Putting kicker motor near x-ducer?

[Empire]

Due to a lack of cash flow, I am going to put an old 9.9 Merc two stroke kicker on my boat (main motor is a 115 4 stroke, so I have to carry a gas tank for the 2 stroke). Because I have a swim step on the port side, the only place I can put it is above my transducer on the starboard side. I am using a Lowrance X-15. The prop and skeg of the kicker will be close to, and behind the transducer. Will this cause any "noise" that will interfere with the fish finder? Any other issues? Anyone have a Merc 4 stroke kicker they want to sell dirt cheap?

[fish house]

The only thing you need to be aware of is that you will not want a lot of prop wash in the area of the transducer. Maybe to the far outside. Troll without mounting and look around as you move forward. Turbulense can give you a lot of surface clutter on the top of the screne. If you uncertain, mount your transducer an a piece of plexiglas. A thick piece at that. Silicon it on the boat and try it. Of course mount the transducer to it first. It will cut away if the location doesn't work and you have no holes left behind. It takes more time but in the long run it will work out better for you. In fact, its a good way to install anyway. If you change boats or Fish Finders you don't have holes behind you will not need.

[Pitch Pocket]

Don't do it. There is nothing more frustrating than having a sounder that doesn't work. The turbulance will most likely make the display unreadable when you really need it.

Why can't you mount under your swim step away from the kicker? The swim step should be out of the water so you have room for the transducer at the transom bottom.

[Empire]

SjP-The boat came with a piece of aluminum welded onto the starboard side as a transducer bracket. The transducer is mounted onto it, so putting the transducer on the port side would be difficult.

Would turbulance be a problem if the motor is behind the transducer?

[Pitch Pocket]

You can try it, but I doubt anyone will recommend it. The installation instructions I'm sure tell you to mount it away from any motors because of turbulance.

It's not a big job to have someone remove and replace the bracket on the port side. You'll be happier with it.

[crabbait]

Have a kicker bracket welded onto your swim step. Gets the kicker down into the best position for trolling and is easier than moving the transducer. :wink:

[Pitch Pocket]

crabbait, I had that setup on my 19' SeaRay 15 years ago. It worked fine. I did feel a little uncomfortable with that weight hanging off the swim step. Those railroad tracks on hiway 30 in the industrial area made me think of my swim step snapping off with with motor attached. It never happened, but I cringed every time I bounced over a rough spot in the road.

If the used kicker is a long shaft and you mount it on the swim step, will it will be down too deep? I put a short shaft on mine.

Steve

[Snapshot]

Empire, it may sound like a foolish question but what type boat hull material? If you have a glass boat, you could mount it inside the boat on the floor and shoot through the fiberglass hull. I don't think they will work through a metal hull though. I like the silicone answer, it's the way I will mount them from now on. thanks firehouse.

*Fish only bite wet hooks*

[Joe]

My transducer is right in front of my kicker (about 5") and it works fine. My kicker was on the other side and I was concerned that switching it would cause problems (the cable isn't long enough to switch the transnducer to the other side) but the only disturbance I get is in reverse.

[TundraIII]

I have a transducer mounted on both sides of the stern. I have seen no detectable difference between the one mounted near the kicker and the one on the other side.
just my .02