Shoot thru hull/Shoot me thru the head

[fishnut]

Looking into getting a FF for my Cobra Navigator and am getting a cluster over all
the different units. I'm interested in good quality resolution,ease of use,clear imaging of bottom and distinctive fish image,etc. How do you mount transducer on a yak? Is speed,temp,gps all that important? Also,any recommendations on a decent
battery setup? Any input regarding these few trivial questions would help cool down
what's left of my brain.
Thanks Rich

[Lee]

I'll start with my battery setup.  Basically it's a cheapo watertight container from Wal-Mart.  They have several different sizes, so you just need to grab one that fits the battery you choose with room for wiring.  I chose a 5Ah Werker battery from batteriesplus.  It was like $25 with a charger. 







I rig it to the yak by simply clipping the built in strap to one of the cargo lines inside the hull.  It's not shown attached here, this just shows the wiring connection, I used a trailer lighting attachment (one of many recommendations I got from the guys here)



I mounted the FF unit in front of my steering pedals:





Here is the transducer mount.  I had to coat the inside of the foam with silicone because it's porous foam and would slowly leak out while I was fishing.  I got the foam from a 3$ gardening pad from Wal-Mart

[rawkfish]

I admire your utilization of the front bulkhead of your foot-wells as a place to mount your FF. I think I'm going to use a RAM mount and relocate mine there so I have a spot for a RAM Revolution rod tube front and center. Very nice water-tight enclosure and setup with the trusty trailer plug too. 

[Lee]

Thanks.  There aren't any really new ideas in my setup.  Everything was just an adaptation of something I saw or read on our site.  I just improvised materials for what I found available.

[demonick]

I wasn't sure I would need the GPS functionality of my FF/GPS, but now I am glad I have it.  Let's me mark bait balls, and crab trap drop locations.  Let's me track trolling pattern.  Also nice to know you are actually making headway in a stiff wind and your actual direction of travel.  Off shore 1/2 mile or more it is often difficult to judge speed and direction.  It was a comfort in the fog on Puget Sound, though dogs barking, ferry fog horns, and trains running along the shore were enough for basic orientation.
 

[Cold Blue Steel]

I assume that you fill the transducer "hole" with water.  It looks like the foam you used used is rather thin, no problem with the transducer working its way up so no longer in contact?

[Lee]

The foam is 1/2 or 3/4 inch thick.  It fits very snug, and doesn't come out, even after dropping the yak - don't ask me how I know.

[Fishesfromtupperware]

Very nice install Lee!

One minor suggestion for anyone following in your footsteps though is to place the transducer further back or forward (I like it under the seat with the cable lead around the scuppers). That way it's not in the way when you use your center hatch for storage.

[Lee]

Very nice install Lee!

One minor suggestion for anyone following in your footsteps though is to place the transducer further back or forward (I like it under the seat with the cable lead around the scuppers). That way it's not in the way when you use your center hatch for storage.

I originally had it further forward for exactly that reason.  It made it difficult to put the water in though, so I moved it closer to the hatch. 

If you put if further forward or back, I would recommend goup method, and not water fill.

[holtfisher]

How about using a basting bulb-tube or what ever it is called that is used on turkeys?? Thus giving reach.
holt

[squidgirl]

holt.. you had it pretty much correct. its called a baster...

SG

[oldmanriver]

For those of you that have done this before, what are the advantages of using the water method vs. goop method.
thanks, Dan

[The Nothing]

Makes things a lot easier to use the same FF and transducer on different boats. Also easier to move things around if you don't like the location of the transducer.

[Spot]

Makes things a lot easier to use the same FF and transducer on different boats. Also easier to move things around if you don't like the location of the transducer.

Also, you don't have to worry about trying to scrape out the epoxy if you end up getting air bubbles trapped under your transducer.

As offered on the PDX Meet-up thread, I have bunch of thick closed cell foam if anybody needs some for a 'ducer install.

-Mark-

[Zee]

Also, you don't have to worry about trying to scrape out the epoxy if you end up getting air bubbles trapped under your transducer.

Copy that. Ripping a 1 cent piece of foam to bits trying to get it out is a lot less stressful than doing the same with your spendy little transducer. And we'll all be selling our yaks someday...

Z