In hull transducer and wax

Light air

Light air

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Dec 29, 2021
89
Catalina, Tanzer C 22, 16 10910 Starr SC
I have to install my Garmin Striker plus 4 and want to use the transducer as an in hull rather than put it on the transom. I've read a few things about the installation and one of them involved using the wax ring from a toilet seal. How does that work and how is it used? Is the transducer wrapped in the wax, or how do you go about using it?
 
Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
5,436
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I don’t know if toilet wax ring is going to be soft enough for this.

I have heard people using mineral oil or similar medium, captured in some sort of vessel, with the transducer in the oil.

You may find some info if you search YouTube…here are a few I found:




Greg
 
Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

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May 17, 2004
5,540
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I’ve read about people using wax rings too. Seems like it would work. Just need the wax between the transducer and the hull with no voids. I’ve done it by bedding the transducer in caulk, but there are trade offs to that too.
 
Light air

Light air

.
Dec 29, 2021
89
Catalina, Tanzer C 22, 16 10910 Starr SC
In the video posted by Tally Ho, while checking the use of the transducer, the presenter used petroleum jelly and duct tape to check the viability of using the transducer in the hull. I am guessing that the wax is used in place of the jelly and not as a permanent way to adhere to the transducer.
 
Ward H

Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,774
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
I’ve used a wax ring for mounting a transducer. Worked like semi permanent glue until the weather turned hot. It softened and let transducer slide a bit but it still held.
 
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C

Capt Robbie

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Jan 24, 2017
670
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
mine is installed in clear silicone..... I used an old plasic container as a retainer for the silicone, made sure no air pockets and set the transducer into it.
I angled the transducer slightly forward , so in theory I can read what's directly in front of me, a few feet before I actually get there. "Lots of shallow spots in Barnegat bay where I keep my boat":biggrin:

You will need to make sure that you don't have any voids in the hull. I used a plastic bag full of water and placed it around the hull until I got a good signal.
Then silicone it down. I've heard of people using a toilet wax seal and believe that this would work as well. Only thing that I was concerned about using a wax seal was that it my break loose of time and was messy.

Advantages of mounting either way.

1. No holes in boat +++
2. Easy to service or replace
3. Level mounting ability, more accurate reading as opposed to read off to the side of the boat due to hull shape.
4.Can angle transducer forward like forward looking sonar.

Mine has been installed for 38 years and no issues
Good luck and I hope this helps
 
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B

brazenarticle

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Jul 8, 2012
137
Catalina 36 MKII North East
Roll a ball of wax from the toilet bowl ring, put it on the bottom of the transducer and stick it to a flat spot on the inside bottom of the hull. Squish it down tight so there are no voids or bubbles. You won't need the housing that usually gets filled with mineral oil or water, the wax does the job.
Initially I used wax instead of the baggie of water to try different positions on the hull, it worked well enough that I just left it attached with the wax. It has been working fine for several years.
 
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Light air

Light air

.
Dec 29, 2021
89
Catalina, Tanzer C 22, 16 10910 Starr SC
All positive responses to using the toilet wax but the only thing that concerns me is heat - as in summer. I don't want to use silicone because I don't want to make it permanent just yet.
 
Light air

Light air

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Dec 29, 2021
89
Catalina, Tanzer C 22, 16 10910 Starr SC
I don't want a permanent installation yet since I am unsure about keeping the unit for this boat but I need to have at least a depth finder for my lake.
 
Hayden Watson

Hayden Watson

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Apr 5, 2009
3,072
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
I am in the process of installing my third "In the hull" transducer. I have been using the technique for about 30 years. I do not like the mess of wax rings and the "one shot to get it perfect or else" aspect of silicone. I always mount mine in a box. The first two times I did it, the transducers were small so I cut a 4"ø ABS cleanout port to fit the slope and epoxied it to the hull. The transducer is mounted to the cap and the base is filled with polypropylene antifreeze. test the location by setting the transducer on a Ziplock baggy filled with water. I used the baggy all last summer because I didn't have the time to build and mount a box for my SideVu transducer which is about 6" long.
My new box is made from a waterproof electrical box. I cut out the bottom and used G-flex epoxy to bond on PVC boards angled out at 45º to get the proper coverage for the SideVu. I have the basic shape fitted to the hull and the bits put together but need to get a full cure so that I can sand it to get rid of the FG fish hooks and a coat of paint before I bond it to the hull with more G-flex.
 

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BarryL

BarryL

.
May 21, 2004
1,055
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hey,

As others have written, the wax ring is very simple. Just make it into a small ball and then smush (that's the technical term) the transducer into it. That's the way I did it on my 1986 O'day 35. I planned on using glue to hold it down, but after 5 years the wax was still working fine. I did find that on very hot summer days the wax for soft and the xducer could move a little but then I would just straighten it out.

On my next boat I hired a guy to install the transducer in the v berth because I wasn't able to run the wire ALL the way back to the cockpit. He did a a great job and uses a blob or clear silicon to hold the xducer. I like that way better and if I have to install another xducer that's what I would use.

BTW I found I didn't need a bag of water or anything for the xducer to work. I could just hold it against the hull and it gave readings. Maybe it wouldn't be able to find the bottom at 100+ feet but I only care about finding the bottom in 10' or less :)

Barry
 
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Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
5,436
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Hayden Watson said:
I am in the process of installing my third "In the hull" transducer. I have been using the technique for about 30 years. I do not like the mess of wax rings and the "one shot to get it perfect or else" aspect of silicone. I always mount mine in a box. The first two times I did it, the transducers were small so I cut a 4"ø ABS cleanout port to fit the slope and epoxied it to the hull. The transducer is mounted to the cap and the base is filled with polypropylene antifreeze. test the location by setting the transducer on a Ziplock baggy filled with water. I used the baggy all last summer because I didn't have the time to build and mount a box for my SideVu transducer which is about 6" long.
My new box is made from a waterproof electrical box. I cut out the bottom and used G-flex epoxy to bond on PVC boards angled out at 45º to get the proper coverage for the SideVu. I have the basic shape fitted to the hull and the bits put together but need to get a full cure so that I can sand it to get rid of the FG fish hooks and a coat of paint before I bond it to the hull with more G-flex.
Click to expand
Is there liquid in the fiberglass bottom part? The part that is bonded to the hull…

Greg
 
Hayden Watson

Hayden Watson

.
Apr 5, 2009
3,072
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
Tally Ho said:
Is there liquid in the fiberglass bottom part? The part that is bonded to the hull…

Greg
Click to expand
yes. I will bond the bottom to the "V" of the bow below my V-berth and the transducer is mounded inside the box with the wire coming out the clear top with a gromet to seal it. The box is then filled with Pet-safe Peak Sierra polypropene antifreeze to make the air-free contact with the hull. It works the same way as the mineral oil in the first video you posted but is not oily, non-toxic and can be cleaned up with water.
The extensions to the box are there to give enough depth to mount the transducer and it is flared out at 45º because it is a SideVu transducer that has a wide beam to look to each side of the boat as well as below it.
 
C

Capt Robbie

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Jan 24, 2017
670
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
again I think either method to set the transducer will work fine. If your concerned about silicone not being able to remove it at a later date, all that you need to do is use a putty knife and scrape it off. Don’t need to use any really strong adhesive like 5200, just any clear silicone from the hardware store $2.99 it’s just going to hold it to the hull inside of your boat. My neighbors is mounted in silicone and went bad a few years ago, we pulled it out and replaced it with no issues. Took us about ten minutes, took longer to fish the cable then to free from the blob of silicone.
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,553
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
A variant of the wax ring approach that I have had a good experience with is to use plumbers putty instead of wax. It does not suffer from the heat so much as the wax does and it is less messy if you change your mind and want to move the transducer.

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Light air

Light air

.
Dec 29, 2021
89
Catalina, Tanzer C 22, 16 10910 Starr SC
I like the putty substitute. I'll give it a try when I go out to the boat next week (we are having a return to winter this weekend)
 
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