people make mistakes fix them,they move on,and hopefully learn from them,,good luck and good fishing,

[ThomasL]

Walkingboss,not to be picky but looking at the pics why didn't they route the cable behind the transducer

bracket,then go up with it.As you look at the second pic am i seeing things right in that the transducer is

above the pad,see what happens if you lower the transducer down first before changing positions.

[strick9]

I think the routing of the cable is fine but you definitely have some room to adjust that td down a couple inches before you go moving it.

[jdw1962]

I have a a 2006 PT175 with the Lowrance X37. the tranducer mounted by Tracker or Bass Pro Shop in the same location (but opposite side)  and I have the same issue with reading the bottom or anything else at almost any speed using the outboard.

I put an Eagle Fish Easy 320 on the bow, mouning the skimmer tansducer to the trolling motor.  This works very well.  No electrical noise from the trolling motor at all. I will experiment with mount location of the rear transducer and see what works best for me and post my results.

Quackn8r

[jdw1962]

My transducer was mounted almost identicaly to the pics. I dropped mine to the bottom of the mounts (loosened screws slid transducer down and retighted). It is now reading  the bottom at least to 5 MPH  (no wake lake) but it would not even do that before.  going to run it this weeken on plane and see. Will post pics.

Quackn8r

[Way2slow]

The undercut section of the hull at the pad where the Xducer needs to go may not be accessable, the floor is problaby going to have it covered and he migth be stuck with that location. If that is the case, look for a piece of aluminum the width of the mounting, about 6" long and 1/8" thick. Mount the skimmer on one end, hold a straight edge on the pad, position the skimmer so the straight edge is in the center (1/2 the skimmer above and 1/2 below) and is pointing straight down, while holding the aluminum bar against the hull at the skimmers current location and trace around it. Now have someone hold the bar in the trace area while you either mark the holes from the inside of the hulls original holes to drill them or drill them using the holes as a guide. Thise will drop the Xducer down the inch or two it needs for proper water contact at speed and will not have to make more holes in his boat.

Since the water is going to have some upward movement coming off the rear of the pad, you migth find the skimmer needs to be moved up about a 1/2" or so if it's making a big spray but trail and error is the only way to determine that. Leave a couple of inches of that bar above the holes for support.