Help with Transducer placement on a 2012 Z6

[aarofr]

I have a Garmin GT56 xducer I need to mount and have yet to find a solid answer on where it should go on my transom. I am aware of the advice to avoid anything on the hull that would cause water disturbance as well as the general rule to mount 15” from the prop on the starboard side. My boat has a single step transom however trailer bunks and tie downs block any logical placements down on the lower step and I cant see any sense in trying to put it directly behind the lower unit next to the drain plugs etc.

I believe the most reasonable placement I’ve seen from lots of searching online is shown on the pic below. One post even mentioned this was the manufacturer’s recommended location. If I do mount it here, it will obviously not be in line with the bottom of the boat so readings at speed are out (which I’m fine with).

Just hoping another Z6 owner with a SI transducer can comment/confirm. I plan on using a transom saver pad but still don’t want to commit until I am confident in the placement.

 

[Springfieldguy]

Hi there;
Great! Another person with Garmin GT Transducer for use on a "17" Nitro. We also!
Your photo with marked area is just about where we have our GT54/56 Transducer mounted. Perhaps centered in the marked square.
It is not mounted at the bottom of the hull where the intakes and transom drain plug are located. Ours has worked with our dash-mounted UHD 93SV Graph just fine. No pick-up issues what-so-ever. Re speed, your Garmin Graph will record your speed through the GPS system. Your Speedometer is registered through a water pressure tube from the engine to the meter. I find it interesting to check between the dash Speedometer and the Garmin GPS speed. So far there is little difference. I trust the GPS speed first. I know our GT Transducer looks like a black banana sticking off the stern but so far have had only a slight issue with it being bumped by submerged timber while using the trolling motor. Garmin has a strong mount for this Transducer. Regards.

 

[aarofr]

Hi there;
Great! Another person with Garmin GT Transducer for use on a "17" Nitro. We also!
Your photo with marked area is just about where we have our GT54/56 Transducer mounted. Perhaps centered in the marked square.
It is not mounted at the bottom of the hull where the intakes and transom drain plug are located. Ours has worked with our dash-mounted UHD 93SV Graph just fine. No pick-up issues what-so-ever. Re speed, your Garmin Graph will record your speed through the GPS system. Your Speedometer is registered through a water pressure tube from the engine to the meter. I find it interesting to check between the dash Speedometer and the Garmin GPS speed. So far there is little difference. I trust the GPS speed first. I know our GT Transducer looks like a black banana sticking off the stern but so far have had only a slight issue with it being bumped by submerged timber while using the trolling motor. Garmin has a strong mount for this Transducer. Regards.

Excellent, thanks for the reply…I needed some confirmation that what I was thinking would work. I read a lot of conflicting info online. I also have the 93sv at the console (on a RAM mount) and will be running a 126 ultra at the bow using a GT54 mounted to the trolling motor. I did purchase the high strength (metal) mount for the 56…yeah, it’s BIG!
Thanks for the info on the speed (gauge vs GPS). I had been more concerned with trying to figure out where to mount the xducer to be able to pick up the bottom and sonar readings when going faster than idle or ‘at speed.’ I think I finally figured out with our boats (and many stepped transom bass boats) it’s just not possible given the possible mounting locations so most people use another xducer mounted in the hull (shoot through) for that purpose. I’m sure that’s why the boat came with a shoot through for the classic Lowrance Mark 5-X mounted in the console.

So tell me….were you able to console mount the 93sv where the stock graph was? If so, I’d be interested in some details and pics!

Thanks again!

 

[Springfieldguy]

Here is a photo of our present console with the 93SV mounted in the dash.
Our console takes a 9 inch graph. If not sure with your console, the Garmin instructions have a mounting template.
We took our template to a Bass Pro shop who had a Z17 on display before we received ours and checked the template to the console.
After that, we had our dealer mount the graph in the console upon delivery of the boat. They also mounted the Bow Graph with a Dek-it mount.

CHECK the template to your console Before doing anything!
If uncertain, ask a dealer if it is possible, costs etc.
Sometimes it is worth the cost to have them do the mounting.