Transducer Replacement

[Godefroy]

So today, I bit the bullet and started work in earnest on replacing the transducer. The old one was stuck. Stuck hard, but we worked through that.

It looks like the previous (probably original) was installed in a wooden spacing plug to level it out, with a rediculous amount of adhesive to seal it in. At first try, I disconnected the nut and whacked it with a hammer.

I have never heard so clearly the silent noise of inanimate laughter.

I then proceeded to chip away around the edge of the 'ducer, the better to pry it away. I used a putty knife, as had been suggested on these forums. I then took another whack with the hammer.

The laughter turned to snickering.

On the recommendation of another guy at my boatyard, I grabbed a set of vice grips, and rotated the 'ducer about 180 degrees, then had my wife pound on the 'ducer while I pried on it from below. After a few moments, the stupid thing was dangling by its cable.

Now, I just need to figure out a way to enlarge the hole so my new 'ducer will fit. It is just *slightly* bigger. I'm thinking dremel, since the hole is a bit big for a reamer, and a hole saw would be a bit inaccurate with such a huge pilot hole. If anyone has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

 

[CJ15974]

Godefroy:
If it's slightly larger, get a hole saw that will cut a hole the size you need. Use it to cut a disk out of scrap wood. The disk will be the width of the saw blade smaller than the final hole you want. Fit it into the present hole. The disk will then serve as the pilot hole to saw through the hull and keep the blade centered.

Clarence Jones (about to be a Catalina 28 owner)

 

[Godefroy]

Transducer Enlargement

Clarence, that is brilliant. Thank you!

 

[Lookout]

If you have a router

You could also cut a wood template the right size, and epoxy, or 5200 it in place, and run a flush router around the hole, from the outside. the template could then be your backing plate for mounting.

 

[Godefroy]

I actually used a synthesis of those methods. With my drill press, I bored a new hole through the external flush mount, and then 5200'ed it onto the hull. I used that new, larger hole to guide my hole saw in the cut.

It was a tad big, but more 5200 both sealed it in solidly and filled the gaps.