Anthonyexmouth
Member
Hi, I've fitted transom mount transducers in the hull in the past using epoxy and silicone and have all worked well. Does anyone here know if the newer down vu/side vu type transducers work well if mounted like this?
In Hull Transducer Mounting
- Thread starter Anthonyexmouth
- Start date
Pleinmont
Active member
Hi
99% sure Sidevu/Structure scan/Sidescan won't ever work mounted in hull. They have to be either transom or thru-hull.
In my last boat I fitted a transom transducer in-hull using silicone and it worked fine (Simrad GO7 and skimmer HDI transducer firing through solid GRP hull).
The traditional 50/200khz sonar setting worked well with almost no visible interference.
The one I had also did CHIRP but the signal returns from Med or Hi were not great (quite a lot of noise on screen).
I suspect downvu / downscan might also struggle shooting thru the hull but if you have one to try it would def be worth experimenting as all boats are different and sometimes stuff works for some but not for others.
There are also purpose made in-hull CHIRP transducers which are effective
Airmar Chirp In hull transducer for Navico blue plug chirp sounders. Airmar Part P75M
Not sure what hull type or MFD you have but the alternative is to put a transom mount transducer on the back of the boat
They are recommended for outdrive and outboard only but I have an inboard engine on my Antares 760 and recently experimented with a Simrad 3-1 transducer fitted on the transom port side (level with the waterline).
Active Imaging 3-in-1 Transducer | Simrad USA
Others have done the same with similar units.
Hooked up to a Simrad GO9 it does med/hi Chirp, Downscan and Sidescan - all work well at rest and underway up to 16knts for Chirp and Downscan (Sidescan is lost above 5knts which is normal anyway).
Because of the warnings about propeller wash ruining the signal I tried to keep it about 18inches to the side of the prop and not directly in line with any strakes or skin fittings up ahead to avoid turbulence.
It was rigged temporarily to avoid drilling holes but now I know it works ok I'll be routing the cables permanently in through the hull in the very near future.
99% sure Sidevu/Structure scan/Sidescan won't ever work mounted in hull. They have to be either transom or thru-hull.
In my last boat I fitted a transom transducer in-hull using silicone and it worked fine (Simrad GO7 and skimmer HDI transducer firing through solid GRP hull).
The traditional 50/200khz sonar setting worked well with almost no visible interference.
The one I had also did CHIRP but the signal returns from Med or Hi were not great (quite a lot of noise on screen).
I suspect downvu / downscan might also struggle shooting thru the hull but if you have one to try it would def be worth experimenting as all boats are different and sometimes stuff works for some but not for others.
There are also purpose made in-hull CHIRP transducers which are effective
Airmar Chirp In hull transducer for Navico blue plug chirp sounders. Airmar Part P75M
Not sure what hull type or MFD you have but the alternative is to put a transom mount transducer on the back of the boat
They are recommended for outdrive and outboard only but I have an inboard engine on my Antares 760 and recently experimented with a Simrad 3-1 transducer fitted on the transom port side (level with the waterline).
Active Imaging 3-in-1 Transducer | Simrad USA
Others have done the same with similar units.
Hooked up to a Simrad GO9 it does med/hi Chirp, Downscan and Sidescan - all work well at rest and underway up to 16knts for Chirp and Downscan (Sidescan is lost above 5knts which is normal anyway).
Because of the warnings about propeller wash ruining the signal I tried to keep it about 18inches to the side of the prop and not directly in line with any strakes or skin fittings up ahead to avoid turbulence.
It was rigged temporarily to avoid drilling holes but now I know it works ok I'll be routing the cables permanently in through the hull in the very near future.
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Anthonyexmouth
Member
I was worried about the prop wash too, I want to put it on my 20' open Cygnus. I am looking at the Hook Reveal 7 or the Garmin 65cv. I like the idea of the bigger screen on the Lowrance. Why are thru-hull transducers so damned expensive compared to TM ones? Sure, a little more but not hundreds of pounds more.
Pleinmont
Active member
I know, they are ridiculously expensive in comparison! I think they are usually higher wattage too.
A transom one is well worth a punt - esp if you fix it to a pole, clamp it to the stern and test it whilst driving along.
Presume you don't have a bathing platform so you can move it about until you find somewhere it works.
You might be alright on the Cygnus provided you keep it out of the prop wash and basically level with the underside of the hull.
Get the biggest screen you can - the Hook Reveals look good.
A transom one is well worth a punt - esp if you fix it to a pole, clamp it to the stern and test it whilst driving along.
Presume you don't have a bathing platform so you can move it about until you find somewhere it works.
You might be alright on the Cygnus provided you keep it out of the prop wash and basically level with the underside of the hull.
Get the biggest screen you can - the Hook Reveals look good.
Anthonyexmouth
Member
started off just wanting the striker 4cv but then decided charts would be nice but the garmin 45cv is strong money for a 4" screen so then started looking at the 65cv but it domes with no transducer. so the reveal started to look tempting as you can upgrade the charts at a later date and has a 7" screen. I'm only in Lyme Bay and never usually deeper 30m. Guess it might be worth a punt making an oil bath for the transducer as that would be an easily reversible solution compared to epoxy or silicone.
hoping someone here has tried it and can say yay or nay. The reason I'm not keen on mounting on the transom is the tripleshot transduceris so damned long and worried it'll either catch on the rudder or get pinched because I tend to use my drying mooring more during the winter.
hoping someone here has tried it and can say yay or nay. The reason I'm not keen on mounting on the transom is the tripleshot transduceris so damned long and worried it'll either catch on the rudder or get pinched because I tend to use my drying mooring more during the winter.
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Pleinmont
Active member
Not sure about catching the rudder or getting pinched but yes they are quite long!
Can also use plumbers mait to mount transducers apparently. Squidge a fat lump flat down on the hull surface and press the transducer down firmly into it as required.
Never sets so easily removable.
Can also use plumbers mait to mount transducers apparently. Squidge a fat lump flat down on the hull surface and press the transducer down firmly into it as required.
Never sets so easily removable.
Anthonyexmouth
Member
Pleinmont
Active member
Ah yes, I see your predicament.
It might get snagged up with the ropes too.
In hull would be best i think but def the most expensive way to do it.
It might get snagged up with the ropes too.
In hull would be best i think but def the most expensive way to do it.
Jamie Dundee
Well-known member
You could try Salar’s method Installing a transducer inside the hull - new method - Boat Angling
Not sure about downscan but sidescan definitely doesn’t work with the transducer shooting through hull.
Not sure about downscan but sidescan definitely doesn’t work with the transducer shooting through hull.
Anthonyexmouth
Member
It's downscan that i really want, not that bothered with the sidescan, it's nice but would probably never use it.
I saw that foam method but dont really understand the foam bit? I've done a similar install but just flooded the box with castor oil and then sealed it
Really hope someone comes back and says that the downvu/clear view or whatever that wanna call it works. Like i said earlier, only working in shallowish water so fingers crossed.
Jamie Dundee
Well-known member
The foam is to keep the t/d at the correct angle and to stop it moving around.
Anthonyexmouth
Member
Ah ok, when I make an oil bath I left the TD on its bracket, screwed that to the oil bath side, filled it then sealed the lid on,
Pleinmont
Active member
This looks a good method - thanks for posting this.
Pleinmont
Active member
May be of interest...
I noticed Lowrance indirectly say Downscan does work on shoot thru installations but they warn performance may be reduced.
You might be lucky if you got a solid hull and find the right spot.
Will definitely do the traditional sonar but you might get reasonable Downscan.
Simrad Help & Support
I noticed Lowrance indirectly say Downscan does work on shoot thru installations but they warn performance may be reduced.
You might be lucky if you got a solid hull and find the right spot.
Will definitely do the traditional sonar but you might get reasonable Downscan.
Simrad Help & Support
Anthonyexmouth
Member
Well, bit of an update, finally decided to try the Garmin GT-52 transom mount in the hull. Decided the easiest way was to try it in the bilge before pumping it out so it was in water next to the hull. Had a run in the river and Clear-Vu worked as well as it does on the transom up to 10m. Now I know it works to that depth I might make the effort and bed it on some silicone and try a bit deeper. realistically, the boat spends 95% of its time fishing in depth between 5-30m so hopefully, this will be fine. It's gonna be nice not having the transom mount if this works out.
Pleinmont
Active member
Nice one, sounds like it worked out well with the new location and less likely to get damaged in the hull.
Anthonyexmouth
Member
Yeah, always worried about having things hanging off the back. Hope it works when I pop out into deeper water. Another upside is a cleaner image on the traditional sounder as there's no prop wash interference , but propwash never showed up on the Clear-Vu when it was transom mounted.
raymondmcm
Member
Just wondering how this has been working out with Clearvu especially ?
Anthonyexmouth
Member
Works really well, can't notice any difference from when it was transom mounted.
raymondmcm
Member
Thanks I was assured by Garmin that only standard mode would work and Clearvu won't work at all as it needs to be in direct contact with the water.
I think I'll take the risk as it's not much more than the gt8 anyway
