mount fishfinder sensors in the hull.

Suzuki416 · 17 May 2004, 16:34

Hi,

Can anyone - with pictures please, post how to do this with crappy Garmin sensors!!!

The sensor at the back on my boat works fine until I starting bouncing a bit!! It is just not rigid enough so if possible I'd like to mount itside the boat.
Will it still work even when the boat is bouncing from wave to wave?

Pete

Andy Gee · 17 May 2004, 17:31

Having just been throught his nightmare and do you mean for it to look through the hull or are you going to cut a hole and have it in the water?
Check here for the replies that I got...it may help.
Just to update I ended up machining a new collet to go from 61mm Od to 50mm Id and touch wood its not leaking!!!
Andy

Suzuki416 · 17 May 2004, 17:59

I mean for it to 'look through the hull'.

my little tub has enough problems without drilling holes in the bottom!!

Thats for the Avon boys (Phil D)

Pete

Rupert Bear · 17 May 2004, 18:33

I have been considering the same thing with my Garbage, sorry Garmin

Anybody tried the Airmar P79 or the P319 and had good results?
The P79 is shoot thru and the P319 is thru hull. I reckon the P79 might fit well on the side of my well at the transom but it seems to be hard to get in the UK and even then only with a 1m cable. I want at least 4-5m so that there are no joins lying in wet bits to corrode

timboli · 17 May 2004, 19:41

My garmin 100 f/f works fine sikoflexed(bathroom sealant) into the hull,34 knots plus it will sometimes lose a signal and occasionally in water with a lot of sediment,the humber has a flat keel anyway at the stern but my previous ribcraft worked similarly,sorry no pics as digital camera is broke.
It is sikoflexed into the rear well inside the shell of the boat alongside the bilge pump.

Rupert Bear · 17 May 2004, 23:42

Is yours right in the middle of the well?

Pete7 · 18 May 2004, 00:06

Anyone taken a garmin sounder head apart ? got a feeling that the stern mounted one has an outer shaped plastic moulding and the real sensor sits inside this with water filling the gap when you launch it. If so, then it might be worth smashing one apart.

Okay I will/might have a go because I cut my cable atempting to route it through the hull only to find 5 wires that are sheathed in ali foil and can't be bothered to try and solder it together. It might end up going to Daniel with a crate of the Amber liquid to be sorted.

Pete

timboli · 18 May 2004, 06:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupert Bear

Is yours right in the middle of the well?

Slightly to one side but still on the flat area-on the previous boat,it was dead central so as to "look" straight down.Installing was a big blob of sealant then work the sender into it so as to eliminate air bubbles,sticks quite well but I was able to remove from the previous boat without damage.

jace · 18 May 2004, 08:21

Have a look at another thread, bit more info.

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...ansducer+epoxy

Andy Gee · 18 May 2004, 09:00

When I tried my Raymarine Transducer (which incidently is made by airman) I sat it in some water and tried it as directed from my posting on here....magic it gave a clear reading and a depth of 5.7m, about right for the marina.
Next night armed with Osma pipe fittings etc etc I go down and thought just before I do this I'll take a run over one of the wrecks to check the clarity and if needed move the thing about. It still read 5.7m and gave a great picture....even although I was at around 40m

Moral of the story....be sure first

Andy

Windchill · 18 May 2004, 15:07

I had problems with the standard "boat" shaped transduce which came with my Garmin 185 map/sounder when it was hung off the transom on a standad bracket. At anything over about 5 knots, it was reading through aerated, "dirty" water giving very variable, inaccurate readings. It was also very vulnerable to damage when launching/recovering "dry" ie onto/off the sand when the tide is out.

Having read other threads, I opted to move the transducer inboard into the sump, bedded in silicone as opposed to sikaflex which will NEVER let go! It is essential to make sure the bed is free of air bubbles, and that the unit looks straight down through a dense part of the hull.

It worked well for me.

arn.george · 19 May 2004, 21:32

Garmin dual frequency transducer bedded in to sump using polyurethane sealant - comes off with a bit of heat unlike sikaflex

Alex Brown · 19 May 2004, 22:03

Due to lack of space within my sump area, and the angle that the hull comes into it at, I don't think I will ever be able to mount my transducer inside the boat

However, reading up, it's not a Garmin part that's at fault here I don't think, it's just a bit unfortunate that they use airmar - my ff is a 160 blue, with an airmar p66 I think. It's a massive lump, but when I owned my last 160 blue, the transducer was much smaller, and far more reliable. Looking through the airmar website, I think this is the one :-
http://www.airmar.com/pdfs/cat/marin..._mount/P52.pdf
It looks like the one I used to own, which worked perfectly on the transom at all speeds, and never popped up when hitting waves or bouncing around..... does anyone else have one of these, and more to the point, is there a recommended dealer that sells these things directly?

Thanks,

-Alex

DJL · 19 May 2004, 23:04

Alex,

I too had the P52 initially; sadly its bracket got broken and was replaced by a P66. I'm now on my second P66 after the first flipped up and jumped off its bracket and sank to the bottom of the Solent. My current P66 performs very well, although I have lowered it about 10mm below the hull. It did flip up occasionally but I now tie it down with cable ties.

I tried contacting Airmar on several occasions but never got a response. Greenham Regis Marine Electronics seem to be able to order most parts, although you really need to know the exact part number your after.

Link for Mercury owners: Brunswick and Airmar announce SmartCraft sensor deal

Alex Brown · 22 May 2004, 22:32

Thanks for that Daniel - looks like I need to replace my P66 with something a little stronger. I wondered why I kept having to pop the transducer down today, and on return to the dock at the slip, I found out that the clip that holds it down has snapped off completely

It would seem that the sounder thinks that waves being hit at 35knots is beach like, not the best in the world........

Will keep you informed as to how I get on,

-Alex