Transducer placement and wire question

[Flexbone]

Newbie here! I recently purchased an 08 Stingray lx 185. It has a volvo 3.0 sterndrive. I just purchased a Lowrance Elite 4 (should arrive Saturday) to install on the boat. I have searched all over the net with no luck as to where the best place to mount the transducer and how to get the wire into the boat. I am pretty handy but don't want to just start drilling holes before getting some advice. Any suggestions or pictures would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

Show us a pic of your transom,bottom,and drive,ect.Pretty easy to install in the right location.
Grub

 

[Flexbone]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

Here are a couple pics

 

[RyanSS]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

I didn't want to drill into my transom either so I epoxied it inside the hull down in the bilge. Works great!

 

[Bartine]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

I'll second epoxied to the inside of the hull. Shoot through the hull is by far the cleanest way.

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

Shoot through works fine,some lose a bit of sensitivity that way but,you can test where to install it by launching the boat,fill a good ziplock with water,set it on the hull and hold the transducer on it. Move it around a bit till you fing a good spot. There should be no air bubbles in the bag,or in the fiberglass matting. Once ya find a spot, sand off the paint,stick it down with bubble free epoxy.
Grub.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

Shoot through works fine,some lose a bit of sensitivity that way but,you can test where to install it by launching the boat,fill a good ziplock with water,set it on the hull and hold the transducer on it. Move it around a bit till you fing a good spot. There should be no air bubbles in the bag,or in the fiberglass matting. Once ya find a spot, sand off the paint,stick it down with bubble free epoxy.
Grub.

+1. That IS the right way to do it. Besides, there is less turbulence there and you can get good bottom readings at higher boat speeds. BTDT on more than one boat.

Mark

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

Inside readings won't give you temperature, or at least not accurate readings. Transom mountings CAN be accurate at speed, mine works past 50 mph at least.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Transducer placement and wire question

You have a couple of issues with a transom mount on your particular boat. The trim tap creates turbulence and the tie down strap would likely hit it if mounted in line with the strap (unless there is enough clearance that we cannot see by the picture. You do not mount transducers on the port (left) side. You do not mount it anywhere near the stern drive. You do not mount it anywhere near anything that creates turbulence like strakes (or again -- the tabs). But you do follow the recommendations in the owners manual. They built the unit, they know what works. I've had lots of boats with stern mount transducers and none of them failed to read properly at speeds up to 45 - 50 MPH.