Need help with which transducer to upgrade to
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: one bridge south of Clearwater Beach
Posts: 4,562

I recently installed a Furuno 585 with a P66 transom mounted transducer. I am less than impressed with the results. I want a transducer that will give me more detail. I know everyone says a thru hull is the best, but that's not an option for me. I have a Glacier Bay cat and the entire bilge area on each side is about 2' x 3' with the only access being through a round deck plate and the bilge is deep enough that when laying on my stomach/chest and my arm shoved into the deck plate access up to my shoulder, I can barely touch the bottom with my fingers. There is no way that you could properly clean, cut, install and seal a thru hull transducer in there. I guy that installed the P66 said it would be nearly impossible to do thru hull install and he wouldn't attempt it. Said that if I didn't like the P66 then a shoot thru would be my option. Even with a shoot thru, he said it would not be an easy install due to the depth and access.
So, here I am....not happy with the performance of the P66 and looking to upgrade. Is there a better transom mount transducer that will give me better bottom readings? Which shoot thru would be best?
So, here I am....not happy with the performance of the P66 and looking to upgrade. Is there a better transom mount transducer that will give me better bottom readings? Which shoot thru would be best?
Last edited by runabout; 07-31-2013 at 10:50 AM.
#2
Admirals Club 


Marine Advertiser
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 21,270

The P66 is a single element 600 watt...with the FCV585 you can fire either 600 or 1000 watts.
The next step up in a transom mount is the 1 kw 4 element TM258...it is 25 times more sensitive at 50 kHz than the P66.......you will get far better detail and depth capability.
Then you have the 1 kw 8 element Tm260....50 times more sentive at 50 kHz than the P66...and the 200 kHz element is a broadband..excellent detail.
With either of the upgraded 1 kw ducers you will see a major improvement over the P66.
The next step up in a transom mount is the 1 kw 4 element TM258...it is 25 times more sensitive at 50 kHz than the P66.......you will get far better detail and depth capability.
Then you have the 1 kw 8 element Tm260....50 times more sentive at 50 kHz than the P66...and the 200 kHz element is a broadband..excellent detail.
With either of the upgraded 1 kw ducers you will see a major improvement over the P66.