Hi--looked around the message board and can't quite find the answer.

I have a Garmin Striker 4 plus. I have the regular transducer and an ice ducer that I use for ice fishing.

This weekend, I followed directions I read here and put down styrofoam cutout and plumbers putty on the hull of my Northwind 17. Added a cup of water and set the regular transducer in the styrofoam cut out. Could not get the ducer to read. I readjusted several times and still nothing. Pushed once more--and got it to read. Used it for a couple minutes-then I went to readjust and it quit reading through the hull again--this time I couldn't get it to start working again.

On a lark, I unplugged the transducer and hooked up my Ice transducer. Set it in the styrofoam with water and bingo--the thing worked like a charm the rest of the day.

Questions for those who know more than me--

1) Any reason at all I shouldn't just use the ice ducer? (not sure if that is meant to be fully submurged- or does it suck more battery---anything at all that I should think about?
2) Any thoughts why the regular transducer won't shoot through the hull? The regular transducer worked just fine when I held it over the side of the boat.

Just left me a bit puzzled.

It could be a number of things - did you try holding it in water to see if it would read without the hull in the way? Did you try higher frequencies or upping the gain? Did you try changing any of the settings?

Also - no reason not to use the ice ducer, it's just a different transducer, it's not really shaped to be dragged through the water efficiently, but no reason it would work differently for shooting through the hull.

No reason, unless it's a lot heavier or bulkier or something else making it inconvenient .

The regular transducer works fine hanging over the edge.. but I'm not too concerned.... As long as I can use the ice transducer, everything will be good and it's less weight to carry. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to wreck anything by using the ice transducer. Don't know enough about them to not break things without checking with somebody who knows more!!. I knew I'd get the answer here! Thanks! Headed to Gaskin on Sunday!