P48 Depth/Temp Transom Transducer (Wide Fan Beam 200 kHz)

The Raymarine P48 transducer is purpose-built for inland and inshore anglers who need a wider view of what’s beneath the boat. Unlike standard dual-beam transducers, the P48 operates on a single frequency (200 kHz) but with a unique fan-shaped beam pattern. Its ceramic transducer element emits an ultra-wide beam spanning 38° horizontally (port to starboard) and 12° vertically when in the default orientation. This beam is much broader than a typical 200 kHz cone, allowing you to mark fish and structure well off to the sides of your boat, not just directly below. The P48W (wide) essentially increases your search area dramatically – a big advantage for tournament freshwater anglers (such as bass fishermen) who want to detect fish and bait beyond the narrow cone of a traditional transducer.

A standout feature of the P48 is its on-the-fly beam direction adjustment. The transducer housing is designed so you can rotate it, choosing whether the 38° wide beam spreads out port-starboard (perpendicular to the boat’s path) or bow-stern (parallel to the keel). In the default port-starboard orientation, the wide 38° beam will mark more fish and bait off the sides of the boat, covering an expansive swath of water. By rotating the transducer 90°, you refocus the beam fore-aft, which can be useful for looking ahead of or behind the boat with a narrower side-to-side coverage. This flexibility means you can tailor the sonar coverage to your needs and conditions – a unique capability of the P48 fan-beam transducer.

The P48’s 200 kHz element is very high-sensitivity, enabling it to pick up subtle details. It can clearly show changes in bottom composition (for example, transitioning from hard to soft bottom) and highlight small features that might indicate fish hotspots, such as slight rises or depressions, vegetation, or gravel beds where bass might spawn. The effective depth range of the P48 is around 400 ft (122 m), as it’s intended for shallow to moderate depths. Within this range and with its wide coverage, it provides optimal resolution for finding fish in lakes, rivers, and coastal shallows.

Mounting the P48 on your transom is straightforward. It comes with a transom bracket and a 25-foot (7.5 m) cable for connection to your sonar system. When installing, the transducer should be positioned so that it stays submerged and level at typical speeds, ensuring the 200 kHz beam performs accurately. The P48 is recommended for boats up to ~12 m (40 feet) long as per manufacturer guidance, which covers most bass boats, flats boats, and similar fishing vessels.

With the P48, you get a specialized solution focused on maximizing coverage and sensitivity in shallow waters. This makes it extremely useful for thoroughly scanning broad areas for fish activity. Paired with a compatible Raymarine sonar (the P48 is typically used with digital sonar modules like the DSM series or CP370, as well as certain legacy fishfinder displays), this transducer gives you an edge in tournaments and targeted fishing for inland species by revealing fish that others might miss with narrower beams.