Transducer install kayak

[Tdog_2005]

I am going to install my x4 elite chirp transducer in my hull and I have been stuck between duct seal and a water mount , any ways for those who use duct seal how does it hold up in transport being upside down on rack?

[Northern Yaker]

I cut out a piece of pool noodle and cut out and insert my tranducer in the venter of this. I only fooled the piece of pool noodle to inside of my kayak. The tranducer and fish finder is transferable between boats. The only thing with this method is making sure you have no air between hull and tranducer when you want to use it. I usually just scoop a handful of water where my transducer sits inside the pice of pool noodle and wala good to go.

[EZM]

That's good idea ..... on a similar thread someone mentioned a PVC pipe ..... the same would apply and it can stay in the kayak and the transducer could be swapped.

If you are not looking to swap it out - get the epoxy kit and make a nice dam (paper cup maybe) about an inch bigger than the transducer and pour away. When mixing it - do so slowly - you don't want air bubbles .... this is the standard in hull install method.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by Tdog_2005

I am going to install my x4 elite chirp transducer in my hull and I have been stuck between duct seal and a water mount , any ways for those who use duct seal how does it hold up in transport being upside down on rack?

Buddy used duct seal and it seems to be working so far although have only transported it a few times now. Nice thing about it is that it is cheap and a guy can just reform it if it does fall off. There are other types of epoxy a guy can use as well.

I made myself a transducer arm and hang it over the side. I like it for my setup because there is no good place for a permanent base and I can quickly remove the whole system(battery, transducer and head unit). Also I require my fish finder to be in the water because it has side imaging.

I really like my trident with the scupper mount. Having a permanent fish finder was awesome, there just wasn't any way to do it on my new rig.

[Tdog_2005]

Ravyak Would you be able to post a pic of your side arm setup.

Also how is the drag from it when paddling ?

[RavYak]

You can see the arm I made and how it attaches to a ram mount on my front hatch. You can also see the head unit mounted to a scotty gear head extender mount. The battery sits inside the front hatch. It takes a few seconds to set up and take down but it is about the only way I could get my side imaging to work.

There is some drag the way I made it is not to bad, it is on a hobie too though so the drag doesn't affect me as much since I pedal instead of paddle and have a rudder to steer. If I am just trying to cover ground I flip it up and then no more drag.

What I am also thinking about doing is cutting down the square tubing and attaching a piece of flat bar for the underwater portion. That should help reduce drag as well.

[Northern Yaker]

OUCH,That's a ungodly eyesore Ravyak. Can only imagine how much that'll get in the way& have lines tangled. Should have just gone with a suction cup mount for the SI transducer.

[jkind]

IMG_20120208_141858 by Jim Kind, This is how I do through hull...glue a box to the inside of the hull...use foam to hold the transducer upright...fill with water when I go fishing...works with no noticeable signal degradation.

[huffy]

Great ideas, thanks. I tried to install a temporary setup in my yak last weekend but air between hull and transducer resulted in a depth of 0' all day! I flip my sonar to an aluminum boat frequently so want to stay easily removable.

[RavYak]

For easily removable an arm might be best idea. With a little ingenuity you could probably use the same arm for both boats.