transducer question
 

I got a fishfinder for fathers day which almost completes my new yak (riiight http://www.kayakfishingmafia.com/smf...fault/wink.gif ) and I would like to know the best place to mount; front, back, middle etc. The instructions say not to use silicone with in hull mounts. How does everyone do theirs. I guess I'll also lose the water temp with an in hull mount, anyway around that?

thanks Jesse

Do a search of this forum and you will find detailed instructions on how to install a FF in your kayak. I mounted mine in the forward hatch of my Hobie Revo using the silicon method. It works fine and gives me a temperature reading that is fairly accurate.

Bob

Transducer
 

I have a Hobie Adventure. I mounted my tranducer on the rudder and now I get crystal clear reception and water temp too.

This mounting option is new to me. Please describe how you mounted your transducer on the rudder.

Bob

just place your transducer in a clear sandwich bag with alittle water and set it inside the hull.

Rudder Mount
 

Bob

I mounted the display next to the down post in the front, as do most people. Also ran the cables into the hull area and positioned the battery next to the down post inside the hull, also as usual. However, instead of mounting the transducer inside the hull next to the battery, I ran the transducer cable inside the hull all the way to the back of the kayak. I then cut a tiny notch in the rear hatch cover, just big enough to fit the transducer cable. That allowed me to bring the transducer up through the rear hatch and run it back next to the rudder. Most transducers have hardware so that they can be attached to the bottom of a power boat, either the stern or the keel. So I just drilled an 1/8" hole in the bottom of my rudder and screwed the transducer to the rudder. I had to use some duct tape to keep the cable from flopping around, but aside from that it is a pretty clean set up.

Hope this helps.

David

Your mounting option sounds interesting. Can you post some photos? Do you have any problems raising or lowering the rudder with the transducer attached?

Bob

Bob

As requested:

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall.../Rudder-Up.jpg
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...Rudder-Up2.jpg
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...RudderDown.jpg

A little more effort goes into raising and lowering the rudder now. But so far it has worked every time.

David

I think you may have hit on something. I wonder if the kayak manufacturers or one of the aftermarket companies could come up with a rudder with transducer molded in or maybe a rudder that includes some sort of a universal mount. . I recognize that there are many FF manufacturers and each has a different mount and cable setup but if some sort of standardization could be agreed upon, your idea might get some traction.

Carrying the idea to the next level, maybe kayaks, just like computers and many cars on the near horizon could incorporate some sort of a universal interface for electronic connections. I envision something similar to USB but ruggizied.

Wouldn't be cool to have a few connection ports on the deck of your kayak, (or any boat for that matter), that would provide power and data connections so you could hook up a FF, bait tank, GPS or even an iPod?

For all the technically inclined entrepreneurs out there who are reading this, consider this idea a freebie. I just hope that if someone runs with this idea, they remember me and put me on the development team.

Bob

After reading your post I went out and looked at my rudder and started to think that it would be fairly easy to make a mount that connected to the three screws that mount the rudder. You could mount the transducer just behind the rudder and there would be less chance of damaging it. I just had shoulder surgery about 4 weeks ago so I am pretty much done for the summer. If I am able to come up with anything that works I will post it.

David -
Just thinking, is the changing field of view with rudder movement while peddling and turning a problem? Is the ability to change the field of view while stationary an advantage?
JB