getting a ff to read at speed

[sportskiff]

Find a way to extend the transducer up to 6" BELOW the transom, that way you are clear of the air bubbles in the water column, somebody actually had pics on the "other site" that he did 14 YEARS ago, but some clown THOUGHT he was going to make a bundle of cash off of it, so the guy that did it 14 YEARS ago, and i were booted off. I think somebody had to call someone and WHINE. Please feel free to share this input anywhere you folks go online, or with your pals. This WORKS, I did a test on my skiff 2180DLX, and it worked at all speeds. I had attached my transducer to a piece of wood and held it by hand , just to see if i was right, the fella that posted pics on "the other site" used locking suction cups, and what looked like a 1x4 or a 1x3, he didn't have to drill any holes for his design. I think he was "on the mark" as he could pull it off his boat and put it on any other boat. Shame i didn't get to chat with him before we both got "dismissed"
Thanks for the look, old ranger

[Fillet1]

It seems that the DLV models have less of a problem than the DLX. With the 6" extension below the water, make sure that when your machine reads 1 foot that you realize its 6"!! ;D

[Harry]

Find a way to extend the transducer up to 6" BELOW the transom, that way you are clear of the air bubbles in the water column, somebody actually had pics on the "other site" that he did 14 YEARS ago, but some clown THOUGHT he was going to make a bundle of cash off of it, so the guy that did it 14 YEARS ago, and i were booted off. I think somebody had to call someone and WHINE. Please feel free to share this input anywhere you folks go online, or with your pals. This WORKS, I did a test on my skiff 2180DLX, and it worked at all speeds. I had attached my transducer to a piece of wood and held it by hand , just to see if i was right, the fella that posted pics on "the other site" used locking suction cups, and what looked like a 1x4 or a 1x3, he didn't have to drill any holes for his design. I think he was "on the mark" as he could pull it off his boat and put it on any other boat. Shame i didn't get to chat with him before we both got "dismissed"
Thanks for the look, old ranger


Invite him here and you can chat all you want with him...... ;D ;D

[sportskiff]

wish I could
old ranger :o

[Harry]

Here where I mounted mine on a 198 DLV. I have the Garmin 498. Works great at most speeds, without signal loss.
Sometimes it breaks up at WOT. I just used the template that came with the transducer, and all is well....... ;D ;D
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e223/aclineman/Transducer.jpg

[Nbrian21]

You might want to check this out if your looking for a mount that can be adjusted.


http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_387_200001012_200000000_200001000_200-1-12

Neil

[seabelow]

I been making this transducer mount for over 20 years. Lowrance had it on the orig. green box model from the 70's but they said to remove the mount when you went faster then trolling speed. I made mine strong with $20 suction cups and it won't come off...If you want to find the sweet spot on your boat this is the way to go. You don't have to drill any holes till you find where it works best. I have changed the mount to about 8 inches shorter... that is a
3/8 inch thick by 3 inch wide red oak, the transducer is mounted on.. you can use what you want...bend the bracket...whatever... It's still better then puttin a piece of 1/2 in thick piece of plastic cuttin board screwed to the transom and drillin 20 holes it to see what works best.

p.s. also a battery isolatator ckt..... someone asked to see one...

[seabelow]

you can remove the lower battery at the dot going to the top load and put a 2nd load next to the 1 st one
the 2 load will only discharge the bottom bat.... ok
Allen
1st load can be the main motor 2nd load could be your other stuff. Use diodes rated 2x that of the current
draw on that end of the ckt.

[seabelow]

There are over 250 views of this topic ! What the goes? Can't anyone type ? Are you
taken back by what you see or have read ? Or Is it the same 20 people looking at the same message 125 times plus...
Lets make this a forum not a monolog... I see it all over this board in different forums, Members starting a thread then only 4 to 5 members take the time to reply, but a 100 look at the post...
allen

[Harry]

I'm not sure if I exactly understand the question, but here goes.

If your worried about drilling into the transom than I guess a suction cup is a good way to aviod that. However, there are numberous holes in the transom already, and I hated the thought of drilling holes in my new boat from rod holders,GPS & VHF mounts, LED lights and yes the transducer.
Seems the only sensiable way to really secure all of the mentioned above, so I just bit the bullet and did it.

The transducer mount that came with the Garmin was rugged, functional & easy to mount. It is also slotted to raise and lower tilt,up & down. Plus it in no way interfers with reading at full speed. At least not on my set up.

If your set up works for you that's great. Looks like a neat idea, for not drilling into the boat.

[Loki]

I like your idea sea, specially since the ducer for my garmin 498 already failed and I am going to have to remove it.


Loki

[Mark27284]

I'll bite here Sea, I have some questions.

Where do you get the suction cups and how are they mounted to the board?

[sportskiff]

Hello Seabelow,
I guess you can say that there are a lot of folks checking out what ya made, it's a novel idea and from where I stand, an answer for all us dlx drivers. Without saying much most people are probbably "riggin on up" I'd bet you that lowes in some places is having to order them suction cups. I'd go so far as to say it's the best invention I've seen in a while, simple to make, easy to hook up. Don't look at the number box, as the web seems to run on antinimity, most folks won't "write in" ,
BUT I WILL!!!!!!!!! and I THANK YOU, (waitin for lowes to get suction cups in here, btw)
You are more appreciated than I think you know!!!!!!!!!!
Sportskiffgimp

[seabelow]

You can get the cups at Boaters World. They are used to attach most anything to everything.
You can get 100+different brackets and mounts with cups or just the cups. Lifetime warranty too !
I didn't bitch because only a few responded to what I added to the thread, I only replied too. I didn't
want the people to reply to my message only, but to reply to the leading message..seems to be a problem on all forums only 5 % write. One fellow said he used a 2x4 to lower the transducer into the water, others mount the bracket on a piece of polly glued to the transom and move it back and forth... I can't be the only rocket scientist, that makes whats works rather then buy it off the shelf or do without.

[seabelow]

Click this link if you want to buy the suction cups dirrect..
Plus lots of other neat stuff !

http://www.ram-mount.com/
Allen

[Randell]

I get clear readings at all speeds now that I upgraded to a Lowrance LMS-520C.
The Eagle Cuda 250 would not read over 20mph. I mounted the transducer
in the same holes and it works like a champ. :o

~Randell
218 DLV
115 SUZY

[sportskiff]

The DLV's don't seem to have the same problems as a DLX on this issue, I checked out a 198DLV yesterday and it looks like its a fair bit deeper on the bottom of the transom.
sportskiffgimp

[Loki]

I have to agree with gimpy, before mine quit working I could read depth at all speeds.


Loki

[seabelow]

I cut 8 inchs off, moved the cups closer and now I'm going to cut the corners
and round the front edges on the 3/8" by 3" red oak, that I bought at Lowes ;)
Just thought you would like to see the finishing touches. I used almost same type screws
that came with the cups #6 stainless but 1 inch long. see photo below. Grounded the
tips off on the other side after they were installed in the holes I pre-drilled in the wood.
Used round head screws with spacers so the wood wouldn't split.

[Loki]

NIce work Sea. Very clever!


Loki

[sportskiff]

You have done everything but put out plans, and MAN, WHEN I GET MINE done, just like yours, I'll post it here for ALL to see.
THANK YOU Seabelow, for this and the diod skeematic
sportskiffgimp

[Fillet1]

Seabelow

The pics are playing games with my eyes -how close to the center of the hull is your mount?

[seabelow]

I move it around..the joy of suction cups! I usually move it to the right (starboard) past the notch in the bottom, and a inch deeper, I keep it here (where you see it now) when I move the boat so I don't hit it with the bunk.

[hdgron]

Seabelow,

I have been playing with transducer mounting locations on my 2180 dlx for about a year. I've come up with all kinds of nice looking modifications, but none work at more speed than a crawl.

I like the looks of your idea and will construct one very soon, like as soon as I can find the suction cups.

Your postings most welcomed and I can't wait to try this out.

Thanks,

Ron
Havre de Grace, MD

[gb1075]

I know this is an older topic but I always had trouble with my sonar reading at higher speeds (always went with cheaper models). When I got the new dlv I went ahead and laid down some cash for the Garmin GPSmap 440s. I was worried about mounting the transducer until I saw the pic that Harry posted that showed his transducer mount on his dlv. Hate to say that I copied you, but I used it as a template to mount mine and never lost the bottom even at top speed, 40 mph. Thanks again to this really cool site.
> still working to pimp out the new 198 dlv, will post pics when all is complete.
GB

[Harry]

I know this is an older topic but I always had trouble with my sonar reading at higher speeds (always went with cheaper models). When I got the new dlv I went ahead and laid down some cash for the Garmin GPSmap 440s. I was worried about mounting the transducer until I saw the pic that Harry posted that showed his transducer mount on his dlv. Hate to say that I copied you, but I used it as a template to mount mine and never lost the bottom even at top speed, 40 mph. Thanks again to this really cool site.
> still working to pimp out the new 198 dlv, will post pics when all is complete.
GB


Hey that's what were here for, to learn the easiest, best way to do stuff on our skiffs, without doing any unnessacary drilling and screwing. ;D

I sometimes lose bottom and it's usually if I'm in reverse. I simply put it in netrual and let the prop wash settle and all is good. I know on my 498 Garmin the depth numbers flash if it's not reading bottom (that's how you tell) not sure on other models.

[SkifferJim]

Has anyone heard about epoxying the transducer to the inside/bottom of the deck?? I heard of this but was afraid to try. Would solve a lot of problems if it works. 001

[WT]

SkifferJim,

I have heard of that and it has been no good. CS foam in the bottom will interfer with the signal. It is outside or nothing at all according to every marine electronics guru I have ever visited with about the matter. I actually heard of one guy who cut a hole under his center console and put one on the bottom of the skiff and then foamed back on top, and reglassed the floor. I am not into such modifications. Plus you can have temp and speed then. It does not sound good at all to me and I would advise against it.

WT

[SEARAY215]

You can put your transducer on with 3m 5200 sealant/adhesive and no screws in the transom. I posted this on the other site. Put the transducer mount on the transom where you want it and mark it with a pencil. Sand the area inside the pencil mark and sand the transducer base also with 220 or 320 sandpaper. Put the 5200 sealant on the base and put it inside the pencil marks on your transom and tape it in place with 2" masking tape and let it dry overnight. Make sure its where you want it because it will stay there once the 5200 cures. I have it this way on my offshore boat and the skiff and it has been on my offshore boat for several years and has been thru everything you can imagine and has never let go, and with no holes in the transom ..

[saltyballs]

I mounted mine to the bottom of my power pole so I could raise and lower it at will. It did not work any more after we anchored the first time....... ;D

Ha ha.... 012