Inside the hull transducer installation?

Looking for advice on the installation of a transducer for a Humminbird bottom finder. I'd prefer to install the transducer on the inside the hull rather than transom mount or through-the-hull type. I own a 2004 Malibu direct drive Wakesetter which from my understanding has a 3/4" thick hull.

i went with the thru hull mount, as i worried less drilling a hold through the hull than screwing up and having bubbles in my epoxy and having to rip the thing off and do it all over. From what i understand there are very specific steps and procedures to take to install an in-hull transducer, mainly to make sure there are no bubbles in the epoxy used to mount it to the hull, or it won't read correctly.

Might pay to have someone do it, or at least do the actual transducer install.

3/4 inch is pretty standard for ski and wakeboard boats

I have my thru hull behind the engine on the right side, kind of under the prop shaft about halfway down the shaft. It is just epoxied to the hull, but you have to have the whole bottom covered in epoxy or the signal won't go through

the instrux say you can't use silicone to mount the xducer, but i've had them mounted with silicone in 2 diff boats / 5 yrs & never a problem. if it doesn't work for some reason, it's much easier to pop loose & move than with epoxy.

mount the xducer towards the back of the boat in an area that's covered by water even under bow-rise, and out of the path of any raw water pickups, paddlewheels, or anything else that disturbs the water flow ahead of it.

I have mounted depth sounder transducers inside the full using silcone. Clean the area first with a little bit of acetone to make sure it is free of grease. Get a tube, squeeze out a large puddle onto the bottom of the boat, then just push the transducer down into it.

Like Trace said, if you decide you want to move it, a box knife will cut it loose.

Rod

DOnt use silicone it absorbs the sound waves, slows response and is far less desireable than a hard epoxy but yes it will work. That Hummingbird is probably the best choice out htere if using the in hull mount. I have it and will own no other as it takes reading very fast and will read @ 30mph. Just be sure its not mounted where turbalance from the fins will allow air under the hull and it will work fine.

Rick

I used silicone and it has been working good for me. Just make sure you do the actual silicone/epoxy application while the boat's in the water. Put down the silicone and then put the transducer into the silicone and move it around until you get a reading. Then drive at speed to make sure you're not loosing your reading from turbulance. I mounted mine just in front and to the side of my skags on a flat surface.

Rick, do you think that the use of silicone slows it enough to make a useable effect? Or is it slower by fractions of a second? I do know that my directions instructed to use epoxy. I guess I figure the depth finders are best if you're just barely idleing in and can see when it is getting shallow too quick. Normally if you saw it get too shallow at speed it'd probably be too late?

(Message edited by levi on September 05, 2004)

Use two-part marine epoxy. Mix it good, put it nice and thick (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch) and apply. The transducer should have directions as to where to physically put it.

Mount it in the same spot as the fresh water pick-up, but on the other side of the hull. They use the "cleanest" spot on the hull for the water pick-up. Quick and goof-proof.

the one i have said to temp mount inside a plastic bag of water to test location, then you glue/3m?? the base to the inside of hull, fill the inside of base with mineral oil, plug in sensor...done it is a uniden unit

If you're in an area with shallow lakes, I'd highly recommend a depth sensor that remembers the alarm settings even when it's powered off. I leave mine set for 4' and it's helped me avoid shallow water many times.

One thing to consider if you mount it by the water pick-up. I think the pick-up is usually close to the rear of the boat and I wanted mine as far forward as possible so that my reading is closer to where I'm going, not where I've been. Just something to consider......

You don't mount it by the pick-up, you find the same location, but on the other side of the hull. Imagine the boat had twin pick-ups, one right side, one left side. Mount it where the second pick-up would be. You don't want to mount it far forward as it needs clean, continuous, turbulent free water under it to read right. The signal is not in the shape of a pin point line going straight down anyway, it's more of a radius.

I too was informed to mount it about the same distance back as the water pick-up, actually almost under the raw water pump on my inboard Nauty.. My Teleflex unit failed three times though. The transducer is easily knocked out with a hammer

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of Teleflex stuff. Never had a problem with my Hummingbird tho.

Yeah, I wished I would have bought the Hummingbird, but I got the Teleflex for $110 to my door. Cheap bastard I am!

I found a NorCross/HawkEye and snagged it for about $70. So what does that make me? ;) I really like the fact that you can change out the face and bezel color to match your existing gauges.