Patent ID: 8514658

Claim:
A sonar transducer assembly for mounting to a surface watercraft, the assembly comprising: a rectangular first transducer configured to produce a first beam defining a fan-shape and extending generally in a first plane; and a rectangular second transducer configured to produce a second beam defining a fan- shape and extending generally in a second plane, wherein the first transducer and second transducer are approximately mounted in a single lateral plane with respect to a running direction of the surface watercraft; wherein the first transducer and the second transducer are oriented such that the respective first and second beams extend from the single lateral plane to insonify different first and second areas each extending laterally with respect to the running direction of the surface watercraft, wherein the first transducer and the second transducer are oriented to provide a gap between the first area insonified by the first beam and the second area insonified by the second beam, with the gap extending in the running direction of the surface watercraft, and such that the first beam is outside of the second plane of the second beam, the resulting planar separation of the first and second planes of the first and second beams reducing interference between the first and second transducers.