Choosing the right transducer

Hi,

I'm installing a GPSmap 420s in my boat (the St lawrence river has a lot of shallow spots here and there).

The transducer that came with the package is an transom mount.

I'm not a big fan of the wire going up the transom, and understand it could be easily damaged, so I'm possibly looking for other options.

In hull pucks are easy to install, but not sure if they are reliable.
Though hulls, well I need to make a big hole in my boat and not sure about that for humidity/lamination problems.

What's your take on this? Keep the transom mount or go with another transducer?

Thanks

I'm pretty sure you don't actually drill any holes through your hull to use a "thru-hull" transducer. I've always understood that you use some type of marine epoxy and stock them to the bilge floor and it works through the fiberglass. That was my understanding after reading my lowrance manual a few years ago for my last boat.

There are 3 kinds or transducers:

- Transom mount;
- In hulls, AKA puck;
- Flush Thru the hull,

Now which is best?

Transom mount are the most sensitive. You loose sensitivity and range going through the hull. On a wakeboat application, unless it is installed far to the edge of the boat, the prop wash will affect your sensitivity as well.
From what I have seen, In hulls are old school and no used much anymore, at least in smaller boat applications
Thru hulls are the easiest to install and mounting it in front or right near the vdrive will be optimum position. Don't run the wires near other wires or electronics. Some transom mount transducers can be installed as a thru hull transducer with marine epoxy. If your only worried about depth, thru hull will be just fine.

If your boat has a depthfinder in it already, compare the frequencies of each unit. There may be some interference when you install the new one.

I installed a new Faria gauge with in the in hull mount. I can't seem to get it to work properly. There is also another thread on here talking about this stuff. Apparently if you put the in hull in a bag of water you can test it before you mount it permanently. I have thought about switching mine over to a rear transom or thru hull. I'm also a little hesitant to put a hole straight thru the bottom of the boat but I can probably locate it near the floor plug I have existing which will be solid.

I got mixed opinions on this one. So far, the cheaper solution would be to keep the transom mount, or selling it and get a in hull puck.
I had a uniden before and it was not working properly, so i m unsure about getting that in hull puck....

I installed a Uniden with the puck and it works "most" of the time. When I am some place I am not familiar with and shallow looking it usually starts displaying 2.6 feet until I get back into areas that I know and then it starts working again. Grrrrr!