When using GOOP for the transducer..?

I'm planning to pull out the foam puck and GOOP my transducer to the hull of a Trident.  There's no nice, flat area for it and it looks like I'll need a puddle of GOOP to do it.

Unless someone knows a better way to GOOP a transducer into a Trident.

If anyone has done this, do I need a dam to keep the GOOP from flowing all over the place?  I'm using Marine GOOP, but it still flows enough to spread by about 20%.

Why are you going away from the foam puck?

Foam puck with water is probably the best way to have your ducer work it's best from inside the hull.  Many other ways to do it, but a water bath ensures you don't have bubbles to deal with if you burp it.

A pitfall of GOOPing your ducer directly to the hull is bubbles in the GOOP itself.  You will never know until you remove the ducer if you had a bubble free contact area.

Looks like this.

I and others have used electricians putty, doesn't flow like goop, and you can make sure there are no bubbles.

Dan_E

Why are you going away from the foam puck?

Foam puck with water is probably the best way to have your ducer work it's best from inside the hull.  Many other ways to do it, but a water bath ensures you don't have bubbles to deal with if you burp it.

A pitfall of GOOPing your ducer directly to the hull is bubbles in the GOOP itself.  You will never know until you remove the ducer if you had a bubble free contact area.

I keep forgetting to bring water to fill the puck and I'm worried that beer will damage my transducer   

I was having trouble seating the transducer so it was level in the puck the other day and I got into a cycle of add water, burp it, oops! back it out, fill it, burp it, oops!  And the thought came that I've had enough of this silliness.  Not a classic reason but it's the only one I have.

How did you piddle up that GOOP so badly?  Holy cow!

Thank you.  Always the voice of "Why are you complicating things again, Tinker!"

I and others have used electricians putty, doesn't flow like goop, and you can make sure there are no bubbles.

Dan_E

Thank you, Dan.  I read somewhere that the oils (?) in putties can damage the transducer over time.  I don't know if that's true or bullpoo, but it's kept me from using it.

Mount it in a scupper hole then it's actually in the water

Mount it in a scupper hole then it's actually in the water

Lemme see, Ocean kayak... Lowrance transducer...  Rats!  They don't play well together.  But since the stupid Lowrance is starting to act up, maybe I'll find a Humminbird.  Those do play well with Ocean Kayak scuppers.

Thank you, Mojo.  I'm trying to work with what I have on hand but your suggestions are always appreciated.   

my foam "water bath" has worked flawlessly since day 1 on my Lowrance Elite Chirp4. 
I'm available for hire if you want me to come do it for you, Tinker.

my foam "water bath" has worked flawlessly since day 1 on my Lowrance Elite Chirp4. 
I'm available for hire if you want me to come do it for you, Tinker.

And maybe you can get a video of me - a guy - reaching way past my toes.  Oh, wait!  I sold my Hobie...  Nevermind.   

It's that darned v-shaped hull in the Trident 11 that's making it difficult.  Remember how arrogant proud I was of having cut it practically perfectly?  Perfectly fitting the puck to the hull doesn't guarantee the transducer is going to stay perfectly level in the perfectly cut puck.  Not with me at the controls, anyway.  YMMV.

 
For my trident 13 I stole a Tupperware from the wife, cut the bottom off shaped for the hull with some tin snips, and gooped it down. It's really easy to splash some water in there and pop the lid on. It's ugly but works great. This was a quick half assed rendition of some better quality installs off YouTube


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Thank you, Casey.  I was just thinking that someone had posted The Tupperware Solution and was about to start searching for it.  I could even bolt the transom mount to the side of the bowl and Bob's your uncle, never again have to worry about whether or not the I got the puck back to level when I added water.

 

Tinker, I gooped my transducer to the flattest part of the hull I could find on my 13 which was just north of the main hatch and south of the FF. I just gooped it in the evening fished the next day and never looked back. It reads the same as whoever is fishing next to me for comparison as to accuracy. Reads my downrigger ball. If it ever lets go I have plenty of goop left over to do it again. More importantly I don't have to waste my beer to float it!

I'm a card-carrying beer-hugger and definitely support beer conservation.

Thank you.  I'll get around to making up my mind about the best way to mount the TD.  Soon.  I have to go fishing again this Thursday.

Tinker, how do you forget to bring water to put in your foam puck slot?  Are you not at a body of water at some point with the kayak?

I cut a small burp slot in my pucks in my kayaks to allow me to just lift and lower my ducer maybe a 1/4" or so to burp it.  Also, I carry a plastic syringe with a 3" tube extension that I picked up new at the farm store for administering meds to big animals.  This is kept in the same bag I keep my fish finder unit.

9 years of using a foam puck in the 4 kayaks I have owned, and never had an issue. 

BTW, those pictures I posted of failed GOOPed down ducers are not mine. I jacked them from the interweb for your entertainment.