Easy Transducer Mounting

I recently bought the Dagger Axis 12.0 Crossover SINK (Sit inside Kayak). Most recently purchased a Lowrance Elite 4 HDI with GPS and the dual scan Transducer and wanted it mounted in such a way as to easily move the Lowrance from the Axis 12.0 to my Predator 13 so I did not have to purchase two units or two transducers.

If you know anything about SINK’s, you may be asking; how did he make a fish finder work in a “V” hull kayak like the Axis 12.0. The hull is not shaped well for a shoot through transducer, there is no transom to hang a transducer and the hull is too rounded; it is quite easy to say, this is going to be a fail.

There is a fellow kayaker / Inventor / manufacturer in Canada who has the answer to this dilemma… Wade Van Pelt, owner of www.fishfindermounts.com invented, now manufactures and sells the only magnetic transducer mount in the World. Boy that’s a claim worth investigation… and as far as I (and Google) can tell there is no one who has a solution like Wades.

When you visit Fish Finder Mounts you’ll find the magnetic Transducer Mount (sold separately) is but one component of a complete package including battery, battery case and the magnetic transducer mount.
Wade’s ads states:
Don’t drill any holes in your boat
Mount your transducer anywhere on your kayak, canoe, & small fishing boat of all varieties
Mount the transducer in a couple of seconds with complete confidence
The world’s only magnetic transducer mount

I’m very aware of rare earth magnets from my metal detecting hobby (GPX-4000). Put one on the head of your rock pick and ferrous metal jumps on for a ride and leaves the gold in the hole for you to find. Rare earth magnets come with a disclaimer telling you to keep your fingers out from between the magnets or you WILL be pinched and pinched hard!

Wade has created a transducer mount with rare earth magnets embedded in its frame. The second component is a backing fixture that goes inside the boat hull which also has magnets imbedded. Hold the backing fixture inside the hull and get close with the transducer mount and it will literally jump onto the hull with tremendous force. That makes it sound like the transducer mount is difficult to remove. And it is if you pull straight out or try to slide the mount off. A 90 degree twist of the inner fixture causes the transducer mount to lose about 50% of its grab and is then easy enough to remove. It couldn’t be more secure and couldn’t be simpler.

When you buy the mount it comes with a small cushion between the magnets. I would recommend you make a larger piece so as to be able to hold it against the magnets without getting close enough to get pinched. I cut a rectangular piece from a plastic coffee can lid about an inch larger than the magnet area of the backing fixture and it works perfect. Don’t ask how I know you shouldn’t hold both pieces against your belly while attempting to align the self-aligning magnets…

On my Predator 13 and on the Axis, I use the mount with one of the two depth extensions included. To go deeper into the water for say an aluminum hulled power boat I can see where the second could be needed and it things get extreme more extensions can be ordered. This is a very versatile mounting system; portable, easy to use and cosmetically better than any other solution.

I found Fish Finder Mounts quite by accident while surfing on YouTube for How-To fishing video of the Hammer Swim Bait that I’ve been raving about as of late. Don’t recall how one led to the other, but I’m pleased I found his site.

I do not personally know Wade Van Pelt, except to say I purchased and use his magnetic transducer mount. If a FishFinder is in your future, be sure to bookmark Wade’s website his mount may be the ticket for an easy and portable installation for you too.

The folks at the NorCal Kayak Anglers posed a possible concern if you stored the magnetic mount with the Lowrance display head.

One of the tips I will share when I write a review on the Elite 4. I purchased a Pelican Small Case 1120 Dry Box (under $40 at ACK) in orange to seclude, protect and be of bright enough color to see so as not to forget it when loading gear.

The Elite 4 has been on one outing. I've turned it on, flipped through the pages, began exploring the menu and realized I've got a long way to go to learn how to effectively use the Fish-Finder. I'd like to be able to show how and why I've set it up for the fishing I do before I can say how much I like the unit; the review of the Elite 4 is not going to be for a while.

For now I'm pleased it is mounted and is easily transferable from one boat to another.

I'm thinking of using RAM mounts for the transducer & FF on my Cobra F&D. Want to put the transducer mount where I can easily attach & remove for launch & exit. I'd like to integrate this with the most effective battery placement.
Mark V. - do you still have your F&D? Suggestions?
Anyone?
http://www.rammount.com/part/RAP-B-101U-LO11
http://www.rammount.com/part/RAP-B-101U-LO11

You probably have seen it already; RAM mounts has a unit designed to hold the battery, fishfinder and transducer mount called the cellblock or close to that.  I have been thinking about using it for my new kayak to allow me to use the same fish finder on any kayak with a sturdy track mounted.

You probably have seen it already; RAM mounts has a unit designed to hold the battery, fishfinder and transducer mount called the cellblock or close to that.  I have been thinking about using it for my new kayak to allow me to use the same fish finder on any kayak with a sturdy track mounted.

I haven't seen it. Interesting. I'll look it up. Thanks for the heads up. Has anyone else used this system? Reviews?

You probably have seen it already; RAM mounts has a unit designed to hold the battery, fishfinder and transducer mount called the cellblock or close to that.  I have been thinking about using it for my new kayak to allow me to use the same fish finder on any kayak with a sturdy track mounted.

I haven't seen it. Interesting. I'll look it up. Thanks for the heads up. Has anyone else used this system? Reviews?

Tried to look it up but can't find it. Have a link?

Sent you a PM with a link to a vendor site that shows them.

got it. thanks.

You could also go for the low budget solution of a $3 package of Duct Seal. Make a donut shape, schmeer it down into the bottom of the "V", plot your transducer into the middle, pour in a little water, and you're off.

Not super elegant, but it works. And it's easy to remove and reinstall the transducer.