Transducer upgrade

I bought a new Garmin with a transom transducer. I’ve read that this type isn’t as reliable when moving, but I’m not too concerned about that.

My ‘06 185 Sport has the factory depth finder with a thru-hull transducer just forward of the fuel tank. Provided I can get my rotund self in the position to mess with it, should I replace it or add the second one with my new Garmin? The hull fitting has a spin on nut, but I don’t know if the whole fitting has to be removed or if the oem transducer is a separate piece. Any insight is helpful.

I took the first step prior to deciding what to do with the transducer- I mounted the Garmin Echomap 43CV. The dashboard space is pretty limited so I used the space that I think would have held the stereo remote. It is a slightly raised round area.

I started by ensuring there was nothing behind it, then taped it off and drilled the three holes. I made them a bit larger than needed and used plastic bushings to protect the fiberglass and also keep the mount from scratching the dashboard.

I ran out of time, so I’m using a cigarette lighter plug for power. I’ll wire it to the fuse block later this weekend. Then I’ll also decide what to do with the transducer. I’ll likely mount the GT20 that came with the unit.

Can you take a picture of what your existing transducer looks like? My 2003 220 has a 2” transducer hole. Garmin’s p19 transducer fits, but it only does depth and temp so it might not be enough if that is a fish finder