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Shoot thru hull transducer installation


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Looking at using a bullet transducer as a thru hull instalation;  what is the best adhesive to use?

Epoxy or is there another option ?

The hull is solid glass, no core. Im aware of the signal loss issues.

Thanks

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Internal mounting works on Fibre glass and metal hulls only.
The transducer MUST be solidly fixed to the hull. Epoxy is best. Silicon may work, but it could work a whole lot better. Some used to make a box, flood with oil and then seal it.
Be aware that internal mounting will ALWAYS reduce performance ans it can sometimes lead to false readings coming back off the Keel.

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I'm about to do this. Was going to try this stuff out as a bed, Knead It epoxy filler stuff. We've used it for other jobs on the boat to great success.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/selleys-110g-knead-it-steel-polymer-repair-system_p0239197

Boat is DD kauri with glass. We already have a transom mounted transducer (not used) from when we brought a chart plotter. My through hull transducer is packing up (20 yr old navman), so I'm going to try it out. Don't have much to loose, and plenty to save. I only need depth for anchoring, so depth in 20 m or less. I'm the worlds most environmental fisherman (have trouble catching fan worm) so don't need one of those full sonar 3D echo map blah blahs. Just want to know depth...

What are thoughts on the hard mounted substrate? To test the above ideas, instead of mineral oil or antifreeze, I could just sit it in some water in the bilge couldn't I (not that I have water in the bilge, the bilge is spotless of course....)

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32 minutes ago, Tamure said:

Put it in a plastic bag with some water and try different spots, some report no issued with wood. Worst case chuck it on the grid and do surgery between tides. Ive done that very successfully.

Thanks Tamure, we were a long way down the path of swapping the current through hull transducer out on the grids, then remembered we had this transom mounted one, so I'm keen to try it out first. The current transducer has a fair bit of epoxy around it, so there is a risk of trouble in moving it. Would be a sub optimal outcome if we can't get the new one in and sealed before the tide comes back...

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10 hours ago, wheels said:

Internal mounting works on Fibre glass and metal hulls only.
The transducer MUST be solidly fixed to the hull. Epoxy is best. Silicon may work, but it could work a whole lot better. Some used to make a box, flood with oil and then seal it.
Be aware that internal mounting will ALWAYS reduce performance ans it can sometimes lead to false readings coming back off the Keel.

works fine on a glass-over-ply Spencer too.  I might have been lucky and chose a spot with no voids.

Uses an airmar in-hull transducer silconed to the hull and filled with radiator inhibitor fluid (the green stuff) as per the manufacturer's instructions. 

The kelp and mussels on the outside do tend to make readings a bit hit and miss.

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20 hours ago, eruptn said:

Looking at using a bullet transducer as a thru hull instalation;  what is the best adhesive to use?

Epoxy or is there another option ?

The hull is solid glass, no core. Im aware of the signal loss issues.

Thanks

Fixed a transducer in hull in trailer sailor(m20)Hummingburd,and yes worked but not as accurate as stern mounted ,last boat had a thru hull transducer and log paddle,far more accurate.Problem with gluing inside a glass hull is you may be gluing over an air bubble in hull.

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Thanks for the success stories and advice. Should have mentioned I'm just after knowing depth for anchoring and when to be cautious (ie under 20-30ft).

Just for the record here is the manufacturer instructions.

IMG_0065.PNG

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10 years ago i bought a $100 fishfinder with transom mount transducer for my glass over ply trailer yacht. As a trial, i bedded the transducer in a wadge of vaseline against the inside of the hull. I was careful to extract a lump of vaseline from the jar with no bubbles in it.

It worked so well, that it is still there and still working, and as opposed to epoxy, i can remove it and replace it if i need to with no drama.

I built an open top open bottom box to put around it so it doesnt get knocked, but honestly i havent touched the transducer since i installed it 10 years ago!

When i did this i didnt think vaseline would hold the transducer firmly enough for anything except a trial, but not the case at all.

Certainly satisfies the Kiss principal!

 

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Like a few others, I have a Airmar p79 shoot thru.

THe most confusing thing is not the installation, it is if you ever want to change chart plotter / fish finder aka depth sounder.  You can't just swap it out, as every brand, actually even every model within its own brand seems to require a different bloody transducer and or connection.  Head scratching bizzare and the websites of these companies are sh#t as far as info goes, and customer service non existent when your are trying to figure out what inhull transducer to get for which chart plotter.
It's all set up for fish boats with those stupid transom mount transducer's, which are next to useless on a yacht.

Rant over.

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