Through Hull Transducers

[Doc Stressor]

I have about given up on my transom mounted Humminbird side imaging transducer. The amount of weeds in my area make it almost impossible to use. The weeds get jammed into the transducer mount while running at speed and often the only way to get them off is to go overboard. So I'm considering an in hull transducer for 2D imaging. Humminbird makes Y connectors and switches that should allow me to switch between both transducers. But most of the time I only use the 2D sonar rather than the side scanning function.

Has anybody had experience with shoot through the hull transducers on Gradies similar to my 226? I'm more concerned with sensitivity and resolution when looking for fish and structure rather than the ability to track bottom at speed.

 

[antaris]

I am currently using an Airmar P79 in an Adventure 208 - seems to be doing fine (now that I switched to 200Hz setting on the Lowrance HDS5 that it is connected to).

See my blog for full pics and location: http://adventure208.tumblr.com/

I have noted that the location os not correct, since at 50Hz I could not get a reading at speeds higher than 6 mph. Now (at 200Hz) I get full depth/fish readings up to 16-18 mph or even more somedays.

If I had the courage, I'd relocate the sounder a bit to the front and away from the engine, to avoid electrical interference that I occasionally get.

 

[Barbender]

I have a thru hull transducer on my 240 offshore with no issues. I get full sonar up to 18 knots in deep water and sonar at 23 knots in shallow water (less than 70 feet). I currently use a Garmin GPS combo if that is any help. I do not get any engine interferance (inboard). Regards

 

[Marty grady 272]

I have a Humminbird Matrix with a shoot through the hull epoxied in transducer. It works better than my stern mounted transducer ever did. It reads well at all speeds even at wot at 40 mph and matches the readings of my Lowrence depth finder

 

[Doc Stressor]

Which shoot through the hull transducers are you guys using besides the Airmar P79?

 

[weatherbymag]

I struggled this spring with the decision on a thru hull or in hull.

I went with the thru hull, best choice I ever made....aimar b60 20 degree tilted element

the hardest part as pulling the trigger on the drill to start the hole in the hull, but that was cured with a few ice cold beers.

by a new hole saw, start from the inside and 1/2 through switch to the outside..

a small tube of 5200 and you are done!!!!

 

[cgmiller]

I went with the Airmar B20 tilted element transducer for my Raymarine and so far it has been great..have not lost signal running up to 30 knots...I had no problem drilling that hole...drilled a pilot hole from the inside and then used a hole saw from the outside...

 

[Doc Stressor]

Do you guys use a fairing block with your B60s?

 

[cgmiller]

Doc,

That is the beauty of the new tilted element thru hulls...no fairing blocks needed...just install right in the hull...

 

[Doc Stressor]

Unfortunately, Humminbird does not make a through hull transducer that will handle the 20 degree Grady hull. They only make an in hull model that will do that, but it's not very powerful or sensitive according to what I've read. Marty is the only guy that has had good luck with one. I need a transducer that will do more than track bottom at speed.

I'd really like to use an Airmar like the B60-20, but I'm not comfortable that a 600W transducer will work with a 1000W head unit without reliability issues. That's why I'm looking at the higher powered units. I'm still not sure that their won't be problems.

 

[cgmiller]

Doc,

Go to the Airmar website..they make hundreds of different transducers...probably something that will fit your need...

 

[Doc Stressor]

Airmar sells a connector that will let a B60 work with any Humminbird.

My problem is that I know just enough about how transducers and head units work together to worry about long term reliability when the power output and impedance are not matched to a factory spec. But not enough to know the answer.

 

[ahill]

I have an Airmar on my Sailfish.I've spent time on their website & they seem to be really good. Many Name mfrs. use Airmar xducers.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

I have an Airmar M260 1kw through hull and it picks up the bottom quite well on plane at 43 mph in calm water and even in 2-3s offshore. I lost the botton in 1,600 feet of water when I was in the Florida Keys last year. I am running a Garmin GSD 22 digital sounder interfaced with 4208 chart plotter. I am quite pleased with it.

 

[BobP]

I have a similar version of the B60 tilt ducer and I can tell you it's the best I've had on the boat incl. P79 and two other transom ducers. It is nearly flush with hull and you can stick your fist thru the hole made. There is plenty of flange to seal well just finding a flat hull surface is important, has to be flat across the entire face of it. I had to cut out a piece of the subfloor on one side and move the two oil tanks together to other side.

That was where the work was, the hole saw does the deed in a minute.

And did I forget to say, the ducer IS pricey. You get what you pay for so it goes!

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Here is a quick (dumb)question. When folks write through hull are they talking about drilling a hole and mounting a transducer that is exposed to water? or are they talking about the kind mounted in a box filled with a fluid and it shoots through the hull, but no holes are drilled? Or is this called an in-hull? I thought through hull were the later? :-|

 

[BobP]

There is In-hull and thru-hull, only thru hull requires a hole.

Other than that it's transom mount.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

The nomenclature makes no sense to me (lol)...my ducer shoots the beam through the hull and the ducer itself rest on top of the hull, it is not in it as the name suggests. I would think these would be named the other way around as the one mounted with the hole drilled is actually mounted in the hull. In that case I have an in hull and not through hull.

 

[Doc Stressor]

I always called them shoot through the hull in order to avoid confusion. In hull is the most common term for them.

I'm not sure that I have enough room for a 260 in my rear bilge. There are 2 seacocks right where I'd like to mount the box. Where do you have yours mounted, Smoky?

I going to go with the cheap Humminbird in hull (shoot through the hull) 20 degree puck. But just because it's small and so inexpensive. If (when) I hate the results, I'll spring the big bucks for an Airmar. Either the B60-20 or the M260 if I can find a way to get it to fit.

 

[Capt. Ed]

Just one word of caution. I installed a B164 on my boat paired to a Furuno GP7000NT unit. The Furono was rated for 1000 watts. However, I had nothing but prorblems with losing botton and lack of detail. I worked with dealer, called Furuno, Airmar, nothing worked. Finally, paired the transducer with my Garmin 740S and it works perfectly. Never loses bottom and detail is incredible.

Might want to make sure your ff is up to a high performance transducer.