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Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 12:11 pm
by Steveclv
Thoughts please people :)

I have a fishfinder that I want to install on the pontoon but the area around the transom is in very turbulent water.

On the back of the toons is a U shaped metal bracket and I'm thinking of bolting an aluminum plate to it, sandwiched between the bracket and another piece of aluminum using thumbscrews and then dropping it into the water with the transducer bolted to it.

That should put the transducer into clean water away from propwash and turbulence. It's not a high speed pontoon boat by any means and it's in the marina most of the year so no worries about trailering and if I wanted to beach then I could simply pull up the transducer by releasing the thumbscrews. I can also adjust the depth of the transducer in the water.

How does everyone else mount their transducer and how successful was it?

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 12:36 pm
by HandymanHerb
Yep mount it to the bracket on the back of the toon

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 2:52 pm
by wed
Factory mounted to bracket on rear of left toon along with the livewell pump. Reads accurate depth up to about 16 MPH.

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 3:57 am
by onthelaketwo
I mounted mine on that bracket....

Depth drops out about 15 mph.

I will say I bought a reasonably priced depth finder, maybe work better if you spend more. However, I doubt it.

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 8:49 am
by jimrs
Mounted mine at the back of the toon on the bracket. It won't read at full throttle but at slow speeds it's fine. Again I think we try and over think projects for our toons, until we get them in the water and start using them.

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 9:14 am
by Steveclv
Thanks all.

I cut a length of aluminum 1" wide and 15" deep and mounted the transducer to one end and put a 90 degree bend in the top 2"

Then I cut a second piece about 6" long and drilled two holes to match the 2 holes in the handle at the back of the toon.

I then sandwiched the long piece between the handle and the short piece and used SS bolts with lock washers and wing nuts.

When underway, I just release the wing nuts and drop the transducer down into the water - the 90 degree bend stops it falling out - and when I need to beach her or don't need the fishfinder I can just pull the transducer out of the water and secure it.

I'll post a photo later to show how it worked out. Thanks everyone.

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 6:43 pm
by tkrein
why did you make iot so it telescopes. just wondering mine stays in the water at all times. just wondering maybe the pics would help. sorry i ask dumb questions but just want to see if you have a better plan then i do

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 8:56 pm
by Venturous
Steve,

I would like to see those pics. Since I keep mine in dock, being able to lift the tranducer while docked might help keep the crud off of it.

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 10:40 pm
by Steveclv
Will get a pic tomorrow as wind picked up and I forgot my camera

The reason for the telescoping design was to be able to remove it from the water in the same way that I tilt my motor out of the water - to keep the crud off as the water here is pretty hard and scales up everything.

It also allows me to beach the pontoon onto the sandy bays without risk of damage and to also experiment with depth when underway. I don't know how deep it needs to be to keep away from turbulence but I don't want it too deep due to the drag, so this allows me to try different heights which I can then mark on the bar for reference.

I tested it today in the marina and it gives a really clear signal but I'll have a better idea when I'm underway across the lake chasing those stripers!

Re: Mounting fishfinder transducer

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 7:42 pm
by tkrein
awe i see good thinking the more stuff out of water the better. good thinking