Shoot through hull transducer mounting help

MikePA

MikePA

Well-Known Member
I just can't get my transducer level right on the transom to read at any sort of speed/not kick up a ton of water so I have decided to buy a second transducer to act as a shoot through hull to keep a bottom read at speed. I bought a AI 3 in 1 transducer (I know it's not made for this purpose), anyone have a really good way to mount this? I've seen a few different ideas with silicone/sikaflex. Thoughts appreciated.
 
need to build an enclosed tank box to install it and run it in antifreeze like the m260's is best way
it will burn out just stuck down in a dry bilge area ....
 
wildthing said:
need to build an enclosed tank box to install it and run it in antifreeze like the m260's is best way
it will burn out just stuck down in a dry bilge area ....
Click to expand...
That's what I was wondering.. you see lots of videos where people just sikaflex them to the bottom. I was under the impression they overheat when not in the water
 
I had the same problem and bought a Garmin thru hull transducer. It runs in it own mineral oil bath. You just sika it down and connect . If you are running Lowrance or Simrad you will probably need one of these
harbourchandler.ca

Navico XSonic P79 In-Hull Transducer

Harbour Chandler is a locally owned and operated business that has had its doors open to the public since 1985. What has made us so successful over the years is our well-stocked shelves, our fair prices and our efforts to find whatever it is that our customers are looking for.
harbourchandler.ca harbourchandler.ca
 
Last edited:
beemer said:
I had the same problem and bought a Garmin thru hull transducer. It runs in it own mineral oil bath. You just sika it down and connect . If you are running Lowrance or Simrad you will probably need one of these
harbourchandler.ca

Navico XSonic P79 In-Hull Transducer

Harbour Chandler is a locally owned and operated business that has had its doors open to the public since 1985. What has made us so successful over the years is our well-stocked shelves, our fair prices and our efforts to find whatever it is that our customers are looking for.
harbourchandler.ca harbourchandler.ca
Click to expand...
Saw those.. probably should have gone that direction.. will likely build a box sort of thing for mine to sit in to mimic this idea.
 
Navico makes a wet box for a thru hull application. Not sure how big your transducer is but the box can be modified to fit the hull of your boat And they’re very well built . Navico will sell them separately if you ask though they usually sell them as accessories to the bigger transducers like the M260 etc

2CE04E30-E1C2-4627-AA16-C5D09FEC578F.jpeg
 
Simply epoxy it in place. Nice thing is you can free it at a later date with a good whack from a non-marking hammer.
 
the one requirement is that whatever you use to stick it down should be as bubble free as possible - thats why 4200 or sikaflex are typically used.
 
MikePA said:
Could that just be for mounting the unit.. ones like the p79 need to be filled with liquid as well as the housing epoxied to the hull
Click to expand...

Not sure, I have seen them epoxied to the hull. Success rate ???? I would go with the airmar shoot thru hull or get a thru hull.
 
You have to test your mounting location to make sure you're not overtop an air pocket. You do that with a bag of water and the transducer sitting on top. After that, just set it into a blob of bubble free epoxy. I did this on my old bayliner. It wasn't hard.
 
Have been running an Airmar P79 for ten years or so, no problems. It was epoxied directly onto the floor of the bilge by my electrical/electronics guy, now retired. Works on my fibreglass hull which is fairly thick for a 20 foot boat.

This is my back up sonar system hooked directly to its own MFD. I have lost a couple of transom mounted transducers to floating debris and had to rely on the P79 for fishing, navigating in shallows. Another bonus is that it operates better at speed than my transom mount.
 
easydoesit said:
Have been running an Airmar P79 for ten years or so, no problems. It was epoxied directly onto the floor of the bilge by my electrical/electronics guy, now retired. Works on my fibreglass hull which is fairly thick for a 20 foot boat.

This is my back up sonar system hooked directly to its own MFD. I have lost a couple of transom mounted transducers to floating debris and had to rely on the P79 for fishing, navigating in shallows. Another bonus is that it operates better at speed than my transom mount.
Click to expand...
What speed will it still give a decent picture? Can you still pick up fish/bait while under way?
 
MikePA said:
What speed will it still give a decent picture? Can you still pick up fish/bait while under way?
Click to expand...
I have the Airmar P79 as well and although I can’t remember just how fast I can go and still have a good picture or if it has ever stopped reading at any speed, it has no issues at 30 mph cruise. The dealer‘s tech did a terrible job of mounting it but it has worked great ever since I repositioned it. They have built-in alignment marks based on the dead rise of the hull so it shoots straight down but the tech had it at the wrong angle. They also mounted it over the extra thick keel and I just moved it over about 10” where the hull is thinner.
 
MikePA said:
What speed will it still give a decent picture? Can you still pick up fish/bait while under way?
Click to expand...
Depends a lot on the existing water conditions e.g. chop. Generally I get good bottom returns at cruising speed, 28 mph for me Using the P79. If I operate in deeper water, say, 300 feet and deeper at cruising speed it becomes more difficult to receive a good sonar return.

At cruising speed, my attention is usually not on the sonar once I’m in deeper water, it’s on navigation. Although if I’m running at cruising speed, looking for bait schools I can pick up a school of herring readily, for example. Individual fish, I wouldn’t be looking for at cruising speed.

Hope that answers your question.
 
easydoesit said:
Depends a lot on the existing water conditions e.g. chop. Generally I get good bottom returns at cruising speed, 28 mph for me Using the P79. If I operate in deeper water, say, 300 feet and deeper at cruising speed it becomes more difficult to receive a good sonar return.

At cruising speed, my attention is usually not on the sonar once I’m in deeper water, it’s on navigation. Although if I’m running at cruising speed, looking for bait schools I can pick up a school of herring readily, for example. Individual fish, I wouldn’t be looking for at cruising speed.

Hope that answers your question.
Click to expand...
Great, that's what I was hoping for, tracking down bait schools.
 
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