4 replies to this topic

[trailer]

I'm new to owning a boat and don't know much about the electronics side. I purchased a Hummingbird 581i HD down imaging unit. I was going to mount it on the bow but a co-worker said I should mount it on the transom for a few reasons:

 

1) Generally, you will idle around looking for underwater images with your outboard

2) Down imaging works best on the move

3) Obviously you can't run the outboard with the trolling motor in the water

 

I was originally thinking bow mount so I could monitor the spots I was fishing with the trolling motor after I picked them out on a topo map. Now he's got me thinking I should motor along looking with a transom mount.

 

Tell me what you guys think. I would appreciate the input.

 

[Jig Man]

Most guys put them on the console with the ducer on a jack plate.  That way you can use it to scan banks and mark wpts for fishing.  It is great to find lay downs, rock piles, etc.  You will also need a gps unit up front networked to the other one.

 

I personally like them both places and mark not only while driving around but also while I am fishing.

[trailer]

Ok. I follow you up to the point of networking. I currently will have one down-scan unit. Are you saying if I wanted to buy a 2nd unit I could mount it on the bow and network it with the console unit and rear transducer? Thus utilizing one fixed transducer and two displays?

[Wayne P.]

You have no worries about networking with another unit, the 500 series units, including the one you have, is not linkable to another unit.

 

To share a single transducer between two units, you would need two units that are Ethernet capable.

That would be 700 series HD units or the current 800, 900, 1100 series units.

Second best is two units in the 700 series that are linkable with INTERLINK which only allows sharing GPS data.

 

If you have a thin fiberglass hull like most bassboats, you can use the DI transducer you have as a shoot-thru.

Most that have a DI unit and not a fiberglass hull, mount that transducer at the hull bottom to give on-plane depth readings as well as DI images. It works well as a bow unit also with the transducer on the trolling motor.

[Wayne P.]

Another note for bow use:

If you choose to use the unit on the bow with a trolling motor transducer, exchange the transducer for the one designed for that purpose.  XTM 9 DI 25 T