Humminbird 998 si transducer question

Getting ready to mount this on my fishin/hunting boat 1860 lowe roughneck. I currently have a humminbird 597 on it now..and manage to break the plastic bracket for the transducetr once every other year. This one i see has a metal bracket for the transducer. Seems like the ears on the transducer will break before this bracket. Anyone recommend anything? Will these flip up like my old one does? Say when i push it through some shallow water/mud? Im pretty gentle with it but just hate to spend $200 every year on a new transducer. Thanks guys

Mine will trip when it hits something pretty stout. I've had it happen once, hit a good sized limb. I take mine off during duck season.

I guess i could do that...do u just leave the bracket on for the ducer?

I have a mounting bracket welded on to the transom that I mount the tm bracket to. I take it all off. Only thing left on during season is the welded-on mounting bracket. I don't fish, or really need depth/map capabilities, during duck season.

I bought one of these yesterday. Buddy has one for his 998 and swears by it. Transducer Shield and Saver - See More Fish, Catch More Fish! - SBB-HDSI-COMBO