Click for Comfort Click for Abeking Click for Mag Bay Click for Abeking Click for Walker

IN HULL TRANSDUCERS

Discussion in 'Electronics' started by David Joyce, Aug 6, 2020.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. David Joyce

    David Joyce New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2020
    Messages:
    6
    Location:
    NC
    I am thinking about installing in hull transducers verses thru hull. Anyone using them have any comments?
    Thanks
    Dave
  2. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,647
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Do you have a solid glass bottom? Is there a clean interior place away from any lifting stakes on the out side, with no thru hull or exterior skin fittings in front of the planned location? Do you have an off set ducer to match the angle of the hull?
    Then a in-hull ducer MAY work..
  3. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    What boat are we talking about? I've used them before, you do lose some power shooting through the hull, but if they're in the right location they work very good.
  4. David Joyce

    David Joyce New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2020
    Messages:
    6
    Location:
    NC
    46 Post. I am exploring options. I have not bought the boat yet. When I get the survey, and it's out, I can put a through hull if that's the best
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,205
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    If you've already got the through hull I'd stick with that. Less work and as J pointed out location would be key. Much easier to determine on a new boat.
  6. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,118
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    I put one on my 53 a year ago. Works well. It s about amidship maybe two feet outboard of the keel. Not sure how much power is lost and it would work for fishing but I just want to know the depth.
  7. David Joyce

    David Joyce New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2020
    Messages:
    6
    Location:
    NC
    I am going to be outfitting a new to me boat for serious fishing
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,647
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Serious fishing means serious resolution. Not much with an in-hull sounder.
  9. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2017
    Messages:
    1,149
    Location:
    Florida
    Go with the thru-hull. You can get an offset transducer that will eliminate the fairing block to compensate for the deadrise angle. Put one on ours a few months back, probably can use the same hole depending on the angle and location.
  10. David Joyce

    David Joyce New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2020
    Messages:
    6
    Location:
    NC
    Thank you for the responses. Through hull it is! My current boat had through hull 1kw with raymarine 470 module
  11. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    Messages:
    1,648
    Location:
    Cherry Hill, NJ
    Exactly what I did with mine two years ago, works great but just for depth not sure how accurate it would be for fishing .
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I ran a 45' Cabo with a 1000 watt in hull. It worked good for fishing. I didn't have any issues with it.
  13. Worthy vessel

    Worthy vessel Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2019
    Messages:
    81
    Location:
    Sarasota
    Someone told me that if you use a thru hull transducer to mount it with marine tex not silicone!
  14. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,118
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    I mounted my shoot thru xducer by epoxing the mount. Then the xducer gets installed in the mount, filled with oil You can’t just glue the xducer to the hull
  15. d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2010
    Messages:
    468
    Location:
    La Conner, WA.
    A good way to mount a transducer inside the hull is to site it first. If there are any air bubbles in the laminate, there will be a great loss of effectiveness. To make sure you have a good location, you can make a cofferdam out of a wax toilet base ring. Select a location that is not downstream of any through hulls, trim strakes, stabilizers, etc. Stick the wax ring to the inside of the hull and brace the transducer in place in the wax ring, and then fill with an oil. For permanent installations, it's usually mineral oil, but for temporary trial placement vegetable oil will work. You can't just glop it down with an adhesive, because it will have air bubbles. The time-tested method of fitting the transducer is as Pascal says; make a box and adhere it to the hull, then secure the transducer in the lid, fill the box with mineral oil, and fit the lid with a gasket. As mentioned earlier, the new pre-angled transducers are ideal for such an installation, because the whole thing can be a more compact unit.