Depth finder Rigging

[bwcamerer]

Just bought a Mini X and I was wondering how you power up, and how to mount the transducer and where to mount the transducer. Thanks Brian

[skinnywater]

Brian, welcome to PF. I installed my thru hull transducer in the middle of the boat, just forward of the round hatch in front of the seat. It makes it easier to route the wires. I used Marine GOOP to mount the transducer. Power comes from a 12 7AH battery, about $20 from Radio Shack or other battery store. Do a search online, you can find plenty of sites that will walk you thru it.
Unless you plan on fishing deep water, it not a necessity.

Good Luck

[modernbeatnik]

There is a pretty good how-to in the Kayak Angler Magazine Spring 08 issue. Picked up a free copy at Sweetwater Kayaks.

[Tonysav]

Don't waste your money return it you will never use it.

[Fishaddict]

I just installed a Humminbird on my Hobie. I mounted the transducer on the keel positioned high so it won;t drag. I used 2 #8 STAINLESS screws with flat washers. Drill small holes to allow adjustment. Let the screws cut thru the holes so they won't leak. Next, route the cable to the front hatch or the rear to suit you. I used the front hatch as that is where the display unit mounted. Use electrical tape to hold it temporarily to the gunwale. Then use super glue to spot glue to the hull. My battery is a 12v ups battery from Batteries Plus. I bought the cheapest one they had about $20. I already had a charger for use when the battery needs recharging.

Excess cable is coiled with electrical tape or black cable ties. Cable terminal is sprayed after each use with WD40 to prevent corrosion.

BTW you can remove the cable thats glued down with a small flat chisel under the cable. No harm to the hull that way.

[paddlaroun]

Depth finder on a kayak? Thats like a flat chested woman wearing a bra. Why bother?

[gatordave]

Depth finder on a kayak? Thats like a flat chested woman wearing a bra. Why bother?

Not all of us are saltwater fishing. I fish almost only the flats but I could see someone who bass fishes using one to find under water structure.

[snooker56]

I could see it if you were going for say, grouper. You'd need to find structure unless you're just fishing the bridges.

[BlueCrab]

Brian,

I have a kayak with a depthfinder and I am pretty sure that I use that depth finder more than these nay-bobs of negativism use half the crap....errrr...stuff loaded into their over-rigged boats.

That being said, the only recommendation I can make is to make the install non-permanent, you'll be happy in the long run as you will be able to move it from one boat to another and be able to remove it for trips that you don't need or want to take it.

Unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way.

I am also a big fan of small kayaks and the beauty of these boats is the basic simplicity. The more crap...errrr....stuff you add to a small boat, you'll find yourself yearning for a larger boat just to load all the crap ...errr..stuff. Me, I think it is fantastic to lift a boat over your shoulder and carry your crap...errrr...stuff with your free arm.

If you follow any of the threads here, you will find the folks that have been doing this for a while embrace and rejoice in the simplicity that is kayak fishing. It is easy to over load a kayak: it takes more time, thought, and skill to optimize smart rigging that fits YOUR needs and not the needs (read perception) of others. I do want to put a depthfinder on my small kayak and you can bet it will be rigged in a way that it can be installed and removed quickly with one step.

Hope this helps and ENJOY!

[Fishaddict]

Its amazing the negatives about one thing or another on a kayak. I have a finder on mine and since I don't have the pleasure of having someone show me all the fine places to fish, and the wonderful holes where them fish hangout. I don't know, haven't yet learned how to read the water, so I use my finder to locate holes and map them when I get lucky.

I can go to unfamiliar locations and 'see' whats there and since I enjoy using it I have fun and still catch some...

nuff said..

If at all possible, mount it as temporary as possible. I had to mount my transducer on the keel at the rear and route the cable along the gunnel. Its tacked down with superglue and will easily come off when I need it too.

[GO-Fish]

I went out this past weekend with a friend and he had the transducer mounted on a suction cup that he just stuck to the side of the kayak while out on the water.

Very neat set up and quick to remove.

[BlueCrab]

Here is my Hummingbird:



The transducer is mounted like this: Using a block of soft foam (like the stuff in hard shelled camera or gun cases), I cut an opening in the middle the rough shape of the transducer. I glued just the foam to the inside of the hull. Using KY as a medium for the sonar to ping through, I coated the bottom of the transducer with KY and stuck it in the hole. Afterwards, of course I smoked and got the munchies.

I thought I would be having to adjust the transducer often, but I have only had to re-seat the transducer ONCE.

This is an idea I want to try:

http://www.floridasportsman.com/xtra/ka ... er_fishing

It's not a very clean setup, but the idea of mounting the transducer and display on a Scotty mount would be quick and transferable.

An important "lessons learned" about batteries:

I initially bought a 8 AA battery holder at Radio Shack and used just regular batteries, but I was replacing batteries often so I bought rechargable ones.

Did you know that rechargable batteries are 1.3V not 1.5V? Neither did I. So, even with fully charged batteries my particular depth finder would give me an annoying LOW VOLTAGE warning. You can use rechargables, but in a 10 AA battery holder (13V should be OK).

I ended up getting a small rechargable lead/acid batter which is the way to go, IMHO.