Installing a FishFinder transducer

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
I think the fiber glass may be too thick there for a in hull transducer. It is probably the best spot for a thru hull type. I have one like the one shown in this pic just behind the battery compartment under the quarter berth on my E-27. It is filled with baby oil and works great because the hull is a tad thinner there.

If you intend to glue it, you can test it by creating a water dam around it some how and hold it down with heavy bean bags before you glue it. I did that with my old trailer sailor. Try to keep the transducer as level as possible.
 

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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Airmar problem

Jeff,
Thanks for posting the photos of the Airmar setup.
That is identical to the one provided with the DS remote module from Garmin. I installed it after quite a bit a head-scritching over how to interpret their instructions on aligning it so that the transducer would shoot straight down.

One caveat: The top of the plastic locks into place with a bayonet fitting on each side. There is an O ring seal.
On mine, one of the extremely thin plastic parts broke on one side, leaving the bayonet part attached only on the other side. When the boat rolls, this lets the water-antifreeze mixture leak out.
That plastic casting is way too thin in my opinion.
I have taped it together, but liquid still leaks out... and there goes the ds readout on the chartplotter.

Since Airmar supplies this part to just about every instrument maker, perhaps mine was just an unlucky one..... This happened just after the original warranty period, so no joy.

All in all, I think that I prefer the old fashioned way of just glueing the transducer face to the hull!
:rolleyes:

Loren
 

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
I Loren,

My current set up is actually a cross between both images I posted. I have a Standard Horizon thru hull transducer going into a Airmar type in hull case. I actually cut a larger hole in the top of the Airmar cap so I could attach a thru hull. Just imagine that the cap is the hull. I filled the Airmar cup half full with baby oil (mineral oil). I also had a little oil leaking so I just sealed it with a bead of good old silicone. No more leak.

The reason I did all this was that Standard Horizon actually gave me a free transducer when the old one failed (they are based locally so I actually went to them). The old transducer hole and mounting location required a longer transducer, but since I got a perfectly good short one for free, that was my solution. The old Airmar casing was already mounted in my boat by one of the PO's in the location I described in my 1st post. It's been two years now with no problems.

Beam Winds

Jeff
 

dwigle

Member III
try it first.

As Jeff said, the glass may be too thick there, but an easy and relatively inexpensive way to try it is to stick it down using a piece of sealing wax from a toilet bowl mounting ring. Just make sure there are no trapped air bubbles. I actually used a transducer mounted that way for months before finally gluing it down.

Don Wigle
Wiggle Room
E 38 #8
Pt. Richmond, CA
 

agraziano23

Member II
I got an inexpensive Hummingbird unit. I love the Toilet bowl wax test, I'll try it today. I think I'll put it next to the current transducer in the Starboard side.
thanks for your input guys.
 

alleymon

Junior Member
What Electronics power this Transducer?

I think the fiber glass may be too thick there for a in hull transducer. It is probably the best spot for a thru hull type. I have one like the one shown in this pic just behind the battery compartment under the quarter berth on my E-27. It is filled with baby oil and works great because the hull is a tad thinner there.

If you intend to glue it, you can test it by creating a water dam around it some how and hold it down with heavy bean bags before you glue it. I did that with my old trailer sailor. Try to keep the transducer as level as possible.

Hi Jeff,

The PO of my E-27 had installed the same transducer, but of course did not include the equipment it was attached to. What do you have?

Alleymon
Wine Down
E-27
 

Kevin A Wright

Member III
E27 transducer

I got an inexpensive Hummingbird unit. I love the Toilet bowl wax test, I'll try it today. I think I'll put it next to the current transducer in the Starboard side.
thanks for your input guys.

Before you do that, you might look for a spot in your most forward bow locker under the V berth. I put a glued in Fishfinder transducer there in my 1977 E27 and it worked flawlessly for 20 years (and is probably still working fine for the new owner). I have always been a proponent that a depthsounder should be placed in front of the keel instead of beside or behind it. I want to know what rocks are there before I hit them, not after.

I found a spot on the fiberglass right on the centerline just where the thickening of the keel merges into the 'v' of the bow. A little light grinding on the inside made a flat spot just the right size for the transducer. It was angled maybe 3 degrees forward but again I'd rather be looking at what is in front of me and that's not enough to significantly alter the reading. I also really really liked using a fishfinder rather than just a depthsounder. It gives you a real good idea of the true bottom conditions (weeds, rocks, hard/soft, etc) before you drop the anchor.

Kevin Wright
E35 Hydro Therapy
 
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