Outback transducer mount opinions

Okay so I know there's 1 billion threads on this and I've searched many of them but I still have to ask some questions. It seems that I've narrowed the options down to:
1.running the transducer through the rear scupper hole
2.running it through the mast mount
3. Trying the cup method inside the hul
4. Hanging it over the side.

Is there a big difference in having the td in the water vs in the hull? I would have to disconnect wires and pull the td out before beaching and launching. Considering this id like to put it in the hull and not worry about disconnecting and potentially losing the td every time. I haven't determined a mounting spot yet for the screen. Maybe the mast hole or near the gunwales.

I mounted mined over the side on a Ram transducer arm mount. Personally I felt the standard arm was a little too short for my liking. I needed to run up to Ram and get my 1" t bolt mount ball replaced.  While there I spoke to them and they told me to order a longer one from GPS city. After that I love this option. It makes for easy deployment once I launch. I mount battery and extra cable in front hatch and FF on sail mount location. A little cluttered up front but I didn't cut the wires as it will hurt the new HDI cables. I used to run my old one on the scupper mount set up. It was alright. Hope it helps a little. I would ultimately base on grounds of what transducer you have. There are plenty of guys here who have theirs glued inside the hull. I was just never a fan of that.

If it is just a normal (not dsi) transducer, the easiest is to mount it in the hull. It works just fine that way as long as there is water in the cup.  I had mine mounted up in the front hatch area, but that bit me in the ass a couple of times, both were quite humorous but I almost lost my shotgun during one of them. The sonar said I was in two and a half feet of muddy water.  Unfortunately for me the water was about 5 feet at the cockpit (2 and a half feet at the transducer up front).  It was a very steep bank both times.

I have mine gooped on my hull. No water. Big puddle of goop... Attach transducer. So far it has worked great.

I use a glob of duct seal putty inside the hull just under my left rear cheek, no water. Seems to work well enough.

For several years, I had my Elite 4 transducer mounted inside the rear hull of my sit in kayak, before I upgraded to an Outback with the Lowrance plate underneath.  Goop or silicone caulk works great.  The only caution I learned is that you only need a thin layer of caulk between the bottom of the hull and the transducer, and make sure there are no bubbles in between as that seemed to cause interference.  You can load up the caulk around the transducer to hold it in place, and mine stayed in place for many seasons.

The only downside with inside the hull, in my opinion, is you lose water temp.  For some people, that might be a big deal, but for my fishing it's a minor detail.

I use a glob of duct seal putty inside the hull just under my left rear cheek, no water. Seems to work well enough.

+1

My only complaint is that I loose the water temperature reading.

i actually haven't found that to be the case. my water temp reading with my thru-hull transducer (foam puck/water method) was nearly identical (within 3 degrees) to a few powerboaters around me with their transducers directly in the water.

i actually haven't found that to be the case. my water temp reading with my thru-hull transducer (foam puck/water method) was nearly identical (within 3 degrees) to a few powerboaters around me with their transducers directly in the water.

Interesting, I've never actually compared my reading with others.  It gets pretty warm inside the kayak on a sunny day so I just assumed the water temp reading would be incorrect.

the kayak's polyethlyene and the water inside the foam puck conducts the water's temperature quite well. ask a PB'er next time you're out on the water what temp they're reading.

On cloudy days you won't notice much difference in water temp with the transducer mounted to the hull on the inside. However, on warm, sunny days in the summer you will notice a difference. The plastic serves as a thermal insulator so if inside of the kayak is really warm and the water is cool, you'll still be in the same ballpark, but not very accurate.

Another important thing to consider is whether or not you want to be able to detect changing water temps. Mounting your transducer to the inside of your kayak will attenuate your ability to see changing water temps. I noticed a dramatic change in water temp while salmon fishing last year that lead me to stay on the water for a little while longer. Good thing I did too, the bite turned on in a ferocious way.

good to know, rawk!

how/where is your transducer mounted?

good to know, rawk!

how/where is your transducer mounted?

I am using an over-the-side transducer arm (the one that RAM makes).  I have it mounted on the port gunwale just aft of the forward bulkhead of the cockpit of my Revo 13.  I have it setup so it points almost straight forward as it bends down over the side.