2000 express 265 thru hull transducer question

It depend on for what you need the transducer and what Lowrance devices you have.
The flush mount transducers are basically a great development but have inferior qualities like for example single channel only.
If the SS75M does what you need and fit your budget then the SS75M is a good choice but not reading very deep.
Chris

The water pickup on the side should not be a problem, they are if in front of a transducer.
I had a B164 transducer on my RIB and he was reading up to 35 knots, those flush mount transducers in general read very well.
A fairing block has two purposes
1° to be able to cut it to the correct angle of the hull so that transducers surface is horizontal to horizontal sea bed
2° to divert bubbles to the side as bubbles usually glide attached to the hull to the side and put transducers surface above them

Was your transducer not reading above 6+ knots?

You have not many options,
a) another thru hull on a fairing block and cute better and let stick transducers surface more off the hull
b) a flush mount transducer as you think about and install it either in the existing hole or glass it close and drill another more distant from the water pickup
Keep in mind that the SS75 has a wider stem, so you will need to drill the original hole wider, verify that!
You can find the specifications and stem diameter here: https://www.airmar-emea.com/Product/SS75C-0-M-MM

Your HDS Pro should be able to run a twin frequency band 1Kw transducer what would give you much better readings, even at 200ft, but the same kind B165/175 series is single frequency band too. If you are using the transducer only for knowing depth, but not for fishing then the SS75M is fine.

Chris

Why SS75 and not B75? You have bottom paint. 265 not really a trailer boat.

The position is not a problem. Yours seems unusual position. Often they are between the inlets, right on the centerline.

You need to measure the existing hole. Different Airmar ducers have different cutout requirements.
read the dimensions on their site.

Your HDS is capable of sidescan right? Is it capable of running two tranducers?

I would suggest installing a Lowrance transom mounted sidescan xducer between the motors near the drain plug. Use a SternPad. See how well that works for you.
I had a TM garmin there for a few seasons and it was great for bottom fishing. reading bottom was ok before planing speed.

After that, if you want a really good 1Kw ducer, think about a B175.


Do a TAG search on this site for 265 Express. There are many posts about transducers on 265s.

The B175 is the better transducer than the SS75, you will not regret it.
Go with the B175H High as it has the best resolution at shallow depth.
Chris

I think ideally you should have a sidescan xducer on the transom for bottom fishing and use a B175HW for trolling /drifting for stripers & tuna.

A B175HW alone is not going to be good for bottom fishing.

you plan on blackfishing and fluking. Get a sidescan xducer.

looking back at your picture. Looks like a 2" hole. You probably had a B744 with the speed paddle wheel.

The new B765 and B785 models will fit the hole. Shortens your project....

I have a 2000 265 also. I do the fishing you described. A lot of it...
I have a GarminGT51M side/down scan thru hull mounted between the water inlets.
I replaced a B744 that was there.
Its works WAY better at speed than the Transom mount GT21 that I had before. But the Transom Mount was very usable and cheaper and easier to install.
Sidescan is absolutely the best for bottom fishing and finding rocks/wrecks. You need sidescan. It also works as a traditional sonar.
I use that for almost everything inshore of the canyons. It starts losing bottom at about 700ft when tilefishing.

I also have a R199 2kw shoot-thru to read deep bottom in canyon. I got a good deal on it. It requires a second sonar unit to get the 2Kw power.

If I had a do-over, I would probably get a B175HW. XtraWide beam for seeing fish swimming under boat (tuna/stripers). That would be in addition to the Sidescan....did I mention that you need that?


The B765LH is a Dual channel 50/200khz CHIRP xducer. It is the CHIRP equivelent of the old B744. It is 300w/600w power. It is a decent xducer that will mount easily in your boat. In that position it should read bottom while you are running on plane. My old B744 read bottom to 200ft at 30mph. I say "bottom", not fish....

The B785M is basically the same 600W single channel xducer as the B75M but in a different package.

The B175 is a 1K watt single channel. There is a big difference between 600w and 1kw. Its not linear. And they don't just put OUT more power, they can receive weaker return signals because they have bigger ceramics.
Look at the Airmar data and info sheets.
The B175 comes in different frequencies and "cone angles". general wisdom is that the HW is best for things like trolling/drifting for suspended fish (tuna/stripers)


I am not familiar with Lowrance HDS Pro. You said "units" plural... I assume you can run both a "3 in 1" sidescan/downscan/CHIRP on one unit and a dual channel B765 on the other. Or a B175LH