removal of in-hull transducer

[suprtrkr]

I just bought a '97 Wellcraft 190ccf. It has a Humminbird transducer epoxied down in the bilges for shoot-thru-hull application. Actually, its a nice job; the Wellie has a sandwitch hull, and whoever did it carefully removed the inner glas and the stiffener before mounting. I'd like to replace it with a different brand gps/sonar, and it'd be nice to re-use the prepared location.

Anybody know a safe way to un-epoxy it out of there? I have no idea about the chemical composition of the epoxy. Or the glas resin, for that matter.

All suggestions gratefully recieved by your humble srevant, etc. Fish on!

 

[Texasmark]

Re: removal of in-hull transducer

Since the hull was disturbed in the process, not merely expoxying to a glazed glass surface I would question the validity of removal. You touched on some of the reasons why including the fact that the disturbed surface may be rougher than otherwise which would make bonding more complete and harder to remove.

However. The boat was made some way. Usually a gell coat goes into a mold and then some resin or mat and more of both and all and finished off with a coat of resin which is slick to slightly irregular, but still slick.

So you might be in luck regardless. I'd get a chisel and 4-5 lb maul and get at the intersection of the current ducer and the glue. If you get the ducer to disintegrate and are left by chance with a solid piece of plastic attached to the epoxy, that would probably be an adequate mounting surface. But you may find that the break point will be between the ducer surface and the epoxy. Since the ducer plastic bottom is also very slick, even if the originator roughed it up with sandpaper, that may be the weak link. Then you could just grind down the epoxy till you had a flat surface for mounting the new one and just epoxy it on top of the epoxy. The new ducer placed in a zip lock bag of water, put in the position where you wish to use it will tell the story as to whether or not mounting there, as is, will work.

Mark

 

[tpenfield]

Re: removal of in-hull transducer

I would see if you can break the sensor loose from the hull with a chisel & hammer under the edge of the sensor and along the surface of the hull. been there done that . . .

If that does not work (i.e. too good of a bond), then I would take my sawz-all with a decent extended blade and cut the sensor off at the surface of the hull, then clean it up with my belt sander.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: removal of in-hull transducer

Rapped mine on the side with a hammer and it popped out. I have a small round grinder disk for my drill and I'm going to gently try to remove some of the epoxy left behind.

Jim

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: removal of in-hull transducer

another option MIGHT be to get an adapter harness or splice wires and use that 'ducer with the new sonar

 

[suprtrkr]

Re: removal of in-hull transducer

Many thanks for the rapid replies. I was saving the elbow-grease-and-a-cold-chisel method for a last resort. Still, it's gratifying to this olde pharte to know the tried and tested method is best. Come to that, if one wasn't trying to save the 'ducer, I suppose a lazy man could just take a 4" disc machine to it and grind it out.

Thanks for helping me regain my perspective. Now, if I could just find a wiring diagram for the stereo somebody installed in the erroneous belief that twisted wires and jap-wrap tape make an electrical connection... Ah, the joy of a used boat!

Fish on!