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Transducer location
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:06 pm
by Elandra
Hi all, along with all the repairs and modifications I am doing I want to add a plotter and sounder to my vessel and am pondering suitable locations for the transducer. Ideally it would be in front of the keel however that goes too far forward and I have foam filled some of it in anycase and fibre glassed a top over it to move all the bilge water to the rear of the centreboard casing where it can be pumped out. There is no access under the interior seats or cockpit seats as they are foam filled. That leaves behind the keel towards the stern or in the v berth locker either side of the keel which is shallow at that point. I thought behind the keel would be good as there is a nice flat run but that would affect storage under the cockpit well which I am loathe to compromise on. Has anyone located a transducer in the v berth locker fairly close to the keel? I thought turbulence may be a problem and it may also be in the air sometimes when heeled. Not too worried about fish finding and side scan etc it is mainly for depth however most of the inexpensive plotter sounders are aimed at fishers so incorporate dual frequency and sonar etc so I am stuck with that. I am also planning to use the transom mount transducer that is included in the plotter/sounder combos and believe these can be mounted in hull with some plumbers putty or wax etc.
regards
Andrew
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 5:53 pm
by Ozzie
There was a post somewhere on here regarding such Andrew but not sure if it was the old MSN forum. I went through my bookmarks and couldn’t find anything. Quick YouTube search turned this up.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bMp_cmbdh ... lvbg%3D%3D
That reminded me that the very old post I had before mentioned constructing a box and filling it with fluid. Oil, glycerin, Diet Coke , whatever. From the YouTube clip I guess that’s normal practice now. I have a perfectly good new fish/finder sounder from years ago I bought on special from ? And it’s probably not ever going to be used. I was going to use it portable so that I could swap it between my Invesigator, fishing dinghy and my kayak. This of course requires so much careful planning that I have not removed it from the box after a decade
.
You might try a search on tsp and Practical boat Owner reader to reader. It may turn something up useful.
https://forums.ybw.com/forums/practical ... reader.13/
. I note there was a YouTube video that was titled “ do not mount your sounder vertical …..” might check that one out, I didn’t. …next decade maybe.
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:00 pm
by Andrew
My transducer reads depths well with a transom mount, under all sailing/sea conditions. It was easy/quicker/cheaper to fit there. Fairly well protected position. It's ok 90% of the time (just shoal waters/ land approach the weakness). I get around it by avoiding spring low tides at ramps if possible (tide watch/clock handy)
Suggest talk to Peter T, he's done the forward mounted transducers before.
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 7:28 pm
by Peter T
Hi mate. I fitted a transom mounted sounder sender unit to mine just below the boarding ladder. I have it folded up when the boat is on the trailer and it's an easy thing to lean over the transom to fold it down if you forget to do it prior to launching and as Andrew said, I have used the oil filled through hull systems previously but with the 563, its so much easier and practical to use the transom mounted in my opinion.
Cheers
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2025 10:48 pm
by rriggir
Hi team,
I want to install my depth sounder transducer toward the front of my keel to avoid a grounding.
Has somebody out there done this?
I note other comments re transom mounting but think that bow keel mounting must be the go.
Cheers
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2025 3:55 pm
by Andrew
Elandra wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:06 pm
Hi all, along with all the repairs and modifications I am doing I want to add a plotter and sounder to my vessel and am pondering suitable locations for the transducer. Ideally it would be in front of the keel however that goes too far forward and I have foam filled some of it in anycase and fibre glassed a top over it to move all the bilge water to the rear of the centreboard casing where it can be pumped out. There is no access under the interior seats or cockpit seats as they are foam filled. That leaves behind the keel towards the stern or in the v berth locker either side of the keel which is shallow at that point. I thought behind the keel would be good as there is a nice flat run but that would affect storage under the cockpit well which I am loathe to compromise on. Has anyone located a transducer in the v berth locker fairly close to the keel? I thought turbulence may be a problem and it may also be in the air sometimes when heeled. Not too worried about fish finding and side scan etc it is mainly for depth however most of the inexpensive plotter sounders are aimed at fishers so incorporate dual frequency and sonar etc so I am stuck with that. I am also planning to use the transom mount transducer that is included in the plotter/sounder combos and believe these can be mounted in hull with some plumbers putty or wax etc.
regards
Andrew
Check out this TSP link,
https://trailersailerplace.com.au/phpBB ... php?t=7255
Yes, Up in the bow, forward of the keel, sounds best (Ian B did this (former I563 owner on this forum) to good effect)
(attached photo, probable forward transducer location in I563 Teria, between V berth. The tape measure is for scale..the transducer might go at the lowest point of the sump? or where the tape measure is?)
One easy method is to use a lump of plasticine (modellers' clay) to bed the transducer down into inside the hull. Silicone is possible too.
Good luck with it
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2025 12:17 pm
by Andrew
I've removed my Garmin transom transducer and it fits into the forekeel sump ok (left the transducer mount and pivot bolt on transom, incase this experiment fails)
Plasticine (modellers clay) was sub $6 for 500g at Office works. (it's oil based should remain supple over time)
Have looked online for "proper permanent " in-hull or thru-hull transducers, they cost hundreds. So hope this "plasticine hack" works after i re-launch. (not long now, the epoxy-recore saga in final painting stage!
)
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2025 1:20 pm
by Andrew
This video tells all about mounting a Garmin striker4 fishfinder transducer (same as my one) inside fishing kayak hull. He uses "duct seal" an HVAC product in the USA i didnt know about (but seems specialist in Aust, none in B's for example) so sticking with kids plasticine for now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zis6k2J84V0&t=399s the only downside is the "water temperature" reading is lost.
Here is USA "duct seal" applied to house maintenance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBPtaaP5mgo&t=10s
Re: Transducer location
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 11:40 am
by Elandra
Hi Andrew,
I have mounted my transducer in the location you have shown. See photo attached. What is not shown is the fibreglass box I made by laminating up fore and aft partitions and a top which contain Propylene Glycol. All the info I found including Raymarine instructions said running a transducer dry is likely to lead to overheating and eventual failure. Yes I know there seem to be many people doing it online and appear to be getting away with it but I didn't want to take the risk. My install was complicated because I foam filled and fibre glassed some of the keel so that bilge water does not sit against the ballast but runs freely aft to the bilge pump. I had to avoid this section and find solid fibreglass to do this. I think I have succeeded but have not launched it yet so here is hoping. A fair bit more work than a transom mount but it will be protected here from knocks and allow the boarding ladder to be used without risk of damage. It should also be in contact with non turbulent water all the time so should perform better.
good luck
Andrew