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for a Humminbird 565. But it occurs to me that maybe I should find out if transducers holes are universal.
What if I want to switch fishfinders (see the Sonar post)? Will I be able to mount a new transducer using the old holes? I haven't drilled yet, and this is falling under the heading of "measure twice, cut once".
Since I suspect that transducer holes are not universal, do I need to exactly figure out which fishfinder I definitely want beforehand?
I can always continue to use my portable transducer mount, if need be.
Tanks,
Toyguy
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[black][size 3]If I understand your quandary, you are going to drill a hole in the bottom of your boat to accept a transducer. [/size][/black]
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[size 3]If that is the case, I would ask why, instead of using a transom mount bracket?[/size]
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[size 3]In my humble opinion, you don't jump from an airplane without a parachute, or drill a hole in the bottom of a boat. [/size]
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Use a small piliot hole to start with mount the bracket in its location on the transom you can still remove the tran  ucer but the bracket stays.savy
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[url "http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0000847010102a&navCount=0&podId=0000847&parentId=cat21402&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=netcon&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat21402&hasJS=true"]http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0000847010102a&navCount=0&podId=0000847&parentId=cat21402&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=netcon&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat21402&hasJS=true[/url]
I use one of these on my Lund transom. Then you can drill away and mount multiple transducers and brackets over and over. Two screws and your done.
If you just drill holes in the transom, you can always fill them in later with a screw and 5200 sealant. I have a boat that I didn't use the transducer plate for, and I just put a screw in them with the 5200, and no leak or crack.
Most transducer brackets are NOT universal from brand to brand.
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[black][size 3]If you're talking transom mount, I can understand why you would want the best way.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]When I got my Lund, I mounted two blocks of hard wood on my transom, one on each side.[/size]
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[size 3]I have changed transducers several times, and have only had to screw them into the blocks. This has worked out very well. When I mounted the wood blocks, I screwed them into the transom, and covered the area between the wood and transom with silicon.[/size]
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Wow! I've been outside messin around with the boat for a couple of hours, and I come back and I've got four replies. I wish fishin was that easy[sly].
And these are damn-smart replies, too. But I guess it's obvious I've never owned a boat b4, too[crazy].
Alright, this all makes perfect sense, now. And I'm totally disappointed that when I called Sportsmans at 7p tonite this wasn't suggested.
Well, patience, and "measuring twice and cutting once" paid off tonite. Thanks guys; I'll put the drill back in the holster now...
Toyguy
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[black][size 3]If it would be of any help, I'll be glad to snap a photo of my setup in the morning and post it.[/size][/black]
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Sam, i have some of the material that tarponjim posted up that you can buy at cabelas, ill give you a piece if you want it, where are you located? i gave a piece of that stuff to BLM for his boat and it worked pretty slick, and if you ever change ducers you can drill new holes without putting more in your transom
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Petty -
What a guy! I just PM'ed you.
Saberfish, I actually would like to see that, if you don't mind. A picture is worth a thousand words...
'preciate the offer.
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I used to be the same way! (Still am to some degree...) That said, if you've done your homework on the fishfinder you have, you will like it. Drill away. You'll probably sell the boat before you change fishfinders anyway. BUT, in case you don't, fiberglass can always be repaired and aluminum can always have a bolt or rivet put into the holes. I still measure about 10 times before I drill!
I like Jims idea of using a mounting board. If I ever get my dream fishing boat, thats what I'll use!
Randy
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I used to N.ot have E.nough T.ime O.ff to go fishing. Then I retired. Now I have less time than I had before. Sheesh.
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I went to Walmart, bought a white cutting board made out of the same material that the "transducer mount plates" are made from. I epoxied it to my transom (no holes) and have drilled it three different times (three different transducers) and never had to put a hole in the boat. It has held for years and has never came loose. The white cutting boards cost about $7 compared to the transducer plates that cost around $15.
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[black][size 3]I have attached the requested photos. I used a block of oak to mount the transducers, one on each side of the outdrive. But the use of the synthetic sounds like a better idea. [/size][/black]
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[size 3]Hope that this helps. I helped some friends mount theirs, and I think that we used either a two part epoxy or "liquid nail" which eliminates the use of drilling.[/size]
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BearLake and Saber. Much thx for the tips. It didn't occur to me to epoxy, rather than drill, the plate to the hull. That's a much better idea!
And Saber, your third pic is what I was really after. I wanted to see how you dealt with the angle of the deadrise. And I see that you just ran your plate along the angle line. Not horizontally.
I plan on mounting my t-ducer where you have your trim tabs, since I have none and don't anticipate getting any. I just got back from Cabela's with the bracket, and I think I'm going to cut it in thirds. It's 12" long, but 4" will be plenty of mounting surface.
I'm delighted with all of you guys' help. It's going to result in a real good transducer mount with NO holes drilled into the dreamboat.
And that's a beautiful thing...
Really 'preciate all the good help here.
Thank you,
TG
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ToyGuy,
I like the direction your going with the mounting board. I did the same thing on my new Lund. Here is a suggestion that I learned the hard way. When mounting the board ( I used two small scews and marine silicon), make sure you don't mount it too far down. I would leave it up 1/4" above the hull bottom or mount it level to the bottom but grind or file the the bottom of the board at about 15 to 20 degree angle so that when the boat is trying to come up on plane the bottom of the board doesn't create more surface and additional drag.
When I first mounted mine, I noticed my boat trim acted very different and the boat came on plane different ( slightly slower). I noticed a spray coming of the transducer ( normal) but also from the bottom of the board ( level) with the bottom of the hull. Once I filed a 20 degree angle on the board, every thing came back to normal. Also be careful that your transducer isn't mounted too low or in a location that one of your bunks/ rollers on your trailer align up with it or smack it while loading.
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Fish2dMax -
Sorry I haven't responded to your suggestions sooner.Your advice is good, and I'm gonna use it.
BTW, that's why I wanted to see Saberfish' pix of how he mounted it. I too, think the answer is to mount the bracket to where it is about 1/4" above the hull line.
I took the boat to the Nelle Saturday and part of that trip was to see how the water under the hull at the transom/hull point "acted". I've got really clean water, (little turbulence), where I had considered mounting the bracket. I thought it wise to confirm that before I uncorked the epoxy.
I like your 20 degree angle suggestion; I'll sand away.
Thanks for your help on this project. Thanks for taking the time to advise...
Toyguy
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The epoxy project is not going well. The first time, I used Loctite Extreme. It lasted 3 days at F-Gorge. I was beaching the boat at Swim Beach, and I guess three days of overnite wave action took its toll.
OK, stuff happens. So I'll redo it.
This next time, I use Ace H-ware 5 minute quick set epoxy. Unlike the Loctite, which looked like silicone, this stuff looked like real epoxy: super thick and gooey. Took 20 minutes to set, with a full cure in 24 hours. Looked fantastic after 24 hours. I didn't think a bomb would budge it.
3 MINUTES into S-berry this weekend, and I'm "trolling" a x-ducer. 3 minutes! I can only assume the 47 degree water caused the surface tensions to contract; and off it came. Good thing I was still carrying the portable mount.
I have not looked at the boat where it was mounted , but the Cabelas x-ducer mount side is free of all epoxy, so I assume the dry epoxy stuck to the aluminum. I'll have to check that tonite.
I assume a problem with a long-set epoxy is I have to hold the mount by hand, firmly pressed against the transom, until it sets. And the 5 minute one took 20 minutes to set. I shudder at what a 50 minute set time would take.
Anyone got a reco on a good epoxy? Or am I back to drilling holes in the boat? Or maybe I should drill holes in the glued side of the mount so that the epoxy works its way in?
I'm getting tired of boat projects; I just want to fish!
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Sorry to hear about your troubles with xducer. I,too, shuddered at the thought of drilling more holes on my transom when I got a new fishfinder. But like what others have suggested, I got a cutting board, similar to the one at Cabelas at a local thrift store for a dollar, and used it as a mounting plate. I still attached the mounting plate to the transom with a couple of screws, coated with 3M 5200 Marine sealant. I also rounded the bottom edge and sealed around it with the same sealant.
I guess the idea of a mounting plate is that it becomes your primary mounting surface, thus sparing your transom with unnecessary holes. If for some reason you have drilled several hundred holes on the mounting plate, you can always unmount it and use it as a template for the replacement plate. Just like the picture of the Cabela's mounting, you may not be able to avoid drilling holes in your transom to get the job done right.
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I gotta chew on this. I cut out a 2 x 2 piece of that transducer block and used just it.
With something that small, I can get away with just one drilled hole (and epoxy backing).
Maybe one more shot with just epoxy though; especially if I drill some holes on the mount backside so the epoxy can fill and "grab" it.
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I don't think the Epoxy will bond with that staron stuff. It's made that way. nothing sticks because the polymer chain is complete.
Don't be afraid of a few holes in the transom. Use a bigger piece of mounting plate than 2x2. I used a piece about 4x8. I drilled 2 holes in the plate and hull. I filled the holes with 3-m 5200 marine sealant. This stuff is made to do what we are doing. It will bond with that plastic and acts like silicon to seal the holes. Squirt some in the hole before you send in the screw. Be sure your piolet hole is big enough, but not to big.
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Troll -
thx for your help. I went home last nite and checked the hull side of where the epoxy was. It was clean; meaning the epoxy didn't stick to either surface. Frustrating.
Thx for the drilling encouragement, because I am resigning myself to the idea that it's the only way to go. I never imagined epoxy wouldn't stick. And it seems like even if I used wood as the mounting block, the epoxy isn't sticking to the aluminum. Another complete polymer chain?
I stupidly chucked the mounting screws that came with the block, because, well, I never imagined epoxy wouldn't stick...
Use sheet metal screws? Probably no bigger than 1/8"? 3/16"?
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