new boat

[smalliehunter]

So i bought a 518vx and i want to mount my 1198 on the bow. where is the best place for the transducer?

[skeeterpro1]

the trolling motor

[slopmaster]

the trolling motor

Thats where mine is as well.

[smalliehunter]

Don't you worry about hitting it on stumps or rocks... I guess I asked a dumb question

[Larson15]

If you are running SI on the stearing wheel you may be able to link them and use the SI transducer off the back if you dont want it hanging off the trolling motor. Otherwise you can mount it on the trolling motor and buy a transducer shield so you dont bang it up.

[mww24]

Nice boat. I love that 518. What year is it? any pics yet?

[Raider4ever]

Put it on the troller. I'm pretty sure that the troller's prop blades go further down than the transducer. If you hit something hard enough to break prop blades AND the screw up the transducer, I'm guessing your going to be having bigger, better trolling motor issues.

[TonkaBass]

518 is a great boat. I would also mount it on the troller. Hitting stuff will happen but they all take a, you know, at some point anyways. The ducer should last you a few years unless you have no luck in life.

[smalliehunter]

its an 02 with and 02 optimax. drove to nebraska for it. not very good pics but youll get the idea. ill looked into the sheilds and thats the way im going to do it. thanks for the replies

[smalliehunter]

[slopmaster]

Nice boat bud, big congrats on a heck of a boat! Does it got a 200 on the business end? I bought my first glass boat last year (05 ranger 175vs) couldn't be happier. Unless you wanna swap, I wouldn't turn you down . Joking aside, i hope you make some good memories in that boat in the years to come.

[smalliehunter]

yeah its a 200. i also bought my first glass boat in 2010. A 96 R72 sport. I won a few league nights in it. I hope to have good times and WIN league nights in my new rig. it wont fit in my garage so i brought it right to storage and cant wait to pick it up in a week or 2.

[CAMAN]

Nice looking boat!

I wouldn't worry about hitting anything with the 'ducer on the TM. The keel and prop do a pretty good job at protecting it. I've hit plenty of rocks and logs with mine and the 'ducer has never moved, I don't even recall a scratch on it.

Vexilar has a pretty good tutorial on mounting them to trolling motors HERE

[smalliehunter]

at transducer sheild.com they have everything i need. i am pumped to get everything hooked up just the way i want it and get on some open water.

[mww24]

nice boat. very clean for an 02. congrats again

[smallie_hawgin]

I'd say if you have an option for a through hull mount in the keel or just off set... It saves running wires down the TM shaft... I recently upgraded to the universal sonar TM.. Which is sweet BTW... But, quite a few of the pros (prior to the universal sonar setups) were shooting through hull slightly forward.... Just a thought and option...

[smalliehunter]

I learned at the expo not to put the ducer on the trolling motor. Every move of the trolling motor would make the picture blurr, a little. So ill proably mont it in the transom.. or look into thru hull options...

[TR21HP]

I don't know who gave you that advice but it is totally wrong. Had two boats with the transducer on the trolling motor and never had a problem with any blur of any kind.

[KickNBass]

He's talking about a side imaging transducer.

I put mine on the jack plate of my boat. Lots of posts on this, just do a search. There will be someone with the exact same setup somewhere.

Some guys use the SI transducers on the trolling motor to find structure while up there but usually in conjunction with one on the transom somewhere.

[reddog]

Whoever told you that it wont work is full of ship. You can readily see structure/rocks and fish at down to 0.0 miles per hour if you know what to look for, or can read what your unit is tell you. Unless you are continually spinning the trolling motor, dont worry about a turning it back and forth.

They call it a transducer shield and saver, but really, it doesnt offer any protection to the business end of the transducer, but it is a far superior mount than anything else out there. I used the Humminbird one for two years, and upgraded to the TSS this spring, and it is a great piece!

[TonkaBass]

You'll get a blurred image if you mount it on the transom when you turn too.

[reddog]

See the rocks? .02 mph..

[Craigums]

Reddog,

Can you explain what your looking at in the SI image you have there? I would assume its a big flat with just a few bigger rocks to your left about 50 or so feet out? Maybe a couple smaller ones off to the right?

[reddog]

Its very hard to take a picture with a camera and show the detail that is on the screen, and I dont have a screencapture that is associated with this shot.

What you are seeing in this picture, is three different rock piles throughout the history that is shown on the screen. The furthest down is by far the largest. then there is the middle one, and then I am just starting to go over another.

Yes, they are approx 50 feet to the left and the right in each case. If you notice the swirls in the picture, this is trolling motor movement from left to right or right to left. My point with this picture is that when you get good enough at reading your unit, a little swirls wont bother you, and dont change what the unit is trying to tell you..