Fishfinder compatibility

[fishjunky]

I currently have a Humminbird 597 HD DI with GPS and a navionics chip that I will mount off of the transom.

I am buying a used motorguide with a built in transducer for the bow.

What I had planned on doing was buying a cheaper humminbird model to mount up front to use with the trolling motor. I know motorguides interface better with Lowrance, but there is an adapter cable available.

I wanted to stay with Humminbird with the trolling motor unit so I could switch head units when fishing from the front, so that I can have the color screen, GPS and lake maps.

I called Humminbird and asked if this would work, and they said using my 597 with the built in transducer could damage my head unit.

Does anyone have experience with what I am trying to do (which is essentially be cheap and not buy a second nice fish finder)?

Hopefully I explained that well enough.

 

[RivRunR]

If HBird says you'll damage your head unit, I'd take their word for it.

It sounds like you might want to just get another 597 HD DI transducer to mount to your trolling motor.
I think the transducer for the 597 HD DI is the XNT-9-DI-T, which is around $150. You might be able to get HBird to swap out the transom mount that comes with that ducer for an AD-XTM-9 mount for your trolling motor, but if not it would be another $25. That puts you around $175 to be able to interchange your current head unit (those are HBird's prices, you might do better).

Otherwise, you could just go with a cheaper HBird and mount it's transducer to the trolling motor, but then you can't swap out with your 597.