Humminbird 587ci Fish Finder Mounting and Care questions

I have been using the Humminbird PiranhaMax230 for a couple years now and it's served me pretty well despite its fairly low cost.  It sits in a little "tray" that I have just strapped to the kayak over the mast hole.  Easy enough.  But I just upgraded to the Humminbird 587ci Combo FF+GPS and want to properly mount it to the kayak (Hobie adventure) in a manner that it is quickly releaseable for storage.  Was wondering what methods anyone out there has used with a similar FF and/or kayak.  If I remember correctly (and I probably don't), Zee I think you figured out a way to mount it in the mast hole itself.  Is that right? 

Also, I fully admit I haven't taken the best care of my previous FF, but it has surprisingly continued to work.  I plan to change that now that I have a pretty expensive one.  But one thing I've always wondered about is...what exactly is the method for cleaning these things after saltwater use?  I've been just wiping it dry and blowing moisture off the contacts, but that hasn't really helped (see pic).  I've been reluctant to apply water to the contact area because, well...because it's a piece of electronics.  It's basically screwed at this point, one of the contact pins is completely broken off (tho again, it still works!).  Is it safe to clean with water and if so, what method do you guys use?

Thanks!

I coat connections with dielectric grease prior to use (fresh clean non corroded  connections).  Rinse with plenty of fresh water after use.  Then blow excess water away, allow to air dry, and then liberally recoat with more dielectric grease.   So far so good.  I fish mostly in the salt and I used to have the same problems you are experiencing, since I have started using the dielectric grease.. no problems

I have a 700 series and the Humminbird folks said it is good for 30 minutes of immersion, so I've been rinsing it in freshwater after each use.  I do put my hand over the cooling vent, but that should not be necessary.  Here is what they said about my unit:

The units are water proof such as if they were dropped over board, the
unit will float for a few moments to give time to retrieve the unit, it
is not recommended that they are in contact with water at all times.
However, if submerged the unit is water proof for about 30 minutes and
down to one meter. 

You might want to send an email to cservice@johnsonoutdoors.com and ask them about the immersibility of your 587.

Ditto the dielectric grease.

Those connections look pretty nasty!

While I do use dielectric grease for boat/electronics I've been using a product called CorrosionX (www.corrosionx.com) which prevents rust & electrolysis, displaces moisture and is a great lubricant here on the coast.

The label states "can revive equipment even after saltwater immersion".  I like this stuff way more than WD40 and Silicone spray.  I have many stories about how its worked for me including how I was able to both open my truck door after the lock froze and getting my window to open again after it seized from the salt rain.

Thanks for the hedzup on the CorrosionX, FishSniffer.  I clicked on the link to their site, and noticed the ReelX lube. I might give both a try.

I use the dielectric grease on my connections, too. I think I put too much on my old PirahaMax 4 portable. Some of it ran down to the swivel clamp that mounts the head unit to its portable base and lubed it up too much. Now it flops over, so I have to take it apart and clean it.
I have always just carefully rinsed the salt and sand off with a gentle spray from my kitchen sink spray hose, then wiped it dry. Still works as good as the day I bought it.

I'm going to have to get a unit with gps now, since I am outfitting my Tarpon 140 with a Pacific Action Sail for downwind and broad reaching, and if that works out well, then maybe a reaching sail, leeboards, outriggers, and rudder.

For my reels I do use the ReelX and also white lithium grease.  Just use sparingly and keep it away from the drag!

It's either True Value or Ace Hardware that carries the CorrosionX

Most Marine shops carry a product for cleaning those connections, even our local Fred meyer has it on the shelf.
 

To get your connections clean again from the green and white powder, you need to make a whole milk thick liquid of warm water and baking soda.  Just apply it liberally so it runs off (away from the internals) using a paint brush.

Keep doing this until all foaming stops.  Feel free to rinse with fresh cool water as needed to check if it's all gone or not.  Repeat as needed. You may find that there is substantial material that has been corroded away, and well....you live and learn at this point. 

If it looks like there is plenty of meterial left, then like Pelagic said, coat all exposed metal with dielectric grease.

If I go into the salt water, I bring a 5 gallon pump sprayer of fresh water to spray everything down as soon I get back to the van/Suburban. Reels, rods, kayak, electronics, seat, EVERYTHING. Then when I get home, if I can remove it, it goes into a milk crate and goes into the shower with me. Electrical connectors on the kayak are blown out with air from the big compressor, and then sprayed with Corrosion X. I clean and dry everything else in the house or the boat storage unit. 2 years on the Trident, one year on the Hobie, no corrosion or rust yet.

Both of my kayaks have side imaging depthfinders, and I had to fabricate a transducer mounting brackets to hold the giant transducers back in the stern so the side imaging would work. On my Trident 15 I have the Hummingbird 798ci, and it has an aluminum bracket that mounts between the hull and the rudder bracket and I have a switchable regular transducer in the scupper hole mount. On my Pro Angler I use the head unit from my bassboat, the Lowrance HDS-5 and the Structure Scan Module, the bracket for that is mounted to the stern. I put a Zinc anode on the aluminum bracket I fabricate for both of those. I got the smallest one I could get from the boatyard, a Yamaha Zinc Anode, CM-688-45251-01, it is about as big as 4 quarters stacked up with a hole in it, and I grounded those to the negative post of the battery. I took pictures during the Hobie installation and after the fact pics on the Trident, as soon as I find the memory card I'll post them up. My laptop HDD crashed and i lost them on there.

Like PP, I'm all about the dielectric grease. Works good and you can get it from the auto parts store in little ketchup sized packets. Really cheap and kept a few FF's working corrosion free for many years.

Z

I removed my earlier comments about CorrosionX because I did not realize it comes in aviation and marine versions which are obviously different.  Sorry for any confusion.