I went to BassPro this weekend with the wife and kids. I played around with the different graphs and really like the Garmin units. I have a question about clearance between the hull and motor.  The CV transducer is ~6.5” long. I only have 5.5” of space between the hull and motor. Will this cause interference in the side view/ down view?

21 minutes ago, redmexican5081 said:

Will this cause interference in the side view/ down view?

Well it sure does on my Humminbird.    I trim up my motor when I'm using side imaging and that helps.  It's not an issue with down imaging.  If I don't trim up,  the signal just bounces off the motor and I see a mirror image of what on the starboard side on the port side.

Trimming up the motor isn't an option, its a 1983 Johnson and i can only adjust it by moving the pin.  This is not something I would want to do each time i need to move  and then again to set up for surveying the area.

 

Anyone have thoughts on a better way to gain the clearance or am i just not at a point with a boat yet where side imaging is possible?

Humminbird sells a splitter that will allow you to used two transducers, one each side.  I don't know if Garmin has a similar option. 

Mount the transducer as far away from the motor on the transom as you can. You should be fine.

@Scott F  I think you are referring to interference cause by turbulence from the prop.  I agree this will not be an issue if the transducer is mounted far enough from the motor.  What I am concerned about is the starboard side imaging beam being blocked by the lower unit.  If you are trying to shoot through a gap,  being farther from the gap does not make it easier.  His lower unit is 5.5 inches from the transom.  Most transducer mounting brackets put the transducer about an inch from the transom.  That gives him 4.5 inch gap for the side imaging beam.  Might be enough, I don't know. 

 

My transducer is mounted two inches from the transom and I think my motor is even closer than five inches when trimmed all the way down. It totally blocks the side imaging beam on my Humminbird Solix unless I trim the motor up a little bit.

31 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

@Scott F  I think you are referring to interference cause by turbulence from the prop.  I agree this will not be an issue if the transducer is mounted far enough from the motor.  What I am concerned about is the starboard side imaging beam being blocked by the lower unit.  If you are trying to shoot through a gap,  being farther from the gap does not make it easier.  His lower unit is 5.5 inches from the transom.  Most transducer mounting brackets put the transducer about an inch from the transom.  That gives him 4.5 inch gap for the side imaging beam.  Might be enough, I don't know. 

 

My transducer is mounted two inches from the transom and I think my motor is even closer than five inches when trimmed all the way down. It totally blocks the side imaging beam on my Humminbird Solix unless I trim the motor up a little bit.

No I was not talking about interference from the prop. I have a Garmin with side imaging and I don't have to trim my motor up for it to work properly.