Navigating on a boat can appear an easy and relaxing activity, just like driving a car all you have to do is steer left and right and move forward or
When we upgraded from a personal watercraft to a bowrider and hit our first sandbar, the stress levels exploded off the charts. See with a PWC there was no prop to worry about, those things can float on next to nothing water. A boat is a little more complicated than that. We quickly realized the need for a transducer. after some extensive research, we added a much-needed transducer to our boat. Let me share with you what we learned.
A transducer usually mounts to the bottom of the boat or on the transom area. It can be attached to the transom, installed through the hull or glued inside the boat. Once in place, it will use sonar technology to collect data and show you an easy to read image with depth information on a display. Knowing what is at the bottom of your boat will help you navigate safely.
What Is A Transducer?
A transducer is a piece of equipment designed to turn electronic signals into sound. It transmits these sound signals as waves that travel through the water and bounce off the bottom and anything else in their way. The transducer receives these sound waves when they come back and converts them back to electronic signals. These signals are sent to a head unit display where we can see water depth, fish, structures and almost anything under the boat.
There are three kinds of transducers you can choose from.
- Transom mount transducer- mounted on the transom of your boat. Very easy to install, service and adjust for maximum effectiveness.
- In-hull transducer- installed in the bilge of your boat usually glued with epoxy. It is very easy to install but not the most effective
- Through-hull transducer- installed on the bottom of your boat through a hole in your hull. Not the easiest to install and can not be adjusted once in place.
Why You Need A Transducer?
There are different reasons why you need a transducer on your boat. The most important reason is safety, you need to know where you are going but most importantly you need to be able to get there safe. Without a transducer on your boat, it would be very difficult to navigate around unknown waters. Even if its a known area you should know that the conditions underwater are constantly changing.
Boating around with friends and family is definitely a lot of fun but all of that can change really fast if you have some kind of accident because you didn’t know what was under your boat.
What Side Of The Boat To Mount A Transducer?
A transom-mounted transducer should be mounted on the starboard side. As the blades of your outdrive spin with a clockwise motion the water on the starboard side will be less disturbed than the water on the port side. Mounting it on the starboard side will give you the best results as it was designed to be mounted on that side. Some people that mounted the transducer on the port side have experience malfunction at different speeds.
How Do You Mount A Transducer?
Installing a transom transducer can be a simple weekend project if you are a handy person. You are going to need a drill, drill bits, stainless steel screws, and some marine-grade silicone. The proses are very similar for all the different brands. You’ll need to find the best way to run the cable from your head unit to the transom. Use the template to mark the holes to drill, if no template is provided use the bracket as a guide. Drill the holes accordingly to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Fill the holes with the marine silicone and secure the bracket to the transom with screws. Once the bracket is secured mount transducer to the bracket and connect cables. Once your boat is on the water you can adjust the transducer up or down for optimal functionality. Here is a video showing the proses
Installing an in-hull transducer can also be simple. For this installation, all you are going to need is some epoxy. Just like with the transom mount you need to find a way to run the cable from the head unit to the bilge area. Clean the area where the transducer is going to be mounted. Apply the epoxy mixture to the transducer and glue it to the fiberglass on the bottom of the bilge area. Let it fully dry, take your boat to the water and test it. Unfortunately, there is no adjustment with this setup.
Installing a through-hull transducer. We recommend leaving this to the professionals. Installing this kind of transducer can be a complicated project and could become a safety hazard if not done properly.
How To Mount A Transducer Without Drilling?
If you want to mount a transom mount transducer but are uneasy about drilling your transom below the waterline, there is another option. You can get a stern pad witch is basically a plastic block that you can be glued to the transom of your boat and then mount the transducer to it. This pad is glued to the boat with an industrial type 3M adhesive that has passed a ten-year saltwater submersion test.
Can You Put Two Transducers Next To Each Other?
While is possible to run multiple transducers on one boat it is not recommended to mount them next to each other. If running a multiple transducer setup it is recommended to have them as far away from each other as possible for example, one on the transom and the other through-hull. It is also advisable to use transducers with different frequencies to avoid interferences. Always read manufacturers’ recommendations and specifications to avoid any issues.
Related Questions
Can you use a transom mount transducer in hull? Yes, you can epoxy a transom mount transducer to the bottom of your bilge area. You should know that while this will work, you won’t get the full benefit of your transducer installing it this way
How does a fish finder work? The transducer sends the sonar wave through the water. The wave bounces off the objects (including fish) and travels back to the transducer. The transducer sends this data to the head unit and it gets decoded and displays an image of everything below your boat including fish.
How do you clean a boat transducer? A transducer can be cleaned with soap and water. Fine grade sandpaper can be used to remove marine growth. Do not scrape the surface or use a wire brush as you can damage the plastic surface of your transducer. Transducers can be painted with anti-fouling paint to help slow the growth and facilitate cleaning proses.
