Furuno Transducer Question?

[perko]

I am getting either a 585 or 620 Furuno for a UB520 and don't know weather to get a transom mount, through hull or in hull transducer? I only want to fish up to 60 meters but would like to get a good picture at 15-20 knots. Looking at 600 watts only. Any advice and installation tips would be appreciated?

[foggy]

I have just installed a FCV620 and a transom mount transducer. I was very carfull with the positioning of the transom mount transducer and got it spot on first go. Sounds perfectly up to 65km/hr. I think the transom mount is more than adequate for what you want. Take your time in setting up the transducer. The template that comes with it is a good one and just use a straight edge on the hull to get the height right.

Foggy

[finding_time]

Check your pm perko!


Ian

[Dr Squid]

Giving that your only looking at 60 meters (a relatively shallow distance for 600w) all would work very well. though having said that, in-hull is probably the best compromise of the lot.

Transom mount can require a bit of fiddling to get right(once fitted correctly will work well at high speeds and depths)

through hull requires cutting a hole in the hull (can be costly if you don't get the placement right the first time) but IMO will offer the best performance of the lot if fitted correctly.

In-hull will only work with solid glass hull construction and because the sound must travel through the hull, it will loose some depth performance (thought at 60 meters it won't be noticeable) but can easily be test fitted(water bag technique) before properly fitted. though may drop out at higher speeds(flow noise of the hull obscuring the return)

[2rods]

Perko... I have a goodwin 5950 longboat and an older furuno FCV 600L sounder and airmar P66 transducer transom mounted...it is a pain in the bum.... it is set up as recommended but as soon as there is a swell around I loose bottom.....

I am looking at going to a in hull set up..... I was given a furuno factory transducer with a broken mount and I am looking at sticking it to the hull with sikaflex...I just need to try and run the cable through some tight spots......

Hope your UB doesn't have the same issues.

[marco]

i run the transom mount transducer upto 90 metres and it works great at speed as well , i have been playing with the settings some more after reading some info on tuning the furunos and it works even better now . let me know if you want the info on tuning , happy to email it ( credit to piscatory pursuit for sending it on ) .

your question you ask has been raised before and if you do a search you will find some good info , and you will find comments from " grand marlin " who installs this stuff for a living , it is worth reading his comments on issues relating to the loss of signal going through the hull with a in hull tranny when compared to a transom mount . you will get better readings with a in hull and better again with a through hull but there is a big cost difference too when compared to the transom mount .
mark

[leezor]

In-hull will only work with solid glass hull construction and because the sound must travel through the hull, it will loose some depth performance (thought at 60 meters it won't be noticeable) but can easily be test fitted(water bag technique) before properly fitted. though may drop out at higher speeds(flow noise of the hull obscuring the return)

Squidly, I have a 620 with the Airmar 600watt through hull transducer and have had good results getting a bottom reading at all speeds.

My last sounder had a transom mount transducer and it was a pain in the the backside, I put it down to the stepped transom configuration on the Southwind SF20 which was causing the probs. The through hull was simple to install, I took the punt and sika'd in the spot I thought was best without testing it, luckily for me it worked a treat.

Lee

[finding_time]

Here you go Perko! The transducer works fine in this position and will only stop reading when the stern leaves the water which as you know is a suprisingly rare event for a boat of this size.

[larfin]

If it is a glass boat I think the inhull is the way to go.
At speed just put the gain in manual and turn it up.
Iam speaking from my own experience as I have used both

[finding_time]

Larfin

the pics are from the transducer on my southwind ub520 ( the same boat that perko is asking about),i have done over 450 hrs in this boat and the sounder reads very very well in all sorts of sea conditions. UB"S are very unique in how they ride there quite skinny for there lenght Beam is only 1.6m and as they ride over a wave the stern tends to break through the top of the wave rater than launch off it giving the stern mounted transducer a very good go at reading the bottom. In my Kevlacat i have a through hull 1kw through hull transducer and it also reads very very well but for what Perko stated his uses would be in this boat it is way overkill.




Ian

[perko]

Thankyou all for your help. I will give a transom mount a go as per Ian's pics and see how it goes. Perko

[Spaniard_King]

Here is a pick of my old HAines 580 with a 520-PLD and it was the ducks gutz for a 600W