Depth sounder - Transducer mount

[ajp]

Can virtually all transducers for depth finders be mounted to the hull for a through the hull echo. I do not want any more holes in my transom. I have access to the hull and would prefer a more forward mount as opposed to a transom mount. The instructions with the finder are silent. <br /><br />Will it work to silicone it to the fiberglass hull. <br /><br />Any help would be appreciated. <br /><br />Arlan

 

[Pursuit2150]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

If the unit came with a transom mount, I would'nt trust silicon to mount it,the unit takes 3 or 4 holes to mount, After you drill the holes, put some silicon in the holes before you screw it on. Otherwise you will have to buy a through the hull transducer.

 

[DJ]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

ajp,<br /><br />I have had some luck mounting a transom type transducer inside. Some work ,some do not. Silicone will not work. If you are going to do it you have to do the follwing.<br /><br />1. create an area where you want the transducer to go that that will hold liquid epoxy. You can do this by cutting the bottom out of a plastic container of some kind.<br /><br />2. Attach the recepticle to the hull with duct tape.<br /><br />3. Pour in about 1/2 inch of epoxy.<br /><br />4. Lower the transducer into the recepticle and allow it to hang (by the cord)so that the bottom of the transducer just touches the hull-partly immersed in epoxy.<br /><br />5. Pour in the rest of the epoxy to cover the rest of the transducer.<br /><br />You do not want to put too much hardener in the epoxy resin. Too much will make air bubbles which your transducer will NOT shoot through.

 

[JB]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Howdy, AJP. If you MUST do a thru-hull, follow Pursuit's suggestion: get a thru-hull transducer and follow the MFG's directions.<br /><br />I think thru-hull is a bad idea. You create an unservicable, unrepairable permanent installation of an item that will be dead or obsolete in a few years. In many boats (either of my Boston Whalers, for example) you must destroy hull integrity to do a thru-hull.<br /><br />Thru-hulls are far less sensitive than transom mounts and once installed can NEVER be adjusted.<br /><br />Screw holes in your transom are sealable and a snap to eliminate when you change transducers in the future.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[crab bait]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

there's one i been wanting to say about sealing holes ( in transom ) nothin' really seals out wood rot causing water molecues except expoxy .. period .. not caulk, not silicone, not nothin' .. not even gelcoat .. nothin' , except expoxy..

 

[12Footer]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

I agree with Crab bait and JB, but wish to add that I too, hate drillin holes is a good transom, even for a ducer or speedo mounting. I just glue them to the transom. If it ever lets go, well allrighty then...It was meant to, and my transom has no wet holes in it.<br />I have mounted transom ducers in the bilge, but they do loose some sensitivity.<br />And it must be a clean rolled laminate that you glue it to. One bubble in the layers, and it wont werk at all. You can test it's performance before comitting to the epoxee,by allowing enough water in your bilge to "float" the puck. This will give you a good idea of what you can expect when you glue one down. If it werks well enough for your needs, than get a good 2-part epoxee,dry and clean the area,and there ya go.

 

[walkabout]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

IMHO I think that I would use window caulk to temp attach the transducer to the inside bottom, by putting just a little around the outside of the transducer and see how it works. If it doesn't work it would be easy to remove without hurting the transducer. If it does work , then perm install as desc above. I bought a boat with a hummingbird transducer rosened(sp) to the inside bottom that was supposed to be mounted on the transom. It worked alright. Took it off and used on my little boat after about two years of use. It stilled worked. I used a sharp knife to gently work it lose from the bottom. If you're using it just to look at the depth and not fine detail it would probably work alright. You will lose some detail by putting it inside of your boat. Good Luck.

 

[ajp]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Thanks for all the ideas.<br /><br />Arlan

 

[BBogey]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

You would think I could have followed this thread... I have NO problem following the advice of you folks when it comes to buying something...just wish I could follow your "tech" advice easier! LOL<br /><br />I purchased the Eagle Fish Easy II with temp. I too, did NOT want to drill any additional holes in my boat? I just got it today and was going to go figure it out tomorrow.<br /><br />I have an aluminum boat. Do I have a choice of mounting in the inside of the boat, against the floor???? Or does this "transducer" have to be mounted on the outside, at the transom?<br /><br />Any simple advice would be much appreciated!<br /><br />You guys didn't steer me wrong with the Bow mounted trolling motor (Thanks JB for the mounting help, came out great!) Or the on-board battery charger.<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[Ross J]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Hi Ho sport, and welcome in!<br />Aluminium hull + transducer + temperature don't mix. You'll have to mount that sucker onto the outside of the hull. If you want the temperature the transducer needs to be in the water if thats where the temp sensor is. Sorry mate, any metal hull won't permit the sender to transmit its signal thru.<br />Good luck<br />Ross<br />PS I knew a bloke who once mounted his transducer directly onto his outboard motor - obviously in front of the prop, it only failed when he struck a rock (which the sounder didn't warn him of)

 

[SeaRay245]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

ive got 2 different fish finders on my boat one has a through the hull the other is on the transom both work good at slow speeds but the trhough hull seems to work alot better at high speed but one thing i found with the through hull one is u have to keep enough water in the bilge to cover it

 

[BBogey]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

thanks guys! I read the instruction manual several times last night, and today I think I'll go out and give my "motor moron" mentality a shot at installing it! <br /><br />This is my last obstacle to overcome and then I think I'm totally ready for fishing? (my wife claims I'll never be done $$$$ with this boat?)LOL<br /><br />Thanks again.

 

[JB]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Say, BBogey.<br /><br />Assure your wife for me: You WILL be done spending on this boat. . . when "2 foot fever" gets you and you trade it for a bigger one!<br /><br />Couldn't resist. <br /><br />Red sky at night.. .<br />JB

 

[DJ]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

BBogey,<br /><br />Ross J is right. Your transducer WILL NOT work inside an aluminum hull. You're stuck mounting it to the outside.<br /><br />My suggestion would be to get a transducer mounting plate from Cabelas. You only have to drill two holes-once. From then on you can mount and dismount as many things in that area as you want and you won't make swiss cheese out of the transom.

 

[araiha]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Ah yes, fastening things to aluminum boat hulls. I welded a piece of 6061-T6 channel on the transom of mine and mount the xducer there. Can drill all the holes I want and never put a hole in the hull. Never tried this with a thin skin aluminum boat, I bet it could be done though by a good shop. The transom on wine is 3/8" plate.

 

[Raghauler]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Alaskaskiff:<br /><br />You're right about welding brackets to the transom for transducers, but I don't recommending welding aluminum any more than you have to... welding seriously weakens the structure within a couple inches of the weld, so much so design codes require reducing max. allowable stress within that range. A little welding is OK, but it can cause problems for DIYer's if they don't watch what they're doing.<br /><br />ajp:<br /><br />I've got a thru hull up front, where I want my transducer... Better to know what you are going over before you actually end up on it, if only when going slow. It works flawlessly.<br /><br />Installed with 3M 5200, the old transducer will get drilled out and replaced when the time comes... if it comes... it's been holding up for years!<br /><br />As a safety precaution, I installed a device of my own design to plug a leak: Since the transducer is under the bunks in the forward cabin (wasted space), I installed a 4" pvc pipe over the transducer inside the hull. The pipe is long enough to be as much above waterline as possible. I glued the pipe to a standard pvc toilet flange using pvc primer/glue, and using 5200, glued the assembly upside down to the hull inside the boat, using the toilet flange to get a copious amont of 5200 between the assembly and the boat. A glance in the inspection port I cut into the bunk always reveals (so far) a dry space, and since the transducer is isolated from the bilge, I know when (if) the transducer is leaking and it's time to go. If it does leak, the pvc pipe will hold back the flood.<br /><br />This set-up has worked for me for years. If you do it, be sure to install the pipe so it is higher than waterline of your boat.

 

[araiha]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Raghauler,<br /><br />Good point on the hazards of welding. This was done with a high quality Miller MIG welder, using the wire specified for the aluminum being joined. Depends on material thickness, structure, etc as to whether you stumble into a problem area. My boat is already all welded construction and with the transom being 3/8" plate, supported by a splashwell with 3/8" plate, reinforced with two vertical runs of sched 40 2" half pipe, one on each side of cutout for motors, and two runs of 2 inch sched 40 pipe running from the top of the splashwell to the transom so I am not too worried. Besides, I have 2 Yamaha 90s and a Nissan 8 hp trolling motor on the back (total weight 600 pounds) and I have no flex at all.

 

[BBogey]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Guys,<br /><br />As ALWAYS, thanks very much!!! JB, you're killing me!!! <br /><br />I have ordered the bracket from Cablea's that should lesson my fears about drilling holes....<br /><br />Now, what do you guys think about hooking up the hot wires from the fish finder? Some say go ahead and splice into a pos/neg lead, and some say run SEPERATE wires all the way back to the battery so as not to get any interference on the screen????? I'm clueless on this one!<br /><br />Thanks again guys!!!!<br /><br />Bogey (Ross)

 

[araiha]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

Your chances of getitng interference are less going back to the battery, but this is countered out by the added possibility of interference by running the wires next to another source for something else (you can get inerference from that type of proximity as well). A completely separate run from other power sources/antenna wires/xducer wires is best if possible. I run a pair of 8 gauge wires to the console and through a switch/fuse panel I redistribute to the electronics/lighting/etc.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Depth sounder - Transducer mount

heck just epoxy alittle piece of mohogany, teak or even pressure treat if you have to on the transome an mount ducer to it .. look ma no holes ..