That is some really good info guys. I'm hoping someone with a Quinnie will come out of the woodwork and give me some help. I installed the new bracket last night and dropped the mounting about 5mm and centered it a little better between strakes (moved left as you look at my photo, above). I'll try and get this out for a test on Saturday and I'll take another driver so I can hang off the back to find clean water if it exists.
I don't have a quinnie, but I do have an aluminium with slightly different strakes to yours. I run the P66 to a lowrance HDS. It will give me a clear picture all the time at any speed in all conditions that I have been out in and in depths to 70M. I can't say deeper because I haven't put it over deeper water as yet, but I believe it will give me the same result in much deeper water. I did have to play with the settings initially but it is now solid. This either says something about Furuno or the trannie set up. My guess is it is the set up as Furuno is a godd product. To me, looking at your pics the angle of the trannie face seems a little bit out. Airmar advise that there should be a bit of down angle from the front to the back of the unit and yours seems either flat or even a little bit the other way. It also seems a touch deep to me. I think the recommeded depth is about 5mm from memory. I would suggest you need to play with the angle of the trannie and get a bit of forward facing tilt for better results.
Bowser, thanks for the comment. I'll run a spirit level on it this arvo and I might post the photo. I have tried it higher but that was worse and others are saying these things need to go deep.Originally Posted by Bowser
I'd really like to solve this and post the results here as there are hundreds of threads on the net where guys are struggling with these big transducers and there are very few solutions other than "try everything" or go through the hull.
The 1st photo shows the transducer next to a spirit level which sits on the hull - the transducer is much deeper than the manual suggests.
The 2nd photo shows the rear profile of the transducer.
The 3rd photo shows the rear of the boat and another possible mounting spot which doesn't have a welded block so I'd be drilling through the hull to attach mounting screws.
I have not tested this setup. Previous test the trannie was a little higher and slightly to starboard, still on the mounting plate.
Hey whiteman - looking at that second photo - looks as if the transducer is very close to the left hand strake - have you tried closer to the middle of the two strakes - chasing cleaner water?? or is the photo deceiving? (d'oh just reread your last post..... yep you've tried that..)
third photo possible placement seems a bit far towards the outer hull - most guides suggest that is a bad spot to put it?? what about the other mount thats on the back there - no good there?
what i did when trying to get the right spot for a transducer one time was mount it on a small piece of timber (or other scrap material) screwed to your welded on transducer mount - that way you are screwing into the timber lots of times and the boat once instead of lots of holes in the transducer mount. you can go more permanent once you've found the sweet spot.
On my tinny i've actually just got a slide on a track that's sikaflexed to the hull - no screws in the boat at all - the slide base hasn't moved in 4 years. and its easy to replace the small bit of alloy that's mounted to the slide if you need to adjust the placement left to right too often (too many screw holes) up/down is obviously covered.
Moffy
Moffy, I have one of those $10 transducer brackets on my little tinny - the plastic screw is hopeless - is this the type you use? Your idea of a temporary timber mount is good.
yeah it's probably that type - seem to recall it has a plastic screw - works fine for me on the tinny though - mainly as i don't think i've moved it since i installed it other than when the tinny goes on the top of the nissan to go up the cape.
Mind you - you'd probably need a far more agricultural version for the airmar(bigger transducer and bigger/faster boat).
Hey Whiteman check out this post by Good As Gold
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...ounder+reading
He's got the same sounder and a similar shaped hull but has a 1kw transducer.
Marto
Marto, I saw that post and thanks for pointing it out. More evidence that you've got to spend lots of time trying to find the sweet spot. I can keep a clear bottom at 15 knots (28 kph) in good water and am trying for another 8-10 knots. Rough seas will pose a problem at any speed and I'll wear that if necessary.
Good as Gold sure has that sucker pointed down at the tail. I have spoken with Furuno and they say that there are no problems going deeper except it will be more prone to rooster tail and getting hit by something, so that is where I am at the moment and will try and test the deepest setting tomorrow. If there is no improvement, it gets moved out 2 strakes and we start again. I even tried getting through to the service manager at Quintrex but although I'd get to his extension, he wouldn't pick up!
Down angle looks OK but that strake is a worry. Looks like it would effect the flow of water across the face of the trannie. With the dead rise it is hard to get the depth but yours appears to me to be to deep. Mine is per the instructions about 5 - 10 mm below the hull on the inside of the trannie. I would definately be moving it further outboard away from that strake and into clearer water flow. With the angles of the strakes I would stray closer to the outside one then the inside as I would expect it to be causing less turbulence there. By the looks of the bracket I would be placing it as far to the starboard side of it as possible. Also I would be looking to get it closer to the recommended depth. The extreme outside possible location wouldn't be ideal in my opinion.
26 knots this morning and WOOOHOOO! I got pictures. I've also got a bit of a rooster tail but it's nothing too big. The seas were relatively calm and it's not perfect at higher speeds but it will do as it is keeping depth at 30 knots but the bottom picture breaks up. I am over drilling more holes.
If I can offer any advice to anyone stumbling over this thread in future, the best advice I got is "go deeper".
But have a look at what this brilliant sounder can do - I headed for a usual Fingermark haunt as it is THAT time of year up this way and got a double hook-up - my only problem was which rod to go for first and luckily the bigger fish (66cm vs 62cm) kept the hook in it's mouth while I boated the smaller one. The school was clear as day on the Furuno (why didn't I buy one of these years ago?).
Again, thanks all who have given me valuable advice and I hope others can benefit.
G'day whiteman would you please be able to put up another picture now of how deep your transducer is now would be intrested to see it.
Thanks in advance
Whiteman
Good to see ou have partially solved the problem! Get a cover for the transducer to knock down the transducer rooster tail! As the others have said it's all about clear water and all those stringers dont help and when you combine this with the pressed construction of the quinnie your always going to get air traveling under the hull( lighter boat , less dead rise, and the stringers trap air) I still think you'll have problems when it roughs up but it's not a airmar problem it's the whole , rough water, air under the hull and larger surface on the p66 problem! I dont think getting a through hull transducer will help in the slightest on your particular boat!
Alcohol doesn't agree with me, but i sure do enjoy the argument!!!
Good to hear, was about to say 'told ya so" but that would be rubbing it in!
Cheers
Indy, I can't improve on the photos I posted above as that is where the tranny is currently mounted.
Finding Time - the rooster tail is not too bad. I also have a Permatrim which throws a bit of spray and at 25+ knots keeping a Quinnie in control takes my full concentration!
Aharding - yes, you are 100% correct and have bragging rights.
As a further postscript, one of the guys from Markwell Marine (airmar distributors) sent me a PM to apologise for telling me that bracket parts could not be sourced locally. He says he misunderstood my phone inquiry. That was good of him.
But I am still wary of the bracket being ably to hold up to high speed runs in choppy conditions - it is flimsy and the web is full of guys who have broken the the same part that I did.
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