SI transducer placement on Skeeter WX2000T?

I’m getting poor quality SI images on my Skeeter tiller: pretty good in a cone below the boat out to 60′ or so, but any kind of range is occluded and lacks adequate detail.

My guess is that the transducer placement isn’t allowing for good returns on the flatter signals directly to the side, possibly due to the sponsons that stick out on either side of the transom?
Another possibility is the livewell ports are interfering with the signal; the transducer is mounted just above the port cages, though it sticks out further than them?

Anyone getting good results on this rig…could you advise on transducer location and/or post some pictures? thanks!

Hi,
Some examples of transducer installs can be found on the internet.

Bass Boat Central < http://www.bbcboards.net > Look for the Humminbird Sonar/GPS link (then look at Installation Information Resource link (although the Skeeter tread looks like lots of pretty boat pictures!)). Some of the other boat install links might be useful.

Another is Yahoo Groups – Sideimaging. Check out the Photos link. Start with “z MESSAGE BOARD IMAGES” thread and see how it goes.

Remember that for sideimaging to work best, the “wings must have an unobstructed view” across the back of the boat. For my HDSI xducer to work best, I have to have the main motor trimmed up (a little) and the xducer mounted on a mounting plate to “push” it out from the transom “crud” – like other xducers (I have three total, Quadbeam to 797c for trolling and 2D/HDSI split to 998c for DI/SI/2D – NO PROBLEM!), and live well/drain plug stuff. All of my xducers are mounted parallel to the boat scum line, IE. how the boat sets in the water. This may end up not being parallel to the transom (motor) mounting surface – especially true in smaller boats.

Good luck,
Roger

Hey Lambeau,
My transducer is about 1/2″ above the port most livewell cage. Sounds to be right were yours is. I have been having what I believe to be good-great imaging. I have had mine most of the time set at 100′ This morning I saw a school of fish on the out most fringe 90-100′ marked them, and caught some nice crappies. I am seeing breaklines, and bottom transitions well. I have spent around 100hrs between Depere, and pool 9 this spring. What amazed me the most was the detail around the powerplants. However this is the first year for the Birds. I ran LCXs in the past so I have nothing else to compare it to. Maybe Gregg, or Shawn might have some answers.

Ed

Post some pictures of your installation, from directly behind, and from the side.

What Si freq are you using?

transducer is near centerline of transom, slightly above the livewell ports.

i’ve run a string between the bottoms of the sponsons where they stick out to the rear past the transom…the string crosses the transducer above it.

i’ve run the transducer on both frequencies. the results are exactly the same, only the intensity of the image changes. either way, the quality of the images are compromised and the range is limited to approx 75′ to either side.

Hi,
Looking at the transducer mounting position on your boat I would hope you are doing a AS-SY splitter connection to a 2D transducer (thru hull for your 2D (83/200 KHz) vertical work and the HDSI (pictured) for your SI/DI work. If that is not true and this mounting position is for all your sonar work (IE. 2D/SI/DI), your mounting position is hopeless (for your 2D operation). At any boat speed higher than maybe 5 MPH that transducer will be out of the water and non-operational (for any frequency).

Some transducer install examples are in your owner’s manual. Here is also a link to a Humminbird FAQ link that shows transducer mounting examples.
Link: < http://www.humminbird.com/FAQ.aspx?ContentId=1817 >

Note: Also refer to the links I mentioned in a previous posting on this tread.

Good luck,
Roger

Yes, it’s on a splitter with the 2D shoot-thru transducer.

My question is not about SI tdx placement in general, I’m familiar with that and this mounting location appears to follow the basic guidelines. I’m looking for ideas about mounting locations on this boat and potential sources of the signal limitations I’m experiencing.

How far out did you mount the SI tdx to get it free from the transom “crud”? What did you use to do that?

Hi,
I used two 4″x12″ transducer mounting plates to mount the three transducers I have on the back of my old Lund Tyee. They also come in other sizes. The Quadbeam (for my currently 797c) is mounted on one plate and a HDSI split with a 2D (for my currently 998c) on the other plate. You can find these transducer plates at Bass Pros or Cabelas or etc…

There are two reasons why I have those transducers (the HDSI and 2D) next to each other on one plate: 1) the only thru the hull option for a aluminum boat is a Alumaducer which is expensive and has gotten mixed reviews, and 2) on a Humminbird SI box the depth value is acquired from the 2D part of the HDSI transducer (or in my case the split off 2D transducer), so I have them close for depth accuracy.

The only transducer that is mounted “correctly” is the split 2D transducer mounted next to HDSI. What I mean by “correctly” is that for a aluminum boat you want your transducer to be mounted midway between the (stability?) fins (looking at the underside of the hull and about 1/4 to 1/2 inch into the water flow. The HDSI transducer is only used for low speed SI/DI structure/fish searches (and therefore can be off to the side). The Quadbeam transducer on the other side is mounted even with the bottom of the hull and is being used for slow speed structure/fish searches (and therefore can be mounted even with the hull). If you look real careful you will see that HDSI transducer is “slightly” below the other two transducers mounted on the back of the boat (looking across). This is to allow the HDSI “wings” to shoot UNDER the other two transducers >>> believe me it works!! I have been doing sonar installs on my boat (I do sonar upgrades every other year) and others boats for many years.

Here are some pictures:

Lambeau,

Your placement looks like it should work fine to me.

I dont know if its the angle of the pictures or what, but it looks to me that you could tilt it a notch or two downward, and give it a try.

If it were mine, I would try several different things, starting with tilting it downward.

Then I would build it out from the transom a half or 3/4 inch and give that a try.

next, I would try a friends unit on your setup and see if it reads any different.

Lastly, I would try a different xducer and see if that improves your SI.

use 455 khz for every experiment and SI sensitivity set to auto. If 455 doesnt work, theres no way that 800 is going to.

Im thinking theres something wrong with your 455, because theres no way that you should get the same image between 455 and 800 using the same settings.