Transducers
A good transducer is the heart and soul of your fishfinder! Incorporating some of the latest transducer technology, such as alternating or spectrum scanning transmitters or the use of 1000-watt in-hull or transom mount units, will allow incredible depth finder performance.
There are 4 main transducer models available, defined by how they are mounted on your vessel: Thru-Hull, Shoot-thru-hull (most often used for fiberglass hulls), transom-mount (best suited to trailerable size vessels) and portable transducers. The best transducer for you will depend a lot on your budget, boat type, shape and hull material and the fishing conditions it will be used in. Ideally a transducer needs to 'look' directly down and be mounted so that clean, turbulence-free water passes over its face.
Which is the Best Transducer for My Boat?
Hull Material Considerations:
Hull Material | Recommended Transducer Type |
Aluminium Hull (Tinny) | Transom Mount or Plastic Thru Hull |
Wooden Hull | Transom Mount or Bronze Thru Hull |
Fiberglass Hull | Transom Mount, Thru Hull (Bronze or plastic), Shoot Thru Hull/In-Hull |
Transducer Do's and Dont's:
- Plastic housings are recommended for fibreglass or metal hulls only. Never mount a plastic thru-hull housing in a wooden hull since swelling of the wood may overstress the plastic causing it to fracture.
- Bronze housings are recommended for fibreglass or wood hulls only. Never mount a bronze housing in a metal hull as electrolysis will occur.
- Never install a thru-hull transducer & leave the boat in the water unchecked for several days.
- Never use solvents on the transducer's face or the plastic housing.
- Always site the transducer so that external noise is minimised. Possible sources include air bubbles, propellers, generators, other echosounders.
- Transducer surfaces that can be painted must use a water based antifouling.
With the range of transducers available, selection can appear confusing and with the next generation of Lowrance Transducers and Airmar Broadband/CHIRP transducers arriving in-store – the definition will astound you! So speak with the marine electronics
Furuno 526T-LTD B164-0 Bronze 50/200kHz Thru Hull Transducer
RRP: $1,815.00
NOW: $1,771.50
R509LHW Broadband CHIRP Transducer
RRP: $7,761.99
NOW: $6,986.00
Raymarine CPT120 CHIRP Transducer
RRP: $749.00
NOW: $728.00
Raymarine CPT110 T/H CHIRP Transducer
RRP: $649.00
NOW: $640.50
Garmin Panoptix PS30 Down Transducer
RRP: $2,399.00
NOW: $2,271.50
Raymarine R509 Thru-Hull Transducer - Depth/ Temp
RRP: $8,239.00
NOW: $8,192.00
Forwardscan Long Stem Transducer
RRP: $1,539.00
NOW: $1,474.00
Humminbird T/H Plastic Side Mega Imaging
RRP: $1,309.00
NOW: $1,217.65
Raymarine RV-220 RealVision 3D Bronze Thru-Hull Transducer Pack
RRP: $3,759.00
NOW: $3,567.00
Raymarine RV-200 Bronze All-In-One CHIRP Through Hull Transducer
RRP: $2,279.00
NOW: $2,215.00
Simrad B275LH-W Wide Beam Thru Hull 9 Pin xSonic CHIRP Transducer
RRP: $3,199.00
NOW: $2,949.00
Raymarine HV-300TH HyperVision Thru Hull Transducer
RRP: $649.00
NOW: $626.00
Raymarine HV-300THP HyperVision Thru Hull Transducer Pair
RRP: $1,219.00
NOW: $1,110.50
Garmin B265LH 1kW Thru-Hull Bronze CHIRP Transducer
RRP: $2,449.00
NOW: $1,995.50
Simrad B45 xSonic 50/20kHz Thru-Hull Transducer
RRP: $407.99
NOW: $396.60
Humminbird XPTH 9 HW T Helix Dual Spectrum CHIRP Thru-Hull Transducer
RRP: $499.90
NOW: $464.95
Humminbird XPTH 14 HW T Solix Dual Spectrum CHIRP Thru-Hull Transducer
RRP: $619.00
NOW: $576.00
Raymarine SS270W Wide Beam Thru-Hull Transducer
RRP: $2,295.00
NOW: $2,230.00
Humminbird Helix XP 9 HW Dual Spectrum CHIRP In-Hull Transducer
RRP: $339.90
NOW: $316.15
Humminbird Solix XP 14 HW Dual Spectrum CHIRP In-Hull Transducer
RRP: $419.90
NOW: $390.55