2004 Grady White 33 Express Cruiser Garmin Transducer

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RockLobsterBOS

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Location
Duxbury, Ma
Model
Express 330
Hi
If I read my documents right the 2004 33' GW express has a deadrise of 20 degrees. I need to replace my transducer on a pair of Garmin 12x3 xvs units. I am looking for the best transducer I can get for under a thousand that gives me water temp , fish id and of course bottom accuracy for pleasure boating and fishing. I am going with thru hull. Anyone have any suggestions on the best transducer to use?
 
My GT-56 UHD on the stern works great. (under$500) I do lose sidescan above 15 knots, but hold the bottom at 28 knots. Sidescan works amazing. I also have the original (2007) 1K thru hull for traditional sonar that holds the bottom at all speeds. I also have dual 1243xsv
 

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Get the GT56 (high wide- better definition side scan not as deep) or GT51M(Mid -very good sidescan Deeper) thru hull from Garmin. Mount on centerline in the bilge.
Both are just under $1000 (not including installation). On the centerline, you don't need to use the fairing and you don't need two transducers.
The transom mount versions are much cheaper but don't work well when running on plane

GT56UHD TH

GT51M TH
BNwdkmzl.jpg


Since you have two sonar units, you could use a GT51 TH on the centerline and also get a B175HW 20deg for the other. However, a B175 is going to cost $1300
 
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I have both the GT51TH mounted on the centerline as in the above picture but also the Airmar B175HW. I almost always use the B175HW as it gives amazing definition and resolution compared to the GT51, but of course it doesn't do side scan. The 175 also does pretty well at planing speeds.
 
everwhom said:
I have both the GT51TH mounted on the centerline as in the above picture but also the Airmar B175HW. I almost always use the B175HW as it gives amazing definition and resolution compared to the GT51, but of course it doesn't do side scan. The 175 also does pretty well at planing speeds.
Click to expand...
Do you by any chance have pictures of where you mounted the B175HW? I currently have an in hull transducer that I want to replace with a B175HW.
 
mg1826 said:
Do you by any chance have pictures of where you mounted the B175HW? I currently have an in hull transducer that I want to replace with a B175HW.
Click to expand...
I don't have a picture, but it's mounted wide of the generator and air conditioning thru-hulls, accessible through the main deck hatch... It's the 20 degree tilt and I purchased from BOE Marine. It's kinda huge!
 
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everwhom said:
I have both the GT51TH mounted on the centerline as in the above picture but also the Airmar B175HW. I almost always use the B175HW as it gives amazing definition and resolution compared to the GT51, but of course it doesn't do side scan. The 175 also does pretty well at planing speeds.
Click to expand...
Hi I am working on upgrading my electronics package on my 330 express and i am planning on doing the GT51M and the B175HW but i have a couple questions and concerns.

Has anyone experienced any interference between the 2 transducers due to the overlapping frequencies? One supplier says it is not going to be an issue and another supplier says i will see issues on my display?

I see in the above picture the Gt51M is mounted what looks like between the generator and ac water pickup near the stern of the boat. Do you experience any water turbulence issue due to the proximity of these obstructions?

Also when looking from the inside at the bilge between the generator and ac thru hull penetrations there is a stringer directly in the center. Did you just offset the GT51 a little to miss the stringer?

Any additional help or input would be greatly appreciated
 
The picture is a 265 express not a 330. The inlets have no adverse effect on the GT51.
I haven't looked under the generator on a 330. I'm surprised there is a "stringer" on the centerline. Maybe just a bulkhead for the generator platform?
You can't offset it without using a fairing to keep the angle right.
If you offset more than a few inches you will block one side of the sidescan. They deal with that by using two GT51s. One on each side of the centerline. That's another $800...
There may be an accessable place forward on the centerline.

Yes, I do see "interference" when I operate my other sonar, a GSD24 connected to an R199 (50khz/200kHz @2KW) at the same time as my GT51M
It looks like red dots moving up from bottom. It doesn't stop you from seeing bait, fish or bottom.

The B175HW is CHIRP 150-250kHz

GT51M is CHIRP 80-160kHz If you used a B175M 85-135kHz you would have problems
 
RockLobsterBOS said:
I am looking for the best transducer I can get for under a thousand that gives me water temp , fish id and of course bottom accuracy for pleasure boating and fishing.
Click to expand...

As SkunkBoat and others already wrote, The GT Series are excellent transducers with SideScan what quickly becomes a very useful tool.
What you did not wrote is the depth the transducer has to reach.
The one of GT series who reach in SideScan depth is the GT51M model, then the other GT models with higher numbers as they use higher frequency bands what leads to ab better and more detailed SideScan image, but a less depth what can, but don't have to be a limitation.
I could reach with my GT51M-TM 180ft in SideScan in the murky waters in Costa Rica and I am installing again a GT51M-TM on my Canyon 306 as it is still the best transducer for SideScan for deeper water.
I would not recommend a GT56UHD for SideScan use on any water depth deeper than about 60ft, but for more shallow than that it give a better resolution, more shallow the better the resolution/image is.
If you absolutely don't mind about SideScan then there are probably better solutions, particularly the very flat, mushroom type thru-hull models like the B175 models and frequency bands depend on the use of the transducer.

Chris
 
Are you not able to use the platforms built into the hull for the transducers(one on each side) They take away the angles for that reason? Do side scan not work there?
 
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