Fitting of transducer for sounder

Message

#1 Post by **pete** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:21 pm

After a couple of seasons of using a wooden 'leg' and g clamp to put the transducer in place :oops: i'm looking to put it in permanently, would also like to fix the wires, battery and bracket for the sounder itself in permanently. I'm driving an okrney longliner so with room fairly restricted i'm looking to make it as neat as possible job. Any tips, advice, mistakes to watch out for etc. would be greatfully received.

Pete

#2 Post by **pete** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:47 pm

Cmon lads....give me a few tips here before i start tinkering :P

#3 Post by **MAC** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:52 pm

No idea Pete, Although hopefully I will be doing a similar job myself in the few weeks.... Any instructions out there in google land?

Kev

#4 Post by **JimC** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:39 pm

Pete,
As you have been using it with a portable (wooden leg!!) option you should have a good idea where the optimum position should be on the transom. There should have been a ferrule or grommet with the unit. This will be used where the cable enters the gunnel.. Make sure that you mark the transom before drilling and ensure that the screw position allows for movement on the transducer bracket, both up and down (fine tuning after fitting.) Quality PU sealer on the screws and the inner hole of the grommet will insure no water ingress.
Not sure of your arrangement on the boat (console layout, existing wiring etc.) so cannot comment on wiring without more info.

Jim :)

#5 Post by **pete** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:08 pm

Good man Jim. The issue i'm going to have with the wiring is where i'm going to place the bracket for the sounder itself. I don't have a centre console on her and to be honest with their not being a whole pile of free room as it is i'm a little reluctant to stick one in her. Which leaves me with a dilema....do i put it down somewhere close to the tiller where i have easy access(but where she'll get wet from spray, blood etc. or do i put it up in the cuddy or rather attached under the shelter of its roof. I'm going to need to make my mind up shortly with the season fast approaching :D

#6 Post by **JimC** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:37 pm

Aye that’s a bit of a dilemma alright! First thoughts would have me fitting where it is easy to view. Most sounders are splash proof. You could fit some class of screen to offer more protection from splashes. We used have a Skellig open boat. We fitted the sounder on the back seat near the tiller. With the longliner you probably want to keep any extra weight forward but if you use a small battery you shouldn’t have much penalty. What make/model of sounder?

#7 Post by **pete** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:24 am

Garmin 520 colour, very fond of her hence the desire to keep her sheltered :?

#8 Post by **MAC** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:35 am

Hi Pete, I tried to look up the 520, but found no info... If's it's IPX7 rated, it can be submersed in 1 meter of water for 30 mins, so you should have no problem with rain. If not I would tend to keep it as sheltered as possible.

Kev

#9 Post by **pete** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:13 pm

Sorry Kev, i might not have the serial number wrong. Got it from Redcar Electronics. Think I might just go with the fixture in the cuddy.

#10 Post by **MAC** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:22 pm

Hi Pete,

Been doing quite a bit of reading on this topic over the last few days... Getting ready for my own fit.

Here's what I have come accross so far.
It looks like with the Orkneys you have a slightly easier job on your hands and it's a displacement hull. Basically you wan't to fit the Transducer to the Transom is an area that will not be effected by the turbelent water from the prop. Getting this area spot on will give better performance. Since you have been using a clamp and wood you will have a good idea of where you are getting good performance from already. The thing to do is find out where you are getting the best performance from at speed and note the spot.

They you need to fit the transducer to the spot. From what I have read, you will need to use some PU sealer (Silkaflex). When you have marked and drilled the holes, dab some silkaflex on the screws and around the fixing mount and then screw it onto the Transom. The silkaflex will ensure that there is no water seepage into the Transom and also secures.

Transducer alingment is also Key... It needs to be 1-3mm below the hull at a spot that is under the waterline while moving. This is so you get a smooth flow of water over it. Any deeper and you get splashing and bubbles as the water passes over it and this effects performance.

All this from someone who has never fitted one :shock:

I'm kind of dredding my fit as I have not had the chance to fit a good spot and don't wan't to be drilling repeatedly into a new hull..... :?

I hope that info helps.

Kevin

The Dirty Fecker · Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:07 pm

MAC wrote:Hi Pete,

Been doing quite a bit of reading on this topic over the last few days... Getting ready for my own fit.

Here's what I have come accross so far.
It looks like with the Orkneys you have a slightly easier job on your hands and it's a displacement hull. Basically you wan't to fit the Transducer to the Transom is an area that will not be effected by the turbelent water from the prop. Getting this area spot on will give better performance. Since you have been using a clamp and wood you will have a good idea of where you are getting good performance from already. The thing to do is find out where you are getting the best performance from at speed and note the spot.

They you need to fit the transducer to the spot. From what I have read, you will need to use some PU sealer (Silkaflex). When you have marked and drilled the holes, dab some silkaflex on the screws and around the fixing mount and then screw it onto the Transom. The silkaflex will ensure that there is no water seepage into the Transom and also secures.

Transducer alingment is also Key... It needs to be 1-3mm below the hull at a spot that is under the waterline while moving. This is so you get a smooth flow of water over it. Any deeper and you get splashing and bubbles as the water passes over it and this effects performance.

All this from someone who has never fitted one :shock:

I'm kind of dredding my fit as I have not had the chance to fit a good spot and don't wan't to be drilling repeatedly into a new hull..... :?

I hope that info helps.

Kevin

Stick your tranducer here :wink:

[img:768:1024]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee296/thedirtyfecker/GEDC0371.jpg[/img]

#12 Post by **MAC** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:19 pm

How do you find the preformance from the transducer in that position Luke? It looks like the txd, would have to be about 10mm plus below the hull on the right side. Would this not cause excessive splash above 6-8 knots and then cause interference?

Kev

The Dirty Fecker · Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:33 pm

This is not a great picture to show the transducer but it is acually slightly below the hull level. The performance is pretty good allowing high speed with the transducer still working. If you mount the transducer further towards the side of the boat you will get much more interference. The prop causes bubbles to form at the outer edge of its vortex which messes up tranducer signals. I have tried it further out on other boats i've had and this so far has been the best. You dont want it too close to the outer edge or too close to behind the vortex either. This is where the Garmin instruction book said to mount it so i just followed their advice.

jw · #14 Post by jw » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:35 pm

this is the way it is on the whitewater and it works good even bombing
along at 30 knots ( photos are of a messy job replacing a dripping oil seal )

The Dirty Fecker · Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:05 pm

That looks like some boat :D

#16 Post by **brianbru** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:53 pm

hi jw does the whitewater be on the marina in poolbeg?

#17 Post by **MAC** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:36 am

The raymarine give the same advice Luke, I might try rig up a temporary fitting and move it slightly untl I get the better performance.... we'll see, At least I got a few days to have a think about it with all the Shite weather.

Kev

#18 Post by **SeanP** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:30 pm

MAC wrote:
They you need to fit the transducer to the spot. From what I have read, you will need to use some PU sealer (Silkaflex). When you have marked and drilled the holes, dab some silkaflex on the screws and around the fixing mount and then screw it onto the Transom. The silkaflex will ensure that there is no water seepage into the Transom and also secures.

Transducer alingment is also Key... It needs to be 1-3mm below the hull at a spot that is under the waterline while moving. This is so you get a smooth flow of water over it. Any deeper and you get splashing and bubbles as the water passes over it and this effects performance.

Kevin

Sounds right enough to me, went and let warrior fit mine, it was nearly an inch below, water was spraying all over the engine cowling :evil: :roll:

#19 Post by **MAC** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:06 pm

An inch below :shock: The raymarine manual specs between 1-3mm and from what I read, a lot of the companies use the same company for the Transducer. Did you move yours Sean? If so, did you use Silkaflex, or did you screw it into the transom?

Kev

#20 Post by **SeanP** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:10 pm

I know :roll: don't know who they gave that job to!
I screwed it with some decent silicone behind, filled the old holes with the plastic padding gelcoat repair as I moved it closer to the keel at the same time.

Sea Angling Ireland

Fitting of transducer for sounder

Fitting of transducer for sounder

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