My first great boating dilemma--how in the world do I get a fish finder on this crazy thing! The main trouble is finding where to put the stupid transducer.

1. I can mount it on the transom. The main problem with this, is that aluminum boats have all kinds of rivets and ribs and stuff to cause interference. Most people say it's a pain trying to mount on the transom.

2. I can mount it on my TM. I can't use it while the big motor is on, and there is the risk of knocking the smitherinkums off it on a stump or rock.

3. Get a portable fish finder like with a suction cup transducer, or a fishin' buddy that clamps onto the side of the boat.

Maybe someone here has made the decision here before. Please enlighten me if you have.

http://vexilar.com/pages/accessories/accy_transducers_au.html

Supposedly, those transducers are fantastic.

I have an Alumaducer in my Tracker hull. Works great. My hull is all welded and was factory rigged with a transom transducer. I chose the Alumaducer because I fish around stumps a lot.

You may find a somewhat air bubble free area to use the transom transducer by having most of the transducer body below the hull bottom. Just keep it away from any ridges in the bottom (between them).

If you have rivets all over the bottom for mid hull bracing, an Alumaducer may not be any better than the transom transducer due to air bubbles from those.

The Lowrance/Eagle transom transducers are easier to get to work on difficult installations than the Humminbird transducers because of the shape of them.

Get a piece of plastic/pvc deck board at Home Depot. Mount it to the transom. Mount the transducer to the board.

I'm going to try something similar to what you've got rigged up. I can't wait to have electronics; no more fishing blind for me! 

Get a piece of plastic/pvc deck board at Home Depot. Mount it to the transom. Mount the transducer to the board.

I used this method. Instead of using screws to mount the plastic to the boat, still makes a hole in the hull, I use double sided take. Even after being in the water for a week straight it is still holding. I figured if humminbird can use 3M VHB tape, http://store.humminbird.com/products/313992/XSO_9_20_T, to mount them to a hull so could I. I just used 3M's website to find the right tape. So far so good.

Like Wayne P, I've got an alumaducer in my boat (a Lowe 180WF). After smashing several brackets and a couple of transducers, it seemed to be the way to go. I'm totally happy with it. I can actually get a depth reading when I'm on plane, which was never the case with the transom mounted transducer.

I'm not real handy with stuff like this, so my biggest problem was finding a place that would install it and stand by their work. Alumaducers are not a real common item inthe aluminum boat world, even though they have been on the market for a while.

I found a place in St Louis - Tri-State Trolling Motors.  I had to tow my boat across the state and then go back the next week to pick it up.  I've been totally happy with their install - 3 years and it is still working.