Transducer Paint?

[toddster]

What's the deal with "transducer paint?" Yeah, I've read all the warnings about solvents in regular bottom paint possibly harming the plastic in the through-hull transducers. So I looked at the stuff they have in WM. It's got the same solvents as regular bottom paint (or worse), it's the wrong color, AND they want $45 for a little can. Of which I would only use one squirt! Couldn't do it. The stuff gave me lockjaw-of the wallet.

OK, I see Defender has a water-based product that they only want $8 for, in the right color, so I'll probably fall for that. If I knew what effect they were trying for, I'm sure I could whip up one squirt worth in my lab for no dollars.

Has anybody gone without? Or just rolled the regular bottom paint over the transducers? Experiences?

 

[rwthomas1]

I roll regular bottom paint right over the depth transducer. No issues. I take a small brush and put a thin coat on the speed sensor making sure it still spins, etc. when I'm done. Works fine. I've tried the special transducer paint and it works no better than regular paint so why bother. RT

 

[toddster]

Yeah, sadly I didn't save any of the regular bottom paint. The bit that was left over, I just rolled on another coat in the "problem areas."

I begin to suspect that the TP is just another marketing ploy. Like the special "wiping solutions" and "proprietary thinners" that they want you to buy. I'm pretty sure they're identical to the "denatured alcohol" and "mineral spirits" that you already have in the shop, but cost ten times more.

 

[Mort Fligelman]

Does this Apply?

Many years ago I read somewhere that you could epoxy a transducer to the inside of the hull as long as it was not cored.....

When I was about to purchase a Standard Horizon (said it was many years ago) I called them and asked if it would work on their transducer, and the response was "we highly recommend it"......I put a big glob of epoxy putty down, and it worked just fine the last fifteen years I had the boat......

FWIW......have been painting the depth transducer (Raymarine) on my E35 with VC17 for the last three years in fresh water, and prior to that in 06 painted with Trinidad.....and who knows with what and how long the PO painted over it.....still works just fine.....

Again...FWIW

 

[CaptDan]

Internal transducer mounting

The July/August issue of Good Old Boat features an article on internal transducer mounting. The approach involves an oil solution housing into which the transducer is mounted. I've used something similar in the past and it works quite well.

Some hulls and transducer locations accomodate direct epoxy mounting, but it's likely that an oil bath rig provides better sensitivity and accuracy for depth sounders.

YMMV.

Capt Dan G> E35II "Kunu"

 

[toddster]

Not really relevant since we are talking about painting external transducers. Yeah, last year I waxed the transducer to the inside. It usually worked, but seemed to shut down sometimes in shallow water, when it was needed the most. Possibly confused by multiple echoes. There was another old abandoned transducer epoxied in the battery compartment that was always in the way. That was a nasty job to grind out of there without cutting into the hull. Now that the boat is hauled, I went ahead and drilled a new hole and installed it properly. Just working on the final punch list of details before imminent (I hope!) re-launch.

 

[Second Star]

Paint the Depth Transducer?

My experience is that the Standard Horizon fathometer has been acting up a bit so I checked the manual; one situation they describe is "build-up of bottom paint on the transducer" with the recommendation to "reduce the amount of paint on the transducer". I did a quick scub-up with a BBQ scrub pad underwater and it seems to have improved things a bit so I'll do a better job soon, but not take all of the paint off. There are now about 5 coats over it.