Newer Hobie--Pro Angler Question...

[bolocop]

Have a question for you newer Hobie and Pro Angler owners. So the newer models come with a Lowrance-ready transducer mount.

My question to everyone is how is this really different than a thru-the-hull application by using grease or glue? OK, I know, it sits in water so that you can get temp, BUT...

My point is that the Lowrance-ready fitting still has to shoot through black plastic. Wouldn't it be better to just dremel out the black plastic plate except for the mount and the three mounting screws so there is an unobstructed view?

[ful-rac]

The plastic plate is very thin compared to the hull of the kayak, so you will get a better reading than a shoot thru hull transducer set up.

The theory is there is no risk of an air gap. The reason we use goop isn't to keep it in place, rather to ensure there is a constant medium for the waves to travel. If waves travel over a gap they will encounter "defraction". The severity of the defraction is dependent upon the size of the gap vs the wave length.

Waves also travel differently through Air, Water and Solid. Going Air->Solid->Water is more distorting than Water->Solid->Water. That is why some of us actually use water in our hulls instead of goop. A "wet mount" we call it. The speed of sound through sea water is approx 1500m/s and through silicone 1480m/s. They are nearly identical. That is why silicon goop is preferred as an adhesive. However, you run the risk of air bubbles with using silicone.

Sound travels through air at only 332m/s. Reduced by a factor of around 4.5? So these air bubbles might seem insignificant, but the affect on the behavior of a wave is actually quite dramatic.

The wave length of 200khz through water is aprox 8mm and through air 1.7mm. So you can see a significant change.

The distortion between solid and water is minimal because the velocity of the wave isnt that different depending on the solid, So their wavelength is closer in value

Hope this makes sense

[ful-rac]

Drake you just gave JimDay a run for his money....!

In simple terms:

Lowrance ready gooood...
Shoot thru hull not as gooood...

[bolocop]

Drake, that makes sense! I enjoy a good dose of scientific reasoning!

[tacmik]

Where is
dgax65

when you need him.

[Old Man in the Sea]

yes drill though the plastic until you hit water...
then your fish finder will work properly

[TJones]

I did what he suggested . I bought an extra cover and cut it away with a jig saw. The unit has down imaging so I gave the transducer a direct shot. . Needless to say , the picture is great . If the the unit does not have down imaging , and is traditional sonar only , is cutting the plate a bad idea ? Does the thin plastic even hinder the signal on say a hds 5 ?