Hi,
I've got a Trident 13 that's several years old and am thinking about getting an inexpensive fish finder (FF).  I did a search on this forum and saw that the XTH 9 20 P transducer fits the T-13 transducer pocket.  IDK if any FF come with this transducer or if you can get it with a "quick connector" to swap out.

Also, the T-13 has a dedicated "compartment" for mounting a FF with a fold-down shield that presumably offers some protection to the FF when not in use or going through rough water.

I don't want to buy a FF only to find out it doesn't fit the compartment with the lid closed or the transducer doesn't fit the pocket..
Any recommendations on a budget FF that fits the compartment and comes with a transducer that fits the pocket?

I mostly fish the Willamette and Columbia rivers near Portland, but would like to try going for rockfish (maybe out of Pacific City) if I had some friends to go with who could mentor a 60 year old novice! LOL

Thanks!
Larry

Chumbucket, I mounted a fish finder head in the compartment in front of my Trident's cockpit, but I suggest that you don't mount the head there.  It's hard to see the screen when it's that far away, and in order to reach the fish finder's controls you have to slide forward out of your seat and reach down past your feet, so you're less likely to take advantage of the fish finder's features. The fish finder will be way easier to see and to operate if you mount it on the gunwale of your Trident next to your knee. Mount if far enough forward so it won't interfere with climbing back onto the kayak on that side if you flip over.

As far as the unit being far away; I don't fuss much with the settings while I'm fishing and no problem finding what I was looking for from that distance.

Different people fishing for different fish use fish finders differently.  When jigging for lake trout on the bottom in 170-240 feet of water, I constantly jump between various fish finder screens, in particular between the split screen sonar at various zooms and the GPS screen.