Rigging and Review my X-13

[Iceman]

From Eagle site: I've always heard 10% signal loss shooting through the kayak hull, but have no source. It comes down to detail at higher depths.

Thru-hull transducers are inserted through a hole drilled in the hull. These typically have a long stem that slides through the hull and is held in place with an equally large nut. If the hull is flat, this is the extent of the installation. However, if the transducer is to be mounted on one side of a "vee" hull, then a fairing block must be made from wood or plastic that allows the transducer to be mounted vertically. Thru-hull transducers are typically used on inboard powered hulls so the transducer can be mounted in front of the rudders, propellers, and shafts.

Shoot-thru-hull transducers are epoxied directly to the inside of fiberglass boat hulls. The sound is transmitted and received through the hull of the boat - but at the cost of some loss of sonar performance. (You won't be able to "see" as deep with a shoot-thru-hull transducer as one that's mounted on the transom.) The hull has to be made of solid fiberglass. Don't attempt to shoot through aluminum, wood, or steel hulls. Sound can't pass through air, so if there's any wood, metal, or foam reinforcement, it must be removed from the inside of the hull before installing the transducer. Another disadvantage of the shoot-thru-hull transducer is it can't be adjusted for the best fish arches. Although there are disadvantages to a shoot-thru-hull transducer, the advantages are considerable. One, it can't be knocked off by a stump or rock since it's protected inside the hull. Two, since there is nothing protruding into the water flow, it generally works quite well at high speed if it is mounted where a clean laminar flow of water passes over the hull. Three, it can't be fouled by marine growth.

[lamb]

Very cool write up. 2 posts, 2 on the front page, WTG.

Flush mount external transducer looks neat... I'm sure the reading of your FF is now as good as it gets, but the fact that the hull needs to be cut would make me nervous, especially over time. What did you use to seal it?

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by lamb

Flush mount external transducer looks neat... I'm sure the reading of your FF is now as good as it gets, but the fact that the hull needs to be cut would make me nervous, especially over time. What did you use to seal it?

First thing I should say: is this may be a little advanced for some.

Here's the components.

A Garmin transducer with the top part (mounts) cut off, down to an inch thick in height. Two half inch chunks of neoprene roughly 3" by 5" with the shape of the transducer cut out in the middle of them.

A piece of 16 gauge Aluminum the same size as the neoprene with a hole big enough for the transducer and wire connector.



I slathered a bunch of 5200 caulk on the transducer and slid into the first half inch chunk of neoprene, and then I covered the top of the transducer with the caulk as well.



I then put on the second chunk of neoprene and slathered a bunch of 5200 on top of it too.



I then sandwiched the top with the aluminum plate and then smear a bunch of 5200 on the bottom of the neoprene and aluminum sandwich.



I cut a hole in the bottom of the kayak the exact size of the transducer...



........placed the sandwiched transducer inside so it lined up with the hole and then drilled some small pilot holes up through the whole sandwich through the aluminum. I then used the screws to compress the neoprene which in turned pushed the transducer down through the hole.

I started with one then went to the other corner and tightened it evenly down like I was tightening the bolt pattern, (like when you change a tire) until the bottom of the transducer was flush and even with the bottom of kayak. You have to watch it because if you over tighten it will start to deform the bottom of the kayak so you just want it level and tight enough to make a good seal.



Then cleaned the bottom of the transducer off with paint thinner.





Pretty simple. took me about an hour to do it. You get a compression seal with the neoprene as well as the caulking seal by the 5200.

If I was going to do another one Id make a template and pre-drill everything as the only hard part was holding everything in place while drilling it. It worked out OK but I would of preferred a more controlled exact spacing for the holes.

I initially used normal screws but later changed them out and counter sunk them. for a more flush appearance. Worked fine, did not leak, and it would be easy enough to remove in order to change out for another transducer.


Jim

[One Rev]

That looks great Jim. I never liked the readings I got when I mounted inside the hull. I rigged my old Extreme with a transducer on the back of the kayak but there was always the turbulence and seaweed catching up on it. I think I might try your application on my next kayak.

Mike

[red34]

I love the way you've rigged your X-13. I don't have the stones to do the transducer through the bottom, but I'll probably steal the idea of the concave bait tank lid. I also like to troll with my rods in front of me. I tried using the Mini-X flush mounts, but they were way too far forward and too low to the water. It is also a pain to actually troll 2 live or rigged baits for kings, tarpon, etc because you don't use weight and any pause in paddling tends to get the lines fouled up so with my X-13 I'll just be using the single rod holder mounted in the center console with a height extender. Plus I'm not sure what I'd do with 2 big offshore fish going nuts in a kayak at the same time!

I like my Mango boat, but I loved the Lime Green that they had at another shop.

[aguachico]

Jim Day? Jim, didn't you weld a custom bait tank for a FnD?

Though I wouldn't recommend a custom thru hull xducer to most, I believe Jim is one of the few that can pull it off. That is a unique design and should be fine. I believe the off the shlef products work well also, but leave too much material below the hull.

The one point of concern is the bond between the poly and the 5200. Jim has practically eliminated that with the big screwws and added for some movement with the padding.

I've never liked shoot-thru setups and have been running thru the scrupper with the Extreme and Trident.

Good on you Jim.

Art

[miller]

hey Jim sorry this has nothing to do with your post but I caught a fish just like the one you are holding in the pic above and have been wondering what it was for months. Oh ya sweet kayak man!!!

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by aguachico

Jim Day? Jim, didn't you weld a custom bait tank for a FnD?

Yeah I'm the guy... You have a good memory

Here's some photos of that one.





I still have that one and use it on my FND but it was too big and heavy for the x-13.

Essentially the new tank has all the features of the larger tank but weighs less and fits the X-13 much better scale wise.

You can see the similarities:





Thank all you guys for the responses.

Great site.


Jim

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by Iceman

From Eagle site: I've always heard 10% signal loss shooting through the kayak hull, but have no source. It comes down to detail at higher depths.

I think it's got to be much more. As I often first use the transducer inside and then eventually mount it thru-hull exterior.

Not only do you loose depth but just image in general especially fish markings.

Exterior mounted I can see for example a single sand bass hanging off the bottom or watch my mega batit drop down to him then actually see it as I jig it up and down at the right height. I just can't get that image as clean through the hull.

I got to smile a little at the "new" suction cup mounts.

First thing I tried years ago.



It works great for signal but what I didn't like about that setup is that it sometimes came off and caused the yak to pull to the left.

For a while I pulled it off and stuck on deck when paddling for speed:

Tried the cylindrical shoot through the hull type as well but finally cut a hole in the hull and mounted normal transducer it like I did with the X-13 except I actually glassed and epoxied it in the hull.

If it ever goes bad I'm going to hate to pull it...LOL

I'll tell you though it's paid for itself with strong readings to 400ft plus.

Cool stuff....Thanks for the responses.

Jim