We installed a Humminbird Xplore 9 a few months ago, and when we did the install we just mounted the transducer in the same spot the old one was. At the time we weren’t really thinking about side imaging.
The issue now is the right side imaging is getting blocked by the lower part of the hull, which you can see in the pictures. The hull sticks out just enough to shadow that whole right side.
What I’m trying to figure out is whether it would be OK — and what the advantages or disadvantages would be — to mount the transducer in front of the motor, down the centerline of the boat. In the pictures I circled the spot we’re considering. There’s over an inch of clearance between the motor (trimmed all the way down) and where the transducer would sit, even with the motor turned.
I know I’ll probably lose accurate high‑speed depth readings, but that’s not a big deal for us. We care more about the down and side imaging, and we fish the same areas all the time so we pretty much know the depths already.
I don’t want to mount the transducer on the back next to the trim plates. In shallow water the back end of the boat sometimes drags or bumps the bottom when coming out of the hole, and I’m worried about snapping the transducer off.
So the main question is: Is it OK to mount the transducer between the motor and the hull on the centerline, knowing I have about an inch of clearance with the motor trimmed all the way down?
I did contact Humminbird, but they mainly tried to sell me a thru‑hull transducer. I don’t have access to the inner hull and I’m not interested in drilling or cutting holes in the bottom of the boat, so that wasn’t helpful.
Any input from folks that know about this or who’ve mounted theirs in a similar spot would be appreciated.
PS. ignore the dropped axle we where putting new leaf springs on.
The issue now is the right side imaging is getting blocked by the lower part of the hull, which you can see in the pictures. The hull sticks out just enough to shadow that whole right side.
What I’m trying to figure out is whether it would be OK — and what the advantages or disadvantages would be — to mount the transducer in front of the motor, down the centerline of the boat. In the pictures I circled the spot we’re considering. There’s over an inch of clearance between the motor (trimmed all the way down) and where the transducer would sit, even with the motor turned.
I know I’ll probably lose accurate high‑speed depth readings, but that’s not a big deal for us. We care more about the down and side imaging, and we fish the same areas all the time so we pretty much know the depths already.
I don’t want to mount the transducer on the back next to the trim plates. In shallow water the back end of the boat sometimes drags or bumps the bottom when coming out of the hole, and I’m worried about snapping the transducer off.
So the main question is: Is it OK to mount the transducer between the motor and the hull on the centerline, knowing I have about an inch of clearance with the motor trimmed all the way down?
I did contact Humminbird, but they mainly tried to sell me a thru‑hull transducer. I don’t have access to the inner hull and I’m not interested in drilling or cutting holes in the bottom of the boat, so that wasn’t helpful.
Any input from folks that know about this or who’ve mounted theirs in a similar spot would be appreciated.
PS. ignore the dropped axle we where putting new leaf springs on.
