B260/SS270W versus SS264 pair

[Hoghunter]

I thought I had this all figured out but problems have cropped up. I had planned to replace my B117 transducer with the SS264W pair. They have been on order now for two months. Just this week I learned that Airmar has actually stopped shipping the B164 and SS264 series because of vibration problems. There's no firm date on when they will begin shipping again.

It was suggested by the dealer that I have the order through that I go with either the SS270W or B260 with a fairing block. I've done searches on here and THT and read lot's of stuff about different transducer's. What I have gleaned is that it would appear that performance wise the aforementioned transducers in the fairing block are the kick butt way to go. I was wanting the flush mount thru hull to make trailering easy. These are going in a 305 Express by the way.

So what I'm trying to decide is do I wait for the SS270 to be shipped in who knows when or go with the fairing block and either the SS270 or B264. Those of you running these how do you like them?

Also, I'm of the belief that the SS270 is a better fit than the B260 for me but here again I would love any opinions. I live in Washington and fish mostly salmon and some bottom fishing for halibut etc. I rarely fish water deeper than 500' and spend probably 80% of my time fishing water less than 250 for salmon.

Thanks for any input.

 

[gilpri]

Hoghunter

I still watch this site even though I crossed over to the dark side a while back. We had a discussion concerning the B260 on an Albemarle -(it's a monster with that fairing block) here's the link:

http://www.albemarleboatowners.com/foru ... php?t=1659

good luck

 

[gulfcart]

When I orginally planned to change my transducer I was going to go with one of those monsters.. and they are monsters, I actually took delivery on it. I talked to Grady for placement suggestions. They said that the faring was so large that they wouldn't gaurantee that it wouldn't interfere with the handling characteristics of the boat. This was on a 33 Express. I ended up with the M260. I didn't want to take a chance.

Just FYI...

 

[Hoghunter]

Sounds like all the dealer's say the same thing about the B260 and fairing block.

It is very large. Yet it seems their are folks who put them on. I don't want the shoot thru as there's no good spot to put that one and I've always heard that they don't work that well a good percentage of the time.

Now I am stumped. Damn I wish they would get those flush mounts back out.

 

[bc282]

If you have a possible spot for an in-hull xducer, the M260 is an excellent unit. you dont have to buy an expensive unit and hope it'll work, you can use a cheap transom mount xducer (or even find a used transom mt xducer) and do a temporary in-hull test in the location you think is best. Generally, an in-hull xducer will yield best performance over all ranges of speed as being inside and out of turbulent waters. yes, you loose a small amount due to having to pass thru the FG hull, but a M260 is a 1000 KWatt unit and for most it has power to spare. I would think a flush mounting thru hull would be next good bet if they have figured out the small kinks.
I mounted a thru hull B744 with fairing on a 22' WA with little issue or problems, but would have prefered something like a B60 which was not available yet.

 

[258 Grady]

Here are some photos of what I did with my B-260. I mounted it mid ship on the starboard side so the fairing did not protrude below the keel. I fiber glassed the center part of the fairing into the hull. This whole process required some work but I am happy with the results. I will paint the fairing with Pettit Vivid and the face of the element with a water base anti fouling paint.

 

[Hoghunter]

Wow Ed, so that whole plug I see in the bottom pic was fiberglassed up into the hull?

That was some work and the finished product looks very nice. So as I get this you were making sure that the fairing doesn't stick below the keel as you thought that it would have then became a rudder?

Very curious about your in water tests. I inquired with Alantani about the installation on his boat which was the entire fairing block install. He said there has been no noticeable change in the boat handling.

My ideal setup if I can work it would be to install the B260 in conjunction with a SS264W and use a splitter. That way I could have the best of both worlds with the 260 for deep water and speed and the 264 for wide coverage when trolling.

 

[258 Grady]

Hog Hunter
I am not sold on the new wide angle transducers. They say that they have the same number of elements but the picture is just not the same. The only way to do better than a B260 is to go to a 3KW commercial transducer with variable freq. 28-230hz. Remember you will still need to get the signal below the bubble trail...Who's fish finder are you planning on using this may also make a difference.
Ed

 

[Hoghunter]

Ed, I would agree that you can't beat the B260 in a fairing block for overall performance at speed and at depths of 300' plus when drifting and trolling.

However, for the style of fishing we do here for Salmon the wide angle 264 would be a fabulous transducer. I've talked a bunch with Airmar and they tell me that outside of the big 2 and 3kw in hulls that you won't beat the B260 for performance. But they also said that the 264 would be wonderful in water less 500'. They did qualify that by saying I wouldn't get great readings at speed with this transducer because of the bubble trail down the hull which I understand is the whole purpose of the large fairing block. They want to drop the ducer down below the inherent bubble fed water running down the hull. So at trolling or drifting speed I would get a much better wide angle view of the water column with the 264.

I've already purchased the Navnet 3D and DFF1 to run the system.

 

[258 Grady]

Hey hog Hunter, Guess what, I live in good ole Seattle and fish the same waters you do except I fish Tuna off shore in the summer. I to am looking for the best Salmon picture I can find and the B-260 beats them all except the commercial models. So rest assured you are making the right decision, as I have seen the differences and y compromise. With a thirty foot boat you have lots of room for a B-260
Send me a PM and I will give you my phone number. Are you in the PNW Grady club?
Ed