Getting it rigged out

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Ken S
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Getting it rigged out

Post by Ken S »

Seeing as I mostly do lakes (live on one). I was thinking about putting a depth finder on the Pescador Pro 120. How hard is it and what kind/model would you go with? Keep in mind that I'm on a limited budget (Retired) How hard is it to see in the sunlight?
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Kirk B.
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Kirk B. »

I put a hummingbird Pirhanamax 4 on a Pelican 100x a couple of years ago. I mounted the transducer inside the hull with Lexel clear caulk (Amazon). It makes the temp sensor wonky, but it works good for depth, structure and fish.
I recommend mounting the transducer as far back as you can get it to reduce air bubbles getting under it.
It only draws about .5 amps, so any small 12v battery will cover a day's fishing. The cheapest option will probably be a 7ah SLA deer feeder battery. They start about $18 on Amazon, but you can usually find them cheaper locally after deer season. A small float charger is a must to keep it topped off. Once they go below 10 volts, you have to replace then.
Putting the battery in the middle or at the back helps keep the nose of your kayak from digging.
The pmax4 runs ~&150, with sale prices around $100, so you could have a final cost between 125 and 200 depending on what other bits you have to buy.
HB also makes a monochrome version of the 4 that is regular priced at $100, for a cheaper option. I've never looked at sale prices on it.


Kirk B.
Last edited by Kirk B. on Sat Oct 12, 2019 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Crusader
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Crusader »

If you fish brushpiles for crappies -- you want your transducer to be as close to tips of your rods as possible, i.e. in front of the kayak.

Here is my experience re-shaping kayak hull manually to fit transducer:
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... 3&t=232906

I strongly suggest to go other way (in-hull or arm-mounted), though -- doing it the way I did is too risky.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Getting it rigged out

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there are so many good arm-mounting options, Scotty and Ram, and if it's not a 100% requirement to use the transducer, it'd definitely go the removable route
https://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-B-316-18-TRA1-NB
The 1" rubber ball that mounts the transducer arm is tiny and completely unobtrusive, and you can swing the arm out of the water and tight against the hull
Image
another approach you might want to look into is a removable dashboard bar to attach all your electronics.
http://madfroggear.com/dashboard/dashboard.html
here's the example on my Kestrel - this is the mad frog gear johnny bar
http://madfroggear.com/johnnybar/johnnybar.html
radio mount, line z-cleat, compass, rod holder, stringer cleat - the bungee will pin another rod or a lure box - no holes
It would be no trouble to add a transducer arm ball mount to the end and electronic base in the center - everything can be moved and rearranged
Image - it was on my daughter's Redfish 10 before I swiped it
Image
this approach lets you gradually dial it in, move things around, and drill the fewest holes in your boat (maybe none) - and move it all to another boat later.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Sun Oct 13, 2019 3:50 am, edited 3 times in total.
Ken S
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ken S »

Well,, it looks like most people don't know what the Pesacdor looks like,, out riggers, bar and so on. I would like a clean look to it. So lets concentrate on the unit itself. What looks good in the sun,, as opposed like a phone, 4 " or 5" I don't know what the transducer on the different models look like, guessing on that. I plan to put a strip of rail on the front hatch next the cup holder so the unit can be removed easy
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Ron Mc
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ron Mc »

form follows function, and I doubt if anyone here was missing the basic form of the Pescador.
The first dashboard I linked is made for tracks.
You have a track for a ball mount to hang a fully functional transducer on an arm - seems a lot smarter than schtupping with the hull.
Whatever you permanently attach to your boat, you'll never get back out of it.
People reply to be helpful, and broaden your mind's eye.
And yeah, that Kestrel with the bar in that last photo is one f'n ugly boat - not that you'll see much of it at 5 kts
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ken S »

sorry, didn't mean to come of as an AH. I thought there is a way to use the scupper holes without cutting into the hull. I really don't like the bar,, I do have rails, but didn't want to have anything hanging over the side.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ron Mc »

fair enough - I don't fish water that needs a fish finder, but when you're on the water and all your rigging works the way you designed it to, how it looks doesn't matter.
Image
what the Kestrel is about is totally wind-proof and 39 lbs - even my fast T160 is a pig next to it - it outrun's my buddy's Hobie Revo 16 with Turbofins, and you can't imagine the endless glide until you're there - it glides forever upwind.
You pay for all that with low stability, but it also turns with thigh straps.
The bar on the kestrel is 1" narrower than the hull at its widest point.
The Kestrel is more of a fast taxi than fishing platform, while the Tarpon is a long-distance drift-fishing fool.
Image
it's also nice not needing to fight your boat taking on water
The point was I could mount transducer and electronics on either boat without a hole, and move it to and from either boat.
I have 3 choices on where to attach my VHF/GPS on the T160 - the same mounts would work for a fish finder - I have one on the Kestrel bar, but it wouldn't be a big deal to move the same hardware and electronics to the bar on the Kestrel. If I didn't like where it ended up, I could adjust the location on the bar.
Ken S
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ken S »

Judging by your remark about not fighting water,, can I assume you use scupper plugs?
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Crusader
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Crusader »

Ron Mc wrote:form follows function, and I doubt if anyone here was missing the basic form of the Pescador.
Funny thing... After I got tired of my big rig with trolling motor and bunch of stuff on it, including kitchen sink -- I ended up picking up basic Pescador Sport 120. Still using it everywhere after 3 years. Not because it is better -- I really miss my trolling motor... But because I got tired of messing with all these attachments/etc, forgetting them at home, washing them, fixing them, dealing with leaks due to holes in the kayak, etc. The only thing I did -- installed fish finder and am using it only for crappie fishing.
Ken S wrote:sorry, didn't mean to come of as an AH. I thought there is a way to use the scupper holes without cutting into the hull. I really don't like the bar,, I do have rails, but didn't want to have anything hanging over the side.
I provided you with info on how you could install transducer in this way.

There is easier option: if you aren't afraid of ripping off your transducer (on shell, for example) -- i.e. if you always fish deeper water (lakes, etc) you could use scupper mount.

Also: in-hull mount (gonna be tricky to install it horizontally in front part of pescador)

Also: arm-mount -- probably best combination of "easy" and "practical".
Last edited by Crusader on Tue Oct 15, 2019 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ron Mc »

Ken S wrote:Judging by your remark about not fighting water,, can I assume you use scupper plugs?
No scupper plugs, even took out the plugs beneath the tarpon seat. I was talking about fighting water inside the hull
Ken S
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ken S »

I will be using the FF in lakes only,, don't need it down on the coast, Thx
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Ron Mc
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Re: Getting it rigged out

Post by Ron Mc »

seems like leaving it at home would be an advantage on coast trips

there's a steady stream of water into your cockpit coming from your paddle - letting it run out scuppers is nice, but what I was talking about was not introducing sources of leaks that could let water ballast into your hull.

The greatest thing you gain with flexible no-holes mounts is trying them on the water and changing your mind.
Also the flexibility factor of not having to pick one mounting spot and living with it.
First trial on my VHF/GPS, discovered too close to the compass, the GPS magnet affected the compass.
Second trial, even though it was a little farther away than the rod mount on the opposite gunwhale, the paddle put enough water on it to set off an ASDC alarm. I rearranged my slide track to move it 1.5 inches farther away and solved it.
And still have a 3rd spot I can retreat to where neither would be an issue.
I can also move it between 3 boats, and have 2 options on one of those.
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