Transducer INSIDE a kayak

[Holls]

I'm hoping to mount my Garmin fishfinder transducer inside my yak. That is, attach it to the bottom using marine goop so it reads through the plastic. Anyone done this? Will the transducer work AS EFFECTIVELY as if you mount it so it reads directly into the water? Any experienced advice greatly appreciated.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Holls

[mii11x]

From what I know and understand, they do make through hull transducers. You would have to check which companies do, or google and see if your model has a through hull transducer

[mikei000]

I've done mine through the skupper hole with a bit of conduit and a screw holding it in. No holes in the yak and gets perfect reading, just need to be wary sometimes if you pull up on a boat ramp or steps that it doesn't get ripped off. I tried the whole through hull but could never get it working properly

[GreyNurse]

I have a small Lowrance unit. I've mounted the transducer both directly in the water via a transom bracket and through the hull. There's no discernable difference. I even mounted the transducer in the hull facing the wrong way and it works just fine.

I've no experience with Garmins, but I'd reckon you shouldn't have any problems. Just ensure that when you place the transducer into the marine goop, that you roll it in (can be a bit tricky if you are placing it forward or back of the hatch lid and can't actually see what you're doing), so that you eliminate air bubbles.

Good luck with the project and let us know how you fare.

[boattart]

I think what Holls is talking about is mounting it inside the hull not through hull. I would assume it would work but haven't tried it. In theory what you mean is something like a wetbox setup. It works fine on boat so considering the thinner hull of the Yak it should be fine. Simply glueing it to the inside though and trying to transmit through the hull I'm not sure about. In a wetbox the liquid acts to help transmit the signal.

[Holls]

In a wetbox the liquid acts to help transmit the signal.

Thanks for help everyone. Yes, I've heard of the wetbox setup where you pour some water around the transducer mounted inside the hull. Mikei000, I launch my yak over a stony bottom at our lake so might try the 'inbuilt' idea first, and try something else later if I have problems. Seems ppl do mount them internally but just wondered whether there was a discernible difference to the reading. See what happens!

[boattart]

From my little knowledge of the wet box setup you need something thick than water. Certain types of oil or Glycerine I recall. I used to fish on a 42 foot boat that had a shallow water sounder with wet box set up that was a brilliant sounder for reef fishing to 100 metres and the hull thickness would have been far thicker than a kayak.

I found a couple of home made ideas just via google that would involve glueing a length of PVC pipe cut at the right angle to suit the inside of the hull so it sits vertically to make your own wet box.

Edited December 17, 2014 by boattart

[The President]

Hi Holls,

I did mine about a month ago myself. Works perfectly well. The only problem with this set up you can not get correct water temperature readings. My sounder does not offer this feature so didn't concern me. Found the instructions on YouTube. Very easy to do. Purchased some Amazing Goop and a foam housing (frame that the transducer sits in)from Penrith Bass angler. The only trick is to poor about an inch of Goop in the housing and then place the transducer into by slightly rolling the transducer into it to avoid trapping any air bubbles. Hope this helps.

[Holls]

Hi Holls,

I did mine about a month ago myself. Works perfectly well. The only problem with this set up you can not get correct water temperature readings. My sounder does not offer this feature so didn't concern me. Found the instructions on YouTube. Very easy to do. Purchased some Amazing Goop and a foam housing (frame that the transducer sits in)from Penrith Bass angler. The only trick is to poor about an inch of Goop in the housing and then place the transducer into by slightly rolling the transducer into it to avoid trapping any air bubbles. Hope this helps.

Thanks Pres and others. Work has taken me away from the lake, back next week so will let you know how it all goes.

[kiwicraig]

Seems ppl do mount them internally but just wondered whether there was a discernible difference to the reading. See what happens!

I did this in my Yak and I use the same sounder with a different transducer in my boat. It works just as well through the hull in the yak as it does in the water.

As others have pointed out you will not get a temp reading. Other than that the performance is the same.

Rather than use water which will spill and evaporate I made quite a snug transducer shaped cutout in a square of foam. I glued that into the inside of the hull. I let that set over it and then filled the cutout with Selley's All Clear. You need to be very careful not to get any air bubbles in the All Clear. To do this put the nozzle against the hull and squeeze slowly to fill the hole. Then just gently press the transducer home and leave it over night again. Using All Clear is a one way trip, but it does work a treat.

HTH

Craig

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited June 29, 2015 by kiwicraig

[Witha]

Mate I run this mount with my Garmin echo 300c. Sellers all clear into the bottom of the yak, little foam cut to hold the goop. Thats it.

Works perfect. Standard transducer etc and all fine. They have zero problem shooting through a bit of plastic. I fish rough launches and scrape on oysters etc so can't afford to stick it out a scuepper