New and need advice
 

What's the best way to install a transducer inside the kayak or outside thakns

You''ll get a better picture if you mount it outside, has to be underwater and in a place where the bubbles will be at a minimum. You can make an arm out of pvc to hang it over the edge of your kayak which is probably the best way to go if your kayak doesn't come with a spot to mount it.

Hi eric,
I have tried three different ways. First was gooped to the hull. When that seal eventually failed I made a wet well I would fill with water. And when that one eventually sprung a leak, I thought I've give electrical putty a try. The putty worked the best by far, producing the best signal returns. I can easily see my iron on the sounder. I've tested it out past the LJ canyon and get a solid bottom echo at 1000' which is where my sounder maxes out. You can give putty a try and if it doesn't work for you, it's easy to remove it, a lot easier than trying to scrape up cured goop.

I've never tried an outside mount so I can't offer an opinion on that mounting method. ~~~Pete~~~

Very interesting Pete I'm really surprised you can see your iron under you that's really cool! I've never looked for my iron on mine but I'll have to try it out I have the Garmin base model gps ff combo.

Yeah, give it a try. I can easily see it down below 200' which is plenty deep enough. If you can see your iron and you can see the fish, you can drop it right into the zone. :jig:

Something a way-back guide showed me and insisted it was an essential element for effective fishing.

I have an older Elite 5 (non-chirp). I do have an HDS-5 gen 2 but haven't got around to mounting it yet. I need to redo the transducer box since it's bigger than the Elite transducer. Then I'll move the Elite to the other kayak.

I tried the outside method a long time ago. Picking up loose kelp stringers became a pain. For me anyway.

Thanks man I need all the help I can get. Fish on!!!

Take a look through the Sticky - Sharing your Innovations. There's a lot of history of folks experimenting and proving sound and secure mounting of transducer inside their yak.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...&postcount=213

Best bet of all....., take it OEX in Sunset Beach and let Andy install it for you. He does a great job. I've had him install three over the years, and have never had one installation fail. When in doubt, use the services of a professional. It may cost a few bucks more, but at least then you're guaranteed good results. Nothing worse than getting out on the water and have electrical 'issues' with your electronics. That can ruin a fun day out on the water real quick....

With the change you find in your couch, you can purchase a brick of duct seal. It's a plumbers putty. No drilling, no wet puddle mounting, and it won't lose its tackiness because it's made to withstand moisture. Used it for years with no complaints.

Best of luck!

Jay

Anyone have pics of their electrical putty/duct seal install?

I tried twice, and each time the putty got softened in the sun on the way home and the whole shebang fell off the inside of my hull.

Andy

Hi Andy, if you have a Hobie it's pretty straight forward. Attach the transducer to the transom mount bracket. Then a couple of long bolts and a reel clamp of the right size. Clamp it to the sail mast downtube below decks. A thin coat of putty so there is no air gap between the transducer and hull.

I have moved mine to under the seat so it is out of the way. This method doesn't depend on having the Hobie downtube. If you need to see this, I can see if I can get under there and take a picture. It requires a little bit of MacGyver finesse.

I have had no trouble with either method because they don't depend on the putty to hold the transducer in place.

~~~Pete~~~

Are you transporting upside down? Might need to rough up the surface a bit to create better adhesion, but I have no experience with it.

Thanks guys! Yes I had the ducer mounted under my seat and also transported the kayak upside down.

I think I'll mount the ducer to the mast downtube as suggested, then putty it in, and mount the battery under the seat.

Due to steep slopes and staircases I like to bring my Revo 11 from my truck to the water upside down on my head, like portaging a canoe. With the battery under the seat it will balance better.

Andy

Hi Pete, I just reread this. I actually would like to try to mount the ducer under the seat as I stuff my rods in through the bow hatch when launching & landing, and I don't want them to bang on a mast downtube-mounted ducer.

How did you mount the ducer under the seat?

Andy

Hi Andy, this started out as a wet well. When it sprung a leak after a couple of years, I decided to convert it to a putty install.

I took a PVC electrical box from Home Depot and used my Dremel tool to carve out the bottom. I want the transducer to sit right against the hull.

I then Gooped the box to the hull under the seat. The hull is flat here so it is an easy install. I drilled a hole through the box so the screw you see holds the transducer. The screw height should be such that the transducer sits flat against the hull.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...ransducer5.jpg

Here is the inside view. You can see the putty around the bottom of the transducer. You want a thin layer and no air gaps between the transducer and the hull.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...ransducer3.JPG

For extra measure, I put a slice of pool noodle on top of it. So when I put the lid on the box, the transducer is doubly secured.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...ransducer4.JPG

I like having the transducer out of the way. I hadn't opened the box since last year. Today I see the transducer is still very stuck to the hull.

I have my battery in the back hatch. This frees up the front hatch area for storing rods, reels, and big :yt::wsb:.

~~~Pete~~~

Excellent Pete, thanks!

Andy

You're very welcome 'Bro. Happy to help you out. Like I said before, I was amazed at how well this worked. No stuff hanging over the side, I can't stand stuff in the way when fighting fish or kelp, major annoyance.

Probably not as good as a hull mount but my Revos don't have that option.

~~~Pete~~~