Epoxy mounting transducer inside hull

[gpp7824]

I picked up a Garmin Echmap 54DV (non-chirp) during a West Marine one-day sale. It came with the Garmin GT21-TM transom-mount transducer. I'm really apprehensive about using a transom-mount (holes, exposed cables etc...) (sorry its a pet-peeve and this is a 3wk-old boat!)

I've seen some great posts on epoxy-mounting tranducers to the inside of the hull and using as in-hull.

Questions for the JetBoaters.net gurus....
1. Will I still be able to use the DownVu functionality?
2. Where is the best place (cored vs. non-cored locations)?
3. This tranducer is HUGE, the others i've seen in posts are much shorter... any ideas?
4. Has anyone done this with the Garmin GT21-TM?

I humbly await your combined genius...

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-...z-transducer-with-temp-8-pin-/prod540583.html

 

[KXCam22]

I have done this on other boats but there is not much room on the yamahas. The transducer would have to mount under the muffler water boxes. Cam.

 

[billyb]

When I got my raymarine dragonfly, I looked into this, but they say you would lose the downscan imaging (why I bought it).

Someone on here said they did it and had good results...so, not sure what to tell you. Our hulls are so thin...

 

[Bennie]

Hello @gpp7824 - I can tell you what I did when my 2015 242LS was still young and I installed my Lowrance Elite 5HDI.

I thought about doing the same thing but I wanted to use the down scanner, fish finder and water temp abilities. I eventually (it was sooo hard to drill a hole into my brand new $60K boat!!) decided to install it on the port side of my articulating keel. I used cable clamps to keep the cable close to the hull and then brought it into the boat via the scupper up the starboard side and to the helm.
The transducer was drilled into the port jet plate and into the hull (rather thick at the stern). I used 3M 5200 to seal everything really tight and let it fully cure before taking it out again.

Hope these pics help more than my ramble. lol

View from outside seeing the position, the cable routing, and the two bolts drilled through the jet plate.


This pic is looking inside. You'll see the two other bolts for the transducer (covered in 5200) and a few white spots from the cable clamps.


Here is the mounting at the helm. I used an automotive PCV grommet to seal the hole and then used a RAM mount to secure the head unit to the helm.



Hope this helps. Let me know if I can help with anything else with your install. I know its hard to drill on your new baby!!
(word of advise - when installing the head unit go a little further starboard than I did - about another 1/4")

 

[swatski]

@gpp7824
@ClemsonTiger just had his 3D installed:
https://jetboaters.net/threads/my-tidewater-mod-progress.10417/#post-180938