sideways transducer?

[Yak Fish]

So I got to thinking about the new down imaging fish finder that is due to arrive tomorrow and wondered if I could play around with the transducer mounting orientation to essentially "look around."

For example, I'll get picture-like images when looking downward and paddling over an area. This is the design intent. However, what if I turned it perpendicular towards shore or towards a dock or to a bridge piling and paddled across the area? I wonder if I'll get a good image. I would expect the transducer to work in any orientation as long as it gets a return.

I would also wonder if I could look under docks with the standard sonar (non down imaging) to see if any arches appear.

I could accomplish this transducer adjustment on the fly if I were to run a flexible arm or gooseneck from the head unit to the transducer, hanging just off the side of the kayak.

Has anyone given such a thing a try? Chances are very good that I'll be experimenting with it.

[Memory Maker]

So I got to thinking about the new down imaging fish finder that is due to arrive tomorrow and wondered if I could play around with the transducer mounting orientation to essentially "look around."

For example, I'll get picture-like images when looking downward and paddling over an area. This is the design intent. However, what if I turned it perpendicular towards shore or towards a dock or to a bridge piling and paddled across the area? I wonder if I'll get a good image. I would expect the transducer to work in any orientation as long as it gets a return.

I would also wonder if I could look under docks with the standard sonar (non down imaging) to see if any arches appear.

I could accomplish this transducer adjustment on the fly if I were to run a flexible arm or gooseneck from the head unit to the transducer, hanging just off the side of the kayak.

Has anyone given such a thing a try? Chances are very good that I'll be experimenting with it.

Yak Attack is coming out with one ........ Luther has a prototype out that a couple of people are using now .....it's on the Hobie board ..... When I get a new Imaging DF, I plan to mount it on the backbar of the PA

[Yak Fish]

I've seen homemade solutions like that, but it's not exactly what I'm trying to do. Here's the link that I think you're referring to: http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewt...lit=transducer

I'd like to do the same thing but with a flexible arm so that I can aim the transducer at different angles. One good reason is to look under docks by rotating the transducer. Loc Line is a product that I would consider using for this. I would also never worry about forgetting to bring it out of the water because it's flexible.

[On the fly]

http://madfroggear.com/liberator/liberator.html

Try looking at this on.

[DOGFISH]

Yak Attack is coming out with one ........ Luther has a prototype out that a couple of people are using now .....it's on the Hobie board ..... When I get a new Imaging DF, I plan to mount it on the backbar of the PA

Rick, I'm glad you mentioned that. I will wait to see the YakAttack mount. I thinking of mounting a RAM mount on the back bar, as a mount. I saw an Aussie, at some site, who had a RAM type ball that mounted in the drain hole of his PA. It was quite a neat idea.

On The Fly: Thats also a nice rig.

[Southerly]

i did that a little with my old garmin and felt like i could get some fish info when doing it at small angles.

i think one thing to meditate on is how the image on the screen is formed. although it looks like a single snapshot, it's actually a series of vertical lines, each formed at a different time. consider how long it takes for a vert line to run across the display.

so turning it to the side, one method might be to hold it at a fixed angle and steadily move the boat to scan an area. an other method might be to very slowly/steadily move the xducer to make the scan and this is probly what you're considering?

i'm not sure i was really applying these ideas in my previous attempts and that may have limited my success. i was trying to use it more like a flashlight and didn't give it fair chance to form arches etc. otherwise, i don't know if there are other limiting technical aspects of the signal processing.

i had considered mounting a dsi xducer on a pivot to provide for a more left or more right-biased view if that was preferred in a given situation, and think it may be worth a try.

[Yak Fish]

As it turns out, it works. I tried it today. It works very well while looking to the bank in water 5' or less. You can get a really nice view of rocks and stumps. I was pretty excited with the results.

[Yak Fish]

Here's a snap shot of what I saw when I turned the transducer sideways and trolled along shore. You can see the shoreline is 30' from the boat. This particular shoreline was rip rap as evident by the sharp individual returns. You can also see larger random rocks that cast shadows and what looks like a submerged tree.

So that you can orient yourself, the bottom of the screen is to the furthest shoreline point to the left of the kayak. The top of the screen is the closest. I am in about 5' of water.

[Southerly]

real nice image! that means you have an sd memory card, and downloaded software for your PC from the humminbird site?

any idea what size card is needed to record 'movies' of the FF display?

tx for the post.


ps - i powered my H798 up at home this morning and it drew my 7ah battery down and turned off at 45 mins. the display brightness was set 1/2 way, at the '5' setting.

i did voltage test on battery after it shut down and the multi-tester read 10v at the battery, and at the end of the power supply cord. the battery is only a little over 1 year old but i guess it's crapped out and if i get a chance, i plan to stop at battery warehouse tomorrow to check it out.

later today when it gets the recharged green light again, i want to try mA current testing of the FF with the x-ducer attached and the display brightness at different settings to get a better idea of the unit's draw in different conditions.

[Yak Fish]

I got a 4GB SD card. I took two videos about 10 seconds each and about 10 snapshots and I have 3.87 GB left. I don't really foresee taking too many videos although I did find myself taking a video of the shoreline and then playing it back so I could review it, taking my time. I didn't download anything from humminbird although it appears like I'll have to if I want to watch the videos. The snapshots are just images that I could pull from the sd card without any added software.

My brand new 7ah battery started at 12.5V at around 9am and dropped to 11.4V at around 3pm at full brightness. I guess I'll know what to expect in the future

[Southerly]

thanks again for the additional info!

your battery usage would be very acceptable to my typical fishing trips, assuming it doesn't downgrade quickly w/age. i'm disappointed if my battery is crapped at 1 year old since i've mostly kept it on a battery tender since new.

sounds like 4gb card is plenty. i sometimes shoot camera video and think i might be able to incorporate FF vid as b-roll.

[Memory Maker]

that's great ......

[DOGFISH]

Having spent money on a new kayak and saving for a Torqeedo, I am staying with my present FF/combo for awhile longer. I am thinking of going to one of those drop down transducer mounts, such that mount to the back handle or to the side handle of the PA. That way I can put the small battery in a waterproof bag behind the seat and everything will be removable. All excess cable can be coiled and kept in the mesh bag part of the kayak. This will work until I can make up my mind as to DI, sidescan or both. I like some of the rigs by MadFrog Gear, liberator. There is just no information as to what the MadFrom products are made of, such a stainless or aluminium. Scotty and Ram make rail mounts for the FF unit itself. The mount for the transducer could be easily fabricated. Everything will be within easy reach, from the seat, for adjustments. Then when going with a larger more permanent unit, everything is removable without any holes.

[mapmakr]

The mad frog gear is all plastic except for the hardware. They make the WS slide trax products. I have the transducer arm and it works well I posted some pics in an earlier thread. http://www.snaggedline.com/showpost....90&postcount=1
Just a little extra drag that I can't notice when paddling.

[DOGFISH]

Thanks. Plastic works for me. I didn't want anthing that would rust. Some things seem to be made for just freshwater.