Mounting Side image transducer

[Kettle]

I have a humminbrid with side/down imaging and had a few questions on the instillation of the transducer. My boat does not have a jack plate for added space between the motor and the hull. Should I mount it dead center of the transom? The previous owner had a hardened piece of plastic he mounted on the transom just to the left of the motor (if you are looking at it from the back.) Can I mount it off set as long as it is level?

Thanks

Kettle

[h8go4s]

I don't know of anyone who has a transducer of any kind mounted dead center. Left of center, right of center, either will work. Your owner's manual (that's the CD you got with your unit) describes how to install it. It probably will tell you to put it at least 15" off center and either left or right depending on prop rotation. That's mostly for IO boats where the prop may be in front of the transducer, so you can ignore it. That "hardened piece of plastic" is a transducer mounting board. That allows you to adjust the transducer position without drilling extra holes in the boat. Use it. You will have to adjust the transducer position unless you're pretty lucky. And READ YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL BEFORE YOU INSTALL IT.

There is a good source of Bird info at forums dot sideimagingsoft dot com.

[delmuts]

With my limited experience with SI. You will not have a clearance issue unless you have the motor tilted all the way down. It doesn't need to be off the transom very far for the signals to reach out.

I agree that sometimes you have to play with the location of the transducer. I will be mounting a board on the back of my new boat when it comes. As said. Most are located on one side or the other.

[fivebucks]

My first go with my SI transducer has it too far to the side of the boat or too high. It is good up to 20 mph and then it goes. I have it level and get all my readings at low speeds. I have no more lake time until opener so I will be playing with it while on the boat lift and I will be wearing waders. Not ideal but I have a transducer board and have plenty of room to move it closer to the motor if I need to. Place it off to the side where it will still be under water and make sure it is level. The HBird instructions are very good. If you follow them you should be OK.

[RK]

I mounted mine off center. You do need to be conscious of any strakes, etc. on the hull, as the SI/DI does need a very clean water stream to function well. I get a little interference from the motor off to the port side (x-ducer is on starboard side) but at the speeds you're use SI at, it's minimal.

One thing to consider is getting a Y-cable and mounting a second high speed transducer. The unit will decide which to use based on what view you are using. I did this, and was able to mount the high speed transducer in an optimal position for high speed reading, then mount this SI transducer up a little higher to protect it in case I hit something with it (I've torn up a few transducers fishing flooded timber in the past).

Generally though, read the instructions carefully and do what they say and it'll perform fine. If you do have issues, there are a lot of places on the net to get help, and you can always call Humminbird. Their customer service is very good.