Transducer thru Hull of glastron

has anyone installed a transducer shooting thru hull? do you have to cut layers out of the hull or will it work epoxying it in the bilge area?

Re: Transducer thru Hull of glastron

Welcome TNfire, to iboats!

Where you place the transducer is important and to some degree varies on different hulls. Most manufacturers require that only the area where the transducer is being mounted be clean of dirt, grease & oils to assure firm bonding of the adhesive material...in most cases epoxy.

If you have a transducer already and know it's manufacturer, do a search for the manufacturer. Most have sites that will give you some info on mounting the shoot thru hull transducers. The Hummingbird site is very helpful. Take a look.

Re: Transducer thru Hull of glastron

Thanks,,gonna check with Lowrance, thats the kind I have. I am leary of drilling holes!!

Re: Transducer thru Hull of glastron

Here's how I mounted my transducer. With the boat in the water, I hooked up my transducer, placed it in a zip-lok with water. I then moved it around the area where I wanted it mounted until I got a good reading. I then bought a section of pvc pipe & cap slightly larger than my transducer. I mounted the pvc to my hull with 5200 around the inside & outsied. My brass transducer had a threaded shaft on it which I screwed through a hole I drilled in the pvc cap. I adjusted the length of my pvc pipe so that the transducer was just barely sitting off the hull. I then filled the pipe with mineral oil. You won't get any air bubbles in the oil. I have never had to add oil and I get accurate readings at any speed. I have had it mounted this way for 5 years. If I ever want to remove it, all I have to deal with is the 5200. Just an option. although it may not fit your particular needs.

Re: Transducer thru Hull of glastron

Easiest thing to do is put some water in the bottom of the boat and stick the transducer in the water just as you would do if you were glueing it to the boat and were sticking it in the glue. The water is your mechanical link thru the hull to the outside as will be your adhesive (epoxy, not RTV as it stays flexible....you want a hard mount) after installation. Remember we are talking about sound waves and they need solids (considering water a solid for sound purposes) for efficient transfer.

For a comparison, hold the transducer overboard (in the water) and get a mental image of what you see and immediately put it inside just where you want to mount it (in the water you put in the boat) and you will know immediately if it will work.

If it doesn't move it to where it will.

Some boats have double hulls that are filled with balsa and that could attenuate your signal. If you only operate in shallow water, this may not be a problem. The test I mentioned will tell you what you need to know.

I wouldn't cut my boat up to mount the thing, nor drill a hole in it to mount an external (thru hull) unit; others do, but I don't. Don't need to.
Mark