Installing my new Hummingbird 1000

Scuda11

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
Messages
434
Hi all.<br /><br />As part of my boat re-do, I am getting ready to install my new fishfinder. I have two options, transom mounting or inside the hull. My boat is single layer. The manual/website says:<br /><br />
Inside the hull installations require no holes be drilled into the boat and through experimentation, high-speed operation comparable to transom mounting can be achieved.
My question, which is the BEST method? Has anybody done one or the other and have an opinion? I wonder what the level of EXPERIMENTATION is. Of course since my deck is not on yet, this method would be easy.<br /><br />Thanks a million.<br /><br />Scuda
 

stevens

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
799
Re: Installing my new Hummingbird 1000

In general, mounting the transducer on the outside of the transom should give better sensitivity as the signals will not have to bounce through the fiberglass. However, an inside installation is still preferred by many in order to avoid making holes in the hull, and the loss of sensitivity may not be noticable.<br /><br />Here's one way to find out if a through-hull installation will work for you:<br /><br />Place the transducer in a small transparent plastic bag, fill it with water and tape it shut around the transducer cable. Place the bag on the hull bottom where you think it should go, try to place the transducer inside fairly level and fix it in this position with more tape. Take the boat for a ride and see if it works ok. If it doesn't, move it around until you find a position that works.<br /><br />To install the transducer permanently in that position, build a level platform of epoxy filler, let it dry, add more epoxy and stick the transducer in it to glue it in place. Fix it in place with tape while the epoxy dries.<br /><br />I have done it both ways (inside a wooden hull, and outside a fiberglass one). Both will work well if you do it properly. In the end, it's a matter of preference and of fit to your particular hull.
 

CntrySngr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
196
Re: Installing my new Hummingbird 1000

If you put it on the inside, though, you do not get the speed/temp readings that some fish finders are capable of, correct?
 

Scuda11

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
Messages
434
Re: Installing my new Hummingbird 1000

I believe I could still get the speed/temp if I hook up the seperate arm on the stern. I have a GPS for the speed, but would love the water temps.<br /><br />Good point.
 

stevens

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
799
Re: Installing my new Hummingbird 1000

You would still get a kind of water temp if the inside transducer is sitting in bilge water, but you probably don't want that!<br /><br />If you in any case would mount the separate speed & temp sensor on the transom, I wouldn't hesitate to put the transducer there as well.<br /><br />I bought my Lowrance unit with a transom-mount transducer in part because I too wanted the water temp. Upon first trials, I couldn't get any temp readings. Turns out the dealer had given me the wrong type of transducer because he didn't know better. It has since been too much hassle to have it changed, so I'll probably end up buying the $5 type thermometer that floats....
 
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