depth gauge, wax ring mounting method

[mike16406]

I am attempting to mount a depth gauge transducer inside the hull. I have found information on using a "wax ring" as a mounting medium. However, I am unable to locate either a photo or an exact explination of how this is done. Can anyone out there help me with a photo or a complete explination of the process?Thanks in advanceMike

 

[Dave Busby]

Mike...here is how I did it

Look at the transducer I have mounted just forward of my keel (photo). It is a Lowrance Fish Easy II. I used a 4" PVC collar to mount the xducer to (with the transom mount supplied) just as if mounting it inside a pipe, then i set the PVC collar in place with the xducer and then pushed waxed ring material around the collar to the hull. Then I filled the collar with water, then took the boat out by motoring, and just adjusted the xducer while the boat was moving. After I decided that it worked ok...I came back to the dock, where I KNOW that it is 15 feet deep, and made my final adjustment. Now it is important to NOT MOVE the xducer. I lifted up the collar and xducer, wiped the area clean and dry, then applied automotive blue RTV (make sure there are NO bubbles in the RTV, then set the collar back down to the hull, let the RTV dry 24 hrs, and then removed the collar and xducer mount, and whal-ah....DONE. It has worked flawlessly for two years now, and is very accurate. Good luck.

 

[Craig17141]

what I did

After much consultation on the web and elsewhere, I took a sandwich bag, filled it with water, put the transducer inside and moved the bag around to find a good spot. I ended up putting the transducer in the rearmost locker on the starboard side of my Hunter 23. To install it, I bought a wax ring for toilets, scooped out (by hand) enough wax to set the transducer in, with about 3/4" extra on all sides and about 1/4 - 3/8" underneath, and set the transducer in the wax. Then I twisted the transducer around slightly and pushed down on it to get a good seating. It works fine, except when the starboard side hikes up above 25-30 degrees. The hull below the transducer is no longer in contact with the water, so the readings get very screwy (0 to 256 feet when the depth is about 30 feet). Other than this, the approach has worked fine. If I moved the transducer somewhere else (it's as close to the center of the boat as I could get it), I could probably solve this problem.As far as the wax goes, it's worked fine and gives me the ability to move the transducer. I also have extra wax, if you need it.Now, if you have a good way for mounting the unit itself, please let me know. I'm still looking for good ideas.