Garmin Depth/Fish Finder

[refergu]

I am looking to get a Garmin Fishfinder (either the 90 or 140). Are they easy to install yourself? I'm not too excited about drilling a hole in my CS, but I don't want to pay the dealer to install one if it is realtively simple. Please let me know what you think!

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You can only a transom mount on CS boats, not thru hull.
Which boat do you have?

[refergu]

JVX 16 CC. I guess not through, but just drill/screw into the transom?

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What a lot of people do, including me, put a piece of strarboard on the transom and then install all the extras on that board.Also, there is nothing wrong by installing it directly on the transom, as long as seal the area and the screw holes very very well.

[Gunnar]

Hi refergu,

I've got the same boat you do. I installed a Lowrance x96 fishfinder on my boat two weeks ago. It wasn't hard at all. It took a few hours on a Saturday. The hardest part for me was pulling the FF plug thru the hole under the console that accesses the channel for wiring below deck. With all the other wiring already in the channel it was difficult to make the turn up into the hole. I ended up putting a little vegetable oil on the tape I had covering the pull-line to the FF plug and cable and it popped right out.
I mounted the transducer bracket directly to the hull. I ended up drilling thru the hull, you'll be surprised how thin it is. Used coarse thread SS screws and lots of 5200 caulk. Heres a picture of the transducer.
Gregg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh250/Gunnar1984/Mar05_0010.jpg

[Dave]

Looks good Gunnar. Lots of folks here suggest starboard or some other board to first mount to the transom and then you have the whole area of the board to mount your 'ducer. I don't bother with it myself - you still gotta drill holes in the transom to mount the board 006 and you're still limited to the same small area near the bottom of the board to mount the 'ducer. I have no problem drilling holes in my boat, transom, console, wherever they are needed. Just think about it first, lay out the hole pattern, and drill carefully with the right size and type of bit. Use SS screws, and put a healthy dollop of 5200 or marine grade silicone in the hole before driving the screws. If you have to move it, move it and fill up the screw holes with 5200 or marine silicone. When the fishing season ends you can always go back, clean out the holes and use marine-tex http://www.marinetex.com/ to fill the holes and finish them off good as new.

If you have to drill a hole in your console, as you most likely will to fix the Garmin FF mount, the best drill bit is a sharp (as in new) spade bit with spurs. Start with a medium/slow speed until the spurs make contact with the surface, tilt the drill so the spurs are making complete contact, forming a full circle to the same depth. Feed slowly with light pressure at first to avoid removing large chips from the gelcoat and then increase the downward pressure as you drive deeper. Most likely, the bit will break through the hole very suddenly so take care that there is nothing within 8 to 10 inches below the surface for the bit to strike as it goes through the console.

Good luck,
Dave

[Harry]

I am looking to get a Garmin Fishfinder (either the 90 or 140). Are they easy to install yourself? I'm not too excited about drilling a hole in my CS, but I don't want to pay the dealer to install one if it is realtively simple. Please let me know what you think!


take a look at this. http://carolinaskiffowner.com/index.php?topic=1296.msg14011#new

Talk about not wanting to drill holes in your new boat. But I saved a bundle doing it myself. Once you pop that first hole, it's all down hill.

Just be sure to measure everything 3 times and cut once.


Good Luck

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Harry, what holes? where? What did you do man ? 004

[refergu]

Thanks everybody! Gunnar, I think thats what I'm going to try. Harry, your install looks awesome. NEM, thanks for the help. I get paid tomorrow, so hopefully I be installing this weekend.

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Good luck, and don't forget the b-4 and after pics.