Seeking advice on transducer fit up

[Ron173]

G'Day

This weekend I'm about to fit a Navman sounder to a small tinnie.

My dilema is wether to drill the reqd NINETEEN mm hole and feed cable thru the transom, or run it up and over the top.

the kit does come with a small plate which goes over the cable if you do it that way.

Would be interested to hear any views on which way best to go?

Rgds

Ron

[Poseidon]

I would go over the top and not drill any hole. Get yourself some of that split black conduit or some cable wrap to protect the cable from being stood on or crushed.

I hate drilling un-necessary holes.

Regards Cameron.

[Ron173]

I'm kinda of that opinion too, but I need to drill 4 small ones to actually mount the transducer itself, but they will be filled with silicon prior to screwing up.

It would need the 19mm (scary) to get the non removeable plug thru, which is prhaps an unnecessary hole, again sealed but neater job and less chance of cable being damaged in future.

Just wondering what most people do when doing a home fit like this.

Interested to hear any other reasoning?

Ron

[freddofrog]

Unless you know exactly where to put it I wouldn't screw it directly to the transom but to a bracket (eg http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=32383&intAbsolutePage=1)

This way you can make adjustments as required.

cya
ff

[Blackened]

G'day

Just run the transducer cable over the top of the transom.

I have done this with my tinny and had no trouble with damaging the cable.

Dave

[Spaniard_King]

another option is to silicon a piece of thick nylon to the back of the tinny and screw to that.. you could even put a few sealed pop rivets in the thru the nylon to the all to give extra strenght(probly not needed if you use a nylon bit of 20 x 20cm)

You could even try shooting through the ally floor and just silicon the transducer down (I have done this on my boys tiny) it works well

Garry

[Ron173]

Thanks for advice,

Been talkin to a few folks n think I will use pop rivets dipped in silicon, as the rivet expands tight on the hole, wont leak.

Will prob go over the top of transom with some form of protection over it at the top, sounds best I think.

Ron

[reef_king]

It might be better to use sikaflex adeshive its got alot more holding power and holds up better on alloy boats due to something about the electrolisis from one of the ingredients in the silicon ( thats what my marine mechanic told me)

ty

[tunaticer]

I am surprised that these days they havent got the clue to make sounders wireless between the sounder and the transducer. You can buy small castable setups so why cant they opt for high quality remote transducer setups??

I am sure with the current tech of wireless and the ranges that can be had it would be quite an easy feat to create.

Jack.

[Grand_Marlin]

Ron,

If you want the best way, follow Spaniard King's advice.

Even a piece of neatly cut and sealed ply will do the job.

I fit sounders for a living and ALWAYS do them this way.

That way it cant leak, cant cause electrolysis and when you have to alter the transducer height, or if you ever have to change the sounder / transducer... it is dead easy.

Use Sikaflex 291 Marine sealant - this will stick the board to the back of the boat easily.

The best product to use is Aerated of Foamed PVC Sheet, 10mm thick.
Any plastics fabrication shop will have this available and will cut it to size.
Wont cost more than 10 bucks.

Go over the top with the cable ... keep it close to the outboard frame and it wont get damaged.

Cheers

Pete

[bushbeachboy]

I have run all of mine over the top so far and been happy with the result. I'd be a bit concerned with drilling a 19mm hole in the hull, thinking about Murphy's Law and all that.

[Ron173]

Again thanks for replies.

Doing job tomorrow, will get sikaflex sealant, although will only ever be run in fresh.

Info share on here is tops.

Rgds

Ron

[Ron173]

Ron,

If you want the best way, follow Spaniard King's advice.

Even a piece of neatly cut and sealed ply will do the job.

I fit sounders for a living and ALWAYS do them this way.

That way it cant leak, cant cause electrolysis and when you have to alter the transducer height, or if you ever have to change the sounder / transducer... it is dead easy.

Use Sikaflex 291 Marine sealant - this will stick the board to the back of the boat easily.

The best product to use is Aerated of Foamed PVC Sheet, 10mm thick.
Any plastics fabrication shop will have this available and will cut it to size.
Wont cost more than 10 bucks.

Go over the top with the cable ... keep it close to the outboard frame and it wont get damaged.

Cheers

Pete

Getting on with job, on coffee break, got some of that 291 sealant, looks good, at a cool $18.60 a tube! ouch.

[Grand_Marlin]

Ron,

Sika is dearer, but it wont fail from uv, water / salt water and it is nearly stronger than rivets!!

Wwhen you wipe off the excess sika, do it with a dry rag first.

Then use metho on a rag to remove any remaining excess sika - do it while it is still wet.

Cheers

Pete

[Ron173]

Job done!

I actually went thru transom in end, but used rivets and sikaflex 291, so actually looks a top job.

Will take out n test run tomorrow.

heres a few pics of how it went,

Thanks for all the advice.

Rgds

Ron

[Foxy4]

It might be better to use sikaflex adhesive its got a lot more holding power and holds up better on alloy boats due to something about the electrolysis from one of the ingredients in the silicon ( thats what my marine mechanic told me)

ty

Definitely agree on this one. Use Sikaflex and Not Silicon.

[Spaniard_King]

Definitely agree on this one. Use Sikaflex and Not Silicon.


If you use neutral cure silicon it will outlast the sika.. it.s accetic silicon that does the damage to ally and plastic (like transducers) for that matter.

Sika will actually break down a lot faster than neutral silicon

Garry

[fish-freak]

Job done!

I actually went thru transom in end, but used rivets and sikaflex 291, so actually looks a top job.

Will take out n test run tomorrow.

heres a few pics of how it went,

Thanks for all the advice.

Rgds

Ron
No, that's all wrong!! (just kidding). If she dont leak your job is done!!

cheers daz...