Transducer Fell Off!!

[Baxter]

Remove the pickup. Sicaflex and screw a chunk of starboard to the formed channel. Then re attach the pickup and transducer.

What kind of screws would you use going into starboard? Stick with stainless machine screws? Stainless lags?

 

[Corey_lax]

What kind of screws would you use going into starboard? Stick with stainless machine screws? Stainless lags?

Not machine screws. Need a coarse thread to bite into the starboard. I used 3 stainless steel wood screws about 1” long.

 

[triplenickel]

Some great ideas here... will have to decide which way I want to go.

For the cutting option, how would you recommend I cut it? I know a wood blade on a circular saw could do the trick, but no getting that in there. Angle grinder is not quite the right tool (due to melting point of aluminum I believe it may just gum up the blade). Maybe a rotary tool? Too thick and awkward for snips...

A dremel and some safety glasses and take your time. If you’re in CR I have one you’re welcome to.

 

[Baxter]

A dremel and some safety glasses and take your time. If you’re in CR I have one you’re welcome to.

Thx, but I have a Dremel (Well, it is the cheaper Canadian Tire Special, but same diff). If I go this route, I will probably do that.

While I can't agree more that this is the best way to go about it, I have screwed it back on, will test it later tonight or tomorrow night to make sure it is set where I want it, then will pull the screws, coat with Loctite, and stickem' back on. If it gives me more trouble I'll be cutting that tab off for sure!

 

[brutus]

Thx, but I have a Dremel (Well, it is the cheaper Canadian Tire Special, but same diff). If I go this route, I will probably do that.

While I can't agree more that this is the best way to go about it, I have screwed it back on, will test it later tonight or tomorrow night to make sure it is set where I want it, then will pull the screws, coat with Loctite, and stickem' back on. If it gives me more trouble I'll be cutting that tab off for sure!

Use 5200 not loctite

 

[SteelyDan]

Use 5200 not loctite

Why would you use 5200 on something that doesn't penetrate the hull or require sealant. The locktite is so the screws don't back themselves out again

 

[brutus]

Why would you use 5200 on something that doesn't penetrate the hull or require sealant. The locktite is so the screws don't back themselves out again

Lol, do what you want, lock tight is for nuts , not for a screw in flimsy aluminum, does not have a ole lot of holding power, own and work on Harley all my life and loctite is not that great lol, plus not to sure how loctite will reacts under saltwater, 5200 is a waterproof adhesive that will never come off, I use that **** on everything lmao

 

[brutus]

It's sheet metal. Self drilling sheet metal screw with the 5200. That's what I would do.

And BTW stainless sucks with aluminum when submerged so you want the 5200 to limit interaction with materials.

Drill pilot hole. Put 5200 on and tighten screws.

Thank you lol, again loctite is not that great, use it on my hogs over the years and many nuts and bolts have backed off from the vibrations so personally I would not use it in this application but we need to keep the marine store going, new transducer priceless lol

 

[SteelyDan]

Throw some duck tape on there while your at it eh bud

 

[brutus]

Throw some duck tape on there while your at it eh bud

Lol little sour

 

[Corey_lax]

Loctite is 100% fine in salt-water. And boats don't vibrate as much as Harleys haha. With that said, I'd probably still use 5200 so that the baseplate of the ducer is glued to the aluminum, and the screws are just a secondary fastening point.

The OP was one of the guys that had issues with his transducer spraying water up so maybe he had it mounted in a weird spot and that's why it got knocked off.

 

[Baxter]

Lol, do what you want, lock tight is for nuts , not for a screw in flimsy aluminum, does not have a ole lot of holding power, own and work on Harley all my life and loctite is not that great lol, plus not to sure how loctite will reacts under saltwater, 5200 is a waterproof adhesive that will never come off, I use that **** on everything lmao

It would appear that my thread has created a loctite vs 5200 battle. LOL


Based on this thread, and other research I have done, it would appear that either solution should work for me. Definitely leaning towards the 5200 - or both - though - see below as to why.
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As for this:

...

The OP was one of the guys that had issues with his transducer spraying water up so maybe he had it mounted in a weird spot and that's why it got knocked off.

Yup, that was me.

I had finally found a solution that solved my spray problem. Can't recall if I updated that thread, but I used a small piece of a vinyl gutter, inside corner and cut it to the right shape.

I had placed this between the aluminum bracket on the boat and the transducer. Fixed the spray problem perfectly. BUT I think this was also partially (or fully) responsible for my screws backing off. I am thinking that my spray shield caused extra vibration helping to loosen things. In addition, I highly suspect that my taking the transducer off and on and off and on while I tried different spray solutions weakened the threads in the original holes.

I think my solution (for now at least) will be to craft another spray shield like before (previous one is now somewhere at Grants Reef). I will 5200 it to the mounting bracket, then screw the 'ducer through that. Once I have it aligned perfectly again, I will 5200 that as well.

All a big pain in the butt, but I guess that is what you get when you buy a boat!

If I didn't beach the boat often I would consider a thru hull installation - would solve both issues, BUT that brings its own can of worms.

 

[brutus]

It would appear that my thread has created a loctite vs 5200 battle. LOL


Based on this thread, and other research I have done, it would appear that either solution should work for me. Definitely leaning towards the 5200 - or both - though - see below as to why.
------------

As for this:

Yup, that was me.

I had finally found a solution that solved my spray problem. Can't recall if I updated that thread, but I used a small piece of a vinyl gutter, inside corner and cut it to the right shape.

I had placed this between the aluminum bracket on the boat and the transducer. Fixed the spray problem perfectly. BUT I think this was also partially (or fully) responsible for my screws backing off. I am thinking that my spray shield caused extra vibration helping to loosen things. In addition, I highly suspect that my taking the transducer off and on and off and on while I tried different spray solutions weakened the threads in the original holes.

I think my solution (for now at least) will be to craft another spray shield like before (previous one is now somewhere at Grants Reef). I will 5200 it to the mounting bracket, then screw the 'ducer through that. Once I have it aligned perfectly again, I will 5200 that as well.

All a big pain in the butt, but I guess that is what you get when you buy a boat!

If I didn't beach the boat often I would consider a thru hull installation - would solve both issues, BUT that brings its own can of worms.

Lol a quick search and guess what, Loctite makes a marine adhesive sealant just like 5200 , so go for it use loctite, not the blue stuff in an squeeze plastic container lol

 

[YachtMech]

Remove the pickup. Sicaflex and screw a chunk of starboard to the formed channel. Then re attach the pickup and transducer.

The rivnut mentioned above is probably the best option, you can get them in stainless or aluminum for this application.

but if you dont want to go that route I would second the starboard comment, although you can use sika or 4200, 5200 is the devils toothpaste and should only be used on things you never want to come off (it will litteraly rip gelcoat, paint and fiberglass apart during removal), but nothing really sticks to starboard properly it will just keep the screws from backing out, then stainless screws to hold the starboard to the aluminum, and screw the transducer to the starboard

 

[walleyes]

Remove the pickup. Sicaflex and screw a chunk of starboard to the formed channel. Then re attach the pickup and transducer.

This is what I did and it’s pretty much standard around these parts. Most manufactures these days send their boats out with a piece of starboard already attached, something the salt water boats haven’t caught onto yet. Kingfisher equips their boats with a long plate on each side of the boat that is a channel separate from the hull made to attach your transducers but they leave them aluminum rather than attaching a piece of starboard. I think this was one of my first additions to my boat when I brought it home last summer from the dealer. Right off the start I installed a piece of starboard to both sides of the transom, just so I’ll never have to do it again. Makes for easy replacement and adjustments on anything you decide to put back there. Used #10 stainless screws to attach it to the boat, counter sunk the screw heads so it’s all nice and neat. These do not fall of they are there for the life of the transducer.

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