Side Imaging

Alright all you side imaging gurus, I need your help. Give me the scoop on installing this thing. I'm open for any suggestions on transducer placement, GPS antenna placement and just any general info. that might make this go smoothly.

(NEHHHHH Minner, beat ya to it so SHUDUP) Biggest concern you need to worry about it making sure the ducer will be level in the water. Make sure you have the boat on level ground and then use a hand level as you tighten the screws to make sure it's level. I have my GPS puck mounted on the back corner of my boat and it works great. So easy DonDon can do it

hate to say this out loud but DD is right. Biggest thing is making sure you ducer is level in the water not neccessarily level on the boat

Sure you had one when you typed that. LOL

I don't think you can win T-man. :D

He might never have known the DUCER was upside down if a OLD MAN hadnt told him.

OLD MAN was right as usual

DD,did you put the GPS puck on the back corner to be near the ducer? I was thinking of putting it on the console. Would this cause problems?

If ya put the puck at the console, and your console is 8' from the ducer, your marks are going to be 8' off.

where ever you put your puck is where your waypoints are located horizontally. I have mine almost right above my Ducer. I MAYYY be a couple feet off but not very far

Get you a mounting plate for that Ducer. The SI is squirelly and those that want to tweak it rarely get by without tweaking and adjusting on it.

Amazon.com: Rig Rite Manufacturing 920 Marine 3.5"x 12" Horizontal Transducer Plate: Automotive

Or, I saw a cool mount over the the Main board the other day. Dude made a bracket to attach to the jackplate. Sweet. I'll see if I can find the link for ya.

Wannabe...

Here 'tis.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/fishi...cer-mount.html

That's about a slick as can be right there.


Wannabe...

bunch of yahoooos, no fair throwing punches while I was off doing some work stuff. And yes DD, I do still have that lump in my throat, it hurt severely to say that in public. BUT, when I said you were right I was talking about having the ducer level and pointing in the right direction so you do not have to turn your boat over..lol.

Everyone is missing the point of this thread.... TLOW got an SI unit! Fess up, which one did you get Tony?

not sure which model but I bet he went HB

Forgot to tell ya'll that after DD's first upgrade, he swore up and down he had Side Imaging. I asked him a few questions to be sure:

WB - You sure you got SI?

DD - Yep, just don't know how to read it.

WB - But you've got a Lowrance right?

DD - Yep, only a little ole 520C though.

WB - But that's not capable of SI. The HDS units are though.

DD - I don't know from HDS, but I'm tellin ya, I got SI.

WB - Well how'd you make that work?

DD - I dunno. I mounted everything according to the book, power, transducer, antenae and all, then I just layed the unit down on the deck and when I got to my first spot, presto, I had Side Imaging.

WB - You layed the unit down on the deck? You didn't put a bracket on it or a Ram mount?

DD - Heck no, I like to pick it up, tie a strang around it and wear it proudly aound my neck. World's best Crappie Bling. Much better than the Mercedes emblem Nessa gave me for Christmas. Plus, if I fall out, I can use the cords to pull myself back in.

WB - but what does that have to do with SI?

DD - Well, when you lay it over on it's side - Shazam, side imaging.

After that, I hung up on him and haven't offerered him any more electronical advice.

Wannabe....

That was right before Grenada lake took yours out

look out WB is feeling better!

Ok. First things first. Cable comin out of ducer goes up. Not down. Second. There is going to be some slop in your ducer. It ain't tight to the bracket like most would expect. This is normal according to HB. Second. All the other mounting procedures are personal choice. Crappie bling is kinda neat WB. When dd has a couple extra toddies and decides to lay down does that mean he's gots double SI or is tryin to compensate fer upsidedown ducer. Oh well either way a 997 hung around his neck would be kool. The puck mountin would be much more accurate mounted over the ducer. Say the sats are off a couple of feets and you puck is 8 feets away. That's 10 feets, even in dd's world. Also check transom to make sure it's square across the back. Mine wasn't and the other side of the boat was interferring. I had to perform a shim job to clear the other side of the boat.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I got the HB 998. Can't wait to get on the water with it.

Tlow, what kind of boat do you have?

Sea Ark aluminum.

Try to keep it inbetween strakes (if any). You may want to get another dual beam ducer to run deeper than the bottom of the boat. Keep the si ducer above to prevent damage from a stump. I think a replacement would set you back $250-300. Also, mount as far from the motor as possible. This will help prevent any motor wash from showing. Does the boat have any type of inset on the hull in front of the motor?

You're gonna need to put some bells on the tips of your poles. You can't watch that SI and your polls at the same time.

I'd help with your installation but my labor rate is out of sight.