Transducer location for Tomcat255

squidslayer

On the 255 Tomcat what are the options as far as mounting the fishfinder transducer??? Is transom mount the ONLY location feasable?? If the transom mount is used were is the BEST location?

any input is appeciated

Dick E

drjohn71a · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:01 pm Post subject:

Dick... I just broached this question on my new TomCat. Scott Mathews said there is an inset in the hull with no balsa core designed to allow thru-hull shooting of the proper transducer.

I am having a Raymarine 300 unit mounted there - no holes needed. I think most of the TomCat users are shooting for no, or only one (the washdown pump inlet) hole in the hull for all the electronics, etc..

John

Dreamer · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:10 pm Post subject:

Dick,

We use the Raymarine(Airmar) TriDucer mounted on the transom. It performs very well. It's visible in our album, page 1, photo 16.

We sometimes lose the bottom fix momentarily in rough conditions at high speed. Never enough to be a problem.

Welcome to the TomCat litter!

drjohn71a · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:23 pm Post subject:

To clarify - I think that, if you order the Honda digital guages, you do not need the "triducer" with paddlewheel off the transom.

John

Wefings · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:38 pm Post subject:

The speed wheel sort of became obsolete with all our newfangled Lorans and GPSs . We have great results with the transom mount units on the Tomcat. I have never seen a shoot through the hull that worked as well as a transom mount for detail .
Marc

squidslayer · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:39 pm Post subject: thru hull insert

John ....or anyone

you stated.....
"on my new TomCat. Scott Mathews said there is an inset in the hull with no balsa core designed to allow thru-hull shooting of the proper transducer."

Do you know or have you seen "WHERE" this inset is located??? My electronics dealer does not know where it is...is it very hard to get to?

I would perfer it to be hull mounted so it will work best especially at high speeds

Dick

Gene Morris · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:37 pm Post subject:

My dealer "Sportcraft Marina" stated that there wasn't an easy way to mount an inhull or thruhull transducer in the TC255. I had a 1kw garmin that I wanted installed. We decided to go with the 600 watt transom mount. I have two installed, one for each station/unit, they are towards the boat's centerline hung on the transom below the Armstrong bracket. They work OK but I do have problems at speed with the sonar. The temp sensor seems to work well at speed. Let me know what you come up with, I still haven't given up on the 1KW.

Gene

thataway · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:03 pm Post subject:

I suspect that on the stb side, that in the very bottom of the aft bilge the hull is solid. The bilge pump on my boat is offset to the outside in this location. I was going to try a second transducer there to see if it worked.

I have the Lowrance LXC 26 HD. I keep the bottom at all speeds up into the 40's. The only time I have lost the bottom, was when a small stick kicked up the the transducer. The place where there is not too much turbulance and yet not causing issues for the water flow is relitatively narrow.--less than 1/4" depth--so you may have to play with the transducer position to get the best results. I don't use a triducer. There is some use of a paddle wheel when trolling and there is current--so you know the speed of the boat thru the water--but for 90% of navigation speed over the ground--which is what the GPS gives, is more than adequate.

Consider mounting a piece of starboard on the hull--then screw the transducer into the starboard. You don't want to put any more holes in the boat than necessary! With the starboard (roughed up surface) put on with 4200, it will be sealed. Then you can adjust the screws of the transducer to your hearts content.

I only got a 600 watt 200 khz transducer because we stay in less than 200 feet of water most of the time--I am sure that the 1 KW--50/200 would work just as well.

Use cable clips to route the cable up to the edge of the Armstrong bracket and around its side. Cut the hole in the transom big enough for the cable's fitting, and then use one of the cable seals over this hole. Be sure and seal this hole with epoxy, before you run the cable thru it. The hole is at the level of the top of the Armstrong bracket.

If it warms up tomarrow, I'll get a picture of the Starboard block and mounting location--You want clean water flow across the transducer.

Alok · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject:

Raymarine C-80 integrated electronics-; transducer mounted on the transom on the starboard side as low as possible- excellent performance. We never lose the bottom at speeds up to 45 mph. In shallow water, the transducer reliably reads down to 2 feet (maybe even less, but I don't want to know!).

Wefings · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:31 pm Post subject:

Alok, any chance you could shoot a pic [ or get one from Charlies voluminous photo archives] of the transducer monting ? As I remember and you confirmed , your system worked well in all conditions we encountered . It might be helpful .
Marc

drjohn71a · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:24 am Post subject:

Hi all.... My boat is at Edmonds Marina, WA, and I am in Kansas... I can't go out and look at the installation. I think the Raymarine "shoot-thru" transducer is 1000 watt, so plenty of power there.

Scott Mathews is the guy who told me about the shoot-thru hull area C-Dory makes. I don't know exactly on what hull number they started that.

Maybe someone should call Scott or Jeff.

Thanks for all the info, John

drjohn71a · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject:

Scott Mathews, of Lake Union Sea Ray - Fife, emailed me the location for shoot thru transducers on a TomCat 255:

The area where the shoot-thru transducer goes is in the back under the battery shelf on the tunnel side of the starboard pontoon.

John

squidslayer

FYI
I got this reponse from the C-Dory Factory...........YES!!! now I can do a Thru the Hull transducer when the TomCat comes in this month....bottom fishfinding readings at higher speeds will result!!

Hello Dick,

The spot is approx 12”by 12” in the starboard sponson against the transom. There is an indent where we have not cored the hull. It will be pretty obvious to whoever is doing the work. Your boat looks beautiful! Congratulations and thank you for your business.

Jeff

Jeff Messmer

Vice President Sales and Marketing

C-Dory Marine Group

25 37th ST N.E

Auburn, Wa 98002

Office 253 839 0222

Cell 206 940 0571

Doryman · Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:06 pm Post subject:

I have an Airmar shoot-through transducer for my Raymarine E-80 mounted where Jeff describes. It has worked very well so far!

Warren

matt_unique · Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 8:39 pm Post subject: Transducer

I'm thinking of getting the Raymarine St40 Depth gauge with the 600 watt 200/50Mhz adjustable transducer. Any experience with this rig/transducer? I would verify if my Tomcat has the non-cored section of the hull near the transom.

Thanks