Am I thinking correctly (side scan angle)

[Shane Y]

Spoke with garmin today about my transducer before I mount it to the kayak.  The guy said that the side imaging comes out at a 30 degree angle. If I'm thinking correctly this should work without any sort of problems right? 

[Shane Y]

[slonezp]

I think you are close. I'm no electronics expert. Based on the info you provided, I believe you should have a 120* beam from the center point of your transducer. (180*-60* thirty for each side) The beam should miss your sponsons.  

[Shane Y]

Thanks...I just want to be sure before install everything.  

[Tennessee Boy]

The question is how wide is your side imaging beam.  The side imaging beam on my Humminbird is 86 degrees so it covers from directly below the boat (straight down) to just 4 degrees shy of straight out to the side.  I think you will have a problem if your beam is that wide.  This is a graphic from my manual.  See if you can find something similar for your unit.

 

[Shane Y]

11 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

The question is how wide is your side imaging beam.  The side imaging beam on my Humminbird is 86 degrees so it covers from directly below the boat (straight down) to just 4 degrees shy of straight out to the side.  I think you will have a problem if your beam is that wide.  This is a graphic from my manual.  See if you can find something similar for your unit.

 

The guy from garmin support said 30 degree angle. I took that as 30 degree In both directions and going by this speed square I should be clear. This is my first sonar unit ever so I want it to be right the first time. 

[Tennessee Boy]

I'm not sure what the Garmin guy was talking about.  If he understood what you were asking then it's like slonezp stated,  each beam is 60 degrees wide and you may be okay but it looks a little close to me.   I don't have any experience with Garmin so it would be good if someone who does chimed in here.

[redmexican5081]

Per Garmin's transducer guide for a GT52HW-TM the beam angles are:

Trad/CHIRP
24-16
ClearVü/SideVü
2.0x50@455
1.0x30@800

And in their Side Vu description there is this image

[redmexican5081]

They also recommend adding a second transducer for thru hull style systems if the rise of the hull from the keel to mounting location is over 5 degrees which would match the 86 degree coverage picture

[Shane Y]

I called again and this guy said that it was 86...so looking at my speed square what does this tell you more experienced people? Do I need to make a spacer to drop it down some? 

[J Francho]

The TD needs to be lower than the hull for SI to work. SI can't see through the hull.  This is why I use an arm for mine.

[Tennessee Boy]

86 degrees sound more like it.  I would just call in 90 degrees and assume the side imaging beams are coming straight out the sides of the transducer.  Mount it so you don't have anything blocking it on either side.

[Shane Y]

Good deal.  I found a video online of a guy installing a side imaging unit on the same kayak I have. I m going to need to rig up some sort of spacer for the bracket that came with the unit. 

[slonezp]

Make sure the transducer doesn't sit below the sponsons or you're going to be buying new transducers when you knock them off

[Shane Y]

I'll be sure to watch out for that, and the dry pod that it attaches to is hinged so it can be flipped up and out of the water when I get to shallow...but wont it just break off and still be attached to the wiring and to the kayak if it does get knocked off? 

[J Francho]

I can't count how many times I've smashed my TD.  It pretty banged up, but works fine.  They're more durable than you think.  Doesn't mean be reckless.