Transducer Mounting

Ross · May 28, 2008

When all else fails follow the directions! If you are going to drill through the

waterline you need to be sure to use a sealant that is labeled for use below the water line and it is probably a good idea to install a durable backing block for the screws to hold in. Fiber glass is very poor for its screw holding ability.

higgs · May 28, 2008

Well....

I would not be confident that an epoxy mount would hang in there over time. Using Life calk/seal (not sure which) on the mounting screws you can certainly mount the transducer on the stern with little concern. Through hull gives you the neatest set up.

Benny17441 · May 28, 2008

Epoxy the transducer inside the hull.

This is not possible in every boat but you may test to see if it will work for yours. find a small comparment in the hull, preferably near the bow and fill it with water. Submerge the transducer in the water and turn the unit on to see if you get a reading. (Test with boat in the water) Some hulls are porous and will disrupt the signal. If you get a reading and it seems to be acurate then it would be a matter of substituting the water with epoxy. Make sure there are no air bubles in the epoxy between the base of the transducer and the inside of the hull. If you do not get a reading through the hull I'm afraid your alternative will be to drill holes. There is nothing wrong with that if properly done. Drill the holes and fill them up with a waterproof sealer before setting the screws. You may also install guides for the cable.Besides a compass I consider a depth sounder the most important navigation tool aboard.

Mark Griffin · May 28, 2008

Give the wax a try

I just installed a combo GPS / fish finder in my O Day 272. I didn't want any more holes in my boat, so I tried the toilet wax ring a try. It was less than $2 at home depot. It took two tries to find a good spot, but it works just fine. I don't know how it will hold up to the heat, but for less than $2 it's worth a try.

Timo42 · May 28, 2008

Did the wax ring trick

2 weeks ago, mounted the transducer 6" out from the keel well on the starboard side, worked better than it ever did on the transom, temp sensor not so accurate anymore though, clean the area with water to remove salt residue, then wipe with acetone and press the puck into a gob of wax on the hull. If it is on the transom it will only be reliable on a port tack. Tim

Benny17441 · May 28, 2008

I think Manny has a fantastic solution.

by mounting it to a bracket. One of my misgivings about transom mounting is that unlike the transom of power boats sailboats usually have elevated transoms and when heeled or in choppy seas you will loose contact. It really does not matter that the transponder is in the stern as what you are looking for is the general depth of the water you are in. Sailboat do not move fast so having a reading aft is not really a problem. Don't know about the toilet wax idea though, it sounds messy.

Timo42 · May 28, 2008

Wear gloves

for installation, do use a fresh ring though

wad the rest of the ring up, stick it in a plastic bag, and put in with your wood plugs and duct tape just in case. Took all of 15 minutes including running the wire to the display. Tim

oldiesrocker2001 · May 29, 2008

The wax ring works

The wax ring works like a charm on my boat. It became very easy to test areas that would work the best(even though it IS messy if you want to move the transducer. Mine stayed in place through the haul up to the lake and a few launches as well as some pretty warm weather(don't know what would happen in the tropics or even Florida, though)for the past several weeks. In about a month, the boat will be hauled about 300 miles and back. We'll see if it's still in place. If not - I now know where to epoxy it permanently.