Re: mounting transducer
Mount it inside. I just did and it worked really good. Would have been better had I mounted it with 2 part epoxy that sets up hard....better in that I "think" that I am getting a little slurring of fish images that I don't "think" I had before. Bottom readings and interference (rejection) up to 50 mph are super.
For the record, people talk about not being able to read temp with it inside. Not so. Only difference is that minute variances don't show up as fast because, obviously, you have to change the temp of the hull to change the reading.
Mine was within 2 degr F of the one located on the trolling motor when I started measuring....course I had just come across the lake (where the water was warmer) so that probably was the reason for the difference.
If I entered a cove, (a particular test I made) the temp decreased about 4 degrees (trolling motor measurement) from the mouth of the cove to the rear (couple hundred yards) where the water was coming in from cold ground (temp was much cooler than the lake temp).
In the severall minutes I was in there, the internal temp only dropped 2 (of the 4) degrees...but it took it a few minutes to do that (obviously). Since I was that close measuring 44 degree water, I don't find that a problem. Had I remained in one place long enough, no doubt in my mind that the boat would have assumed the ambient water temp.
My units are Eagle 168 Cudas....$99.
HTH
Mark