Hobie Lowrance ready problem

[bolocop]

So I have a Pro Angler 12 with the Lowrance ready transducer install. I encountered a problem with this.

When I went out to La Jolla, I dragged my PA12 into the ocean. When I turned on my FF, the depths were bouncing around all over the place, 20ft, 60ft, 130ft, then 60ft, then 130ft, etc.

When I came home, I took off the transducer plate and it was full of sand. I can't prove that it was the landing that filled it up, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it was already full of sand after the launch.

What have you folks done to prevent this? I thought of putting stainless steel strainer material in the gap, or just cutting an outline of the transducer in the transducer plate to prevent this kind of thing.

Any thoughts?