Fishfinder / Transducer for a SOT Kayak

I have a Sit On Top Ocean Kayak (Torque) and I want to get a cheap (dual beam) fishfinder for it.  I like the look of the Garmin Echo 150 but I am not sure how / where to mount the transducer.  The Kayak has a cut out / recess on the bottom of the hull where one of the drain holes are (by my foot) that is meant to house a transducer (there is a label on the kayak next to the hole with "Transducer" on it)  This seems like a good spot but i'm not sure how you would keep it in place or whether the Garmin Echo 150 transducer would actually fit.  Does anyone else have experience with mounting a transducer this way?

My second question is about power?  Do these fishfinders need to be hooked up to a battery or do you charge them prior to use?

Thanks

I am currently installing a Garmin 500c to an Ocean Kayak T-11 and am going to use the transducer scupper hole. I had to grind down some of the plastic to make it fit. It just barely fits and I am not sure if your model has the same transducer. What I found is that when I put a straightedge along the hull, there is one corner of the transducer that just barely sticks up a teeny bit but I am going to do it that way anyway since it's so rounded that I can't imagine anything happening to it. Famous last words maybe. I am not sure what your kayak looks like but on mine, there is a dandy location for the mounting base right between the rod pod and the front hatch where it will be visible and reachable. I am headed out for some stainless screw and a 12V battery today. Good luck.

Assuming you get the transducer to fit ok, how will you prevent it from dropping out of the scupper hole whilst you are paddling?  Are you going to glue it / screw it in place?  Can you post some pictures of the transducer?  I'd be interested in seeing it and how you secure it place.

Good Luck.

Thanks

I just found this on Youtube. 

This is exactly what I am looking for.  I don't want to glue / screw it in place so this looks like just the thing.

I have an OK and despite the scupper option, I decided to mount my transducer in the hull, so the scupper could do its job and drain my foot well. My OK also has a great spot for the battery on a raised platform that you can strap in down on, very handy. I have a Humminbird 365i which is a GPS and dual beam FF, it works great and there is no loss in sensitivity using the in-hull mounting kit. Just another option to think about.

I have an OK and despite the scupper option, I decided to mount my transducer in the hull, so the scupper could do its job and drain my foot well. My OK also has a great spot for the battery on a raised platform that you can strap in down on, very handy. I have a Humminbird 365i which is a GPS and dual beam FF, it works great and there is no loss in sensitivity using the in-hull mounting kit. Just another option to think about.

imo in hull is a better option cause im planning on getting a ff from hummingbird and looked at the cost of replacement transducers and would feel better having it mounted safely in the hull instead of exposed in the scupper hole.  I also agree with most people who don't feel comfortable plugging the scupper hole with a transducer as well... but this is just my two cents on the matter

This would be my go-to method for getting the transducer in the water without gluing things down or drilling holes.  I'm a fan of keeping the 'ducer in the hull though. 

+1 for mounting inside the hull. If you ever plan on launching or landing from any beach you will drag you hull on sand or rock eventually. Your signal will not decrease when shot through the hull.
I would guess that at least 75% of people mount inside.

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Thanks for bringing up this subject now. After watching several videos and re-reading the "Drilling and cutting" sticky on the foam puck through-the -hull system, I think that's what I will try since I've got the goop and the foam already.

English, are you sure the Lowrance mount won't leave the transducer hanging below the kayak and vulnerable?

I don't trust that Lowrance scupper mount, and agree with Fungunnin about reality of trying to land and dragging the scupper mounted transducer eventually.  I also seriously considered the ram transducer arm mount, but then considered the fact that the mount would cost half as much as the ff itself and just went with the in hull mount.  As others have said, its a relatively simple install, with no hardware out of the boat that you could snag on.

Yes, you need a separate power source for these fishfinders.  I use one of these in a drybag, but there are lots of options from using AA's to LiIon batterys: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Rechargeable-Volt-Battery/700551.uts

And as for cheap, dual beam FFs, I recently installed a PiranhaMAX 175 and have been very satisfied with it so far.  It's a new model for this year, so the reviews available are quite limited.  That said, it's good for any depth that I'll be fishing at, and the 16 level grayscale gives it a lot more detail than the other entry-level FFs I've seen.

At least one of us has to weigh in on mounting the transducer through the scupper.  I am very happy with this arrangement.  I get very solid readings and accurate water temperature as well.  My FF is a Lowrance Mark 4 (GPS/FF) and is mounted in an OK T13.  The mounting method still allows the scupper to drain.  I use a 12v Dewalt drill battery for power.

Thanks for all the replies.  In the end I went for the hull mount option and I am now waiting for the marine goop to cure (hopefully I didn't get any air bubbles).   I will give it a trial tomorrow or Tuesday doen at golden gardens in the puget sound.  I purchased the Lowrance Mark 4 / GPS in large part because it had one of the brightest of all the monochrome displays and because it came with a $30 rebate deal.

English

The "Drillin' & Cuttin'" subforum has a sticky thread on transducer mounting.  You should have read it before gluing down your transducer as there are other less permanent, easier, and equally effective options.  Searching that subforum will all so find a number of threads covering power and batteries. 

I like the scupper mount from WayneWhit.  How does that side drain?  I know with the Humminbird scupper mounted transducer on my T13 that side drained much more slowly than the other.

How does that side drain?  I know with the Humminbird scupper mounted transducer on my T13 that side drained much more slowly than the other.


It does drain a little slower than the other side, but that hasn't been a problem since I haven't been out in rough seas.  I use it mostly for lakes.  If the water gets more than  about 1/2" deep, it will drain quite well over the bushing and through the pipe.  That's why I left some space around the transducer when I cut away the elbow.

I would recommend shoot through the hull and duct seal inside the boat. I had a scupper mounted one and it hinders drainage as well as creates a requirement to deal with the line running to the unit/batter. Duct seal costs about 3 dollars and takes about 2 minutes to place.