How should I mount my transducer?

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mainbutter
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How should I mount my transducer?

Post by mainbutter »

It's that time of year when, deep in the wintery lulls, new toys arrive to gather dust until the spring thaw comes.

This year, one of those toys for me is a Lowrance Hook 5 fish finder/GPS! I'm pretty stoked, as I've never owned a fish finder before, but now need to figure out 1) how to use the thing and 2) how to get it all rigged up.

I'll be using it with my Ocean Kayak Prowler Angler 13.

I'm going to mount the unit on a Ram ball swivel on the center "console" area right in front of where I sit. I have the battery in a waterproof battery case with waterproof connections, and will probably stow the battery inside the yak, and drill a small hole for the power cord to go through.

Now my dilemma is how to mount the transducer. I know my yak has a molded "transducer compatible scupper", but don't really understand how the transducer is supposed to stay in place, rather than just dangling by its connection cable.

My Hook 5 comes with with the "Mid/High DownScan Imaging HDI Transducer", if there are different shapes to transducers.

Any thoughts, tips, or tricks that I could consider for good transducer mounting options? Thanks for any advice!
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kickingback
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by kickingback »

I use the portable transducer arm that uses tracks to mount on my Hobie PA. This allows me to take the unit and the transducer off to store elsewhere. It hangs over the side near my front hatch and it is a side imaging transducer so I have it well in front of my mirage drive to get both side scans. I can raise and lower it as needed but I never have to raise it until I get to the ramp pulling in nose first. A non side imaging transducer can be mounted inside the kayak using epoxy or Goop but you have to make sure there are no bubbles in the liquid before it sets or the transducer will read the bubbles and not work right.
imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Did your Hook 5 come with the scupper mount for the transducer? My hook 7 and elite 5 both came with one. I haven't used it yet since I plan on buying a new kayak 1st and currently have both mounted on my PB but it looks like it would work well if your prowler has the recessed scupper for a transducer.
imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

hers a link to one if yours didn't come with it
https://www.austinkayak.com/products/85 ... Mount.html
imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

here's another link for one on amazon with prime 2 day shipping
https://www.amazon.com/Lowrance-000-106 ... B0067MUZQY
mainbutter
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by mainbutter »

Thanks for the suggestions!

I've been reading that scupper-mounted transducers might not be a great idea when beaching a kayak on various terrain and am intrigued by the over-the-side transducer arm mounts.

Any considerations for how far forward I should place the transducer arm, I assume I should be careful of my paddle stroke's path into and through the water?
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kickingback
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by kickingback »

Are you asking about the "through the scupper" arm or an over the side arm? If you are using the scuppers then use one that is closest to the wires to ease installation. If you have SI then you need to make sure that nothing is to the side of the transducer at least 3" in front and 3" behind. This will ensure the side beam is not blocked.
If you are placing an arm over the side the same applies.
TG05
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by TG05 »

I use a Mad Frog Liberator arm, it folds up easily. I originally had a YakAttack arm, but it is thicker, produces more drag, and doesn't easily fold up and out of the water. If mounted on a track, you can adjust the position of the transducer so it's not in the way when paddling.
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Chubs
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by Chubs »

I too am trying to figure out how to mount my transducer in my Heritage Redfish 12.
I got a Hummingbird 197c with Down Imaging from gander mountain just before they went out of business, got it for like 1/2 off :)

Anyway, I've never mounted it. I saw a few options:
Cut out a foam insert, glue the insert to the inside of your hull with marine goop; and then make a pool of either - marine goop, silicone, or Vaseline and push the transducer down into the cutout.
I worry though that it might fall off because I flip my kayak over every trip to clean the inside of salt water that inevitably finds it way in.

I didn't know about transducer arms. For those that have them; how do you like them? Do you find your transducer losing contact with the water a lot? Also do you end up running the transducer aground a lot in shallow water? Not that you could even use a FF in shallow...
The inside hull seems to have the advantage of not having to worry about running it aground; but I hear the temperature reading isn't as accurate (but just how much does it differ?), and sometimes they can come lose.

I figure I'll do the inside hull with the foam, but put it in with Vaseline or Silicone for now - probably work out a way to keep it all in place for when I flip it over too. I assume DI works from inside the hull. The marine goop I hear can fall lose at the wrong time and you have no signal at that point. Vaseline you just push it down again and are good to go.
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kickingback
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by kickingback »

If you mount it inside and use the Goop or other substance to secure it make sure there are NO BUBBLES in the goop. It will ruin your scan as you will have the bubbles all the time on your graph. Not good.
AS for the arm over the side I find it easiest to put on and take off easily. I put mine on and "tilt" it out of the water until I launch. I then put it all the way down. Very easy. It is flexible and will bend if you bottom out. I leave mine down all the way until I recover and tilt it up to recover fully. I then just unscrew the scotty rail attachment from my rail guides and stow it and the sonar away. No wires left hanging on the kayak and the until can be used on my other kayak or Jon boat if needed. That is the best of the arm. The transducer is not "cemented" to the kayak never to be used on another kayak, not to mention if you ever decide to sell or change your unit manufacturer and need to change the cemented transducer.
imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Anyone have any thoughts on mounting a skimmer transducer to the bottom of a rudder? It seems like it would work the same as an arm. I guess it might cause a little drag to the rudder but I wouldn't think a skimmer type would throw tracking off enough to tell. It would require running the cable up the rudder and would have to figure out how to do that and keep the wire inline with the back edge so it didn't throw tracking off or maybe attach transducer to the rear edge just below waterline so cable is not so much an issue. I think it could be done. Anyone have any other pros or cons to doing this?
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notquiteflotsam
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by notquiteflotsam »

kickingback wrote: AS for the arm over the side I find it easiest to put on and take off easily. I put mine on and "tilt" it out of the water until I launch. I then put it all the way down. Very easy. It is flexible and will bend if you bottom out. I leave mine down all the way until I recover and tilt it up to recover fully. I then just unscrew the scotty rail attachment from my rail guides and stow it and the sonar away. No wires left hanging on the kayak and the until can be used on my other kayak or Jon boat if needed. That is the best of the arm. The transducer is not "cemented" to the kayak never to be used on another kayak, not to mention if you ever decide to sell or change your unit manufacturer and need to change the cemented transducer.
Could you post or PM me a picture of this? I have a tarpon 120 and am trying to figure out how this works. It seems as though unless I want a bunch of extra wire on the deck (I don't), that I have to put the wire inside. I'm ok with this, but then my transducer seems to be semi-permanently mounted to the kayak, which I also don't want. That seems like it would be a hazard for transport.
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Chubs
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by Chubs »

I ended up mounting the same arm he's talking about.

Unfortunately I don't have a good picture of the setup; but basically yes; I have to coil the wire up from my radar to the transducer; but unless you mount the transducer inside I don't see how you could do otherwise.
That or add an extra hole in your kayak to poke the wire in and out (which is a good option to have a clean deck). I might do that.

I've used the arm a few times now and I have a few issues with it though.

1 - it's a line snagging magnet. I've not caught enough fish for it to be an issue, but potentially if you get them to the side of the boat and they swim under; you will have no way to retrieve them because your line is going to snag on the transducer on the front or your rudder on the back. I have had it hang up my lures a few times though and I have to waddle my way to the front to unhook the thing - time wasting and potentially dangerous if I fall overboard into oyster shell. Now of course I might have mine mounted too far away from me - but as I'm paddle power only, I didn't want it too close to interfere with my stroke.

2 - The arm is sturdy enough to keep the transducer in place - but once you get going the entire arm vibrates just due to the venture effect. Mine vibrates enough that I hear it making disturbance in the water as I go (sloshing noises). I don't know if it scares off the fish, but it's in my mind that it could so of course it bothers me all trip.

I'm going to try a different option next go if I get around to it. I bought some outdoor rated Velcro (found in Lowes) - also I found some high powered neodymium magnets. My idea 1st is to try and use 3 magnets to attach the transducer through the hull on the outside. My worry is the magnetic field interferes with the transducer (very possible). So I'll have to put the transducer far enough away that the signal is not effected. Which will probably make the mount not sturdy enough - or cause that sloshing noise I hate.
The other idea is to Velcro the transducer to the hull. In theory the outdoor rated Velcro sticky tape side should hold up in the water - but honestly I won't know till I try.

I saw a suction cup mount option somewhere where you cable tie the transducer to the sunction cups around a rod of some sort. But I can't find suction cups!

I like the magnet idea if it will work - cause I could glue the magnets inside my hull; then if I hit a obstruction the transducer can detach and stay connected via the cord - and I could just get the transducer back close and it will automatically re-attach in the correct orientation.
Velcro same idea but it will be harder to re-attach.
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kickingback
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by kickingback »

This is how I started.
Image

I added a track to mount track mounted arm like this...It is easier to raise out of water so it does not drag bottom when launching /recovering. The 1 wire from the transducer just lays on deck and I never get tangled nor does it bother me.
Image
I use a trollong motor a lot and the only noise I get is from the water wake it produces but it has no effect on the kayak or paddling.
bigbuzzard
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Re: RE: Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by bigbuzzard »

kickingback wrote:This is how I started.
Image

I added a track to mount track mounted arm like this...It is easier to raise out of water so it does not drag bottom when launching /recovering. The 1 wire from the transducer just lays on deck and I never get tangled nor does it bother me.
Image
I use a trollong motor a lot and the only noise I get is from the water wake it produces but it has no effect on the kayak or paddling.
I use the Scotty 140 arm also. I have the Garmin striker 4 portable unit so I take mine off and on. Works really great FOR ME. Just my preference.

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imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: How should I mount my transducer?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

I mounted my hook 5 transducer in the hull of my Heritage redfish 14 and really am pleased with it. The only drawback is that the temp readings are not accurate since not in direct contact with the water. They're about 3 to 4 degrees warmer as compared to my brothers which he has mounted on an arm in the water. The redfish has closed cell foam support blocks inside the hull between the console and bottom hull but if yours doesn't it wouldn't be hard to add some. I was able to use a sharp fillet knife and cut a slot (slightly smaller than the transducer) out of the bottom portion of the foam block. I filled the slot with 100% silicone and pressed the transducer in it. The remaining foam over the top of the transducer presses it down and holds it against the hull so it doesn't come loose. Shooting thru the hull doesn't seem to cause any interference with sonar readings and reads as well as my hook 7 that's in my power boat with trolling motor mounted transducer. I drilled holes in the console to run the wiring thru and made waterproof grommets to seal them so all my wiring and battery are mounted in the hull and out of my way. I'm already cramped for space on my deck and didn't want anything else up there. It works really well for me.
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