Transducer locations for 2015 Yamahas?

[smthng]

Trying to help out my friend with his transducer install, but the 2015's have quite a different setup on the whole rear area than my 2008. Where's a good spot to install a CHIRP transducer (downview, not sideview). This will mainly be used as a fishfinder... water temp isn't a requirement.

I'm looking for specific spots, not general areas please. We'd prefer shoot-thru, but if there isn't a good one available, we don't mind running a line down externally if we have to. Just trying to avoid the hole it's going to take to get that giant plug through the hull if we can.

Edit: it's a 2015 AR240 if it makes a difference.

 

[Zeus2013]

Trying to help out my friend with his transducer install, but the 2015's have quite a different setup on the whole rear area than my 2008. Where's a good spot to install a CHIRP transducer (downview, not sideview). This will mainly be used as a fishfinder... water temp isn't a requirement.

I'm looking for specific spots, not general areas please. We'd prefer shoot-thru, but if there isn't a good one available, we don't mind running a line down externally if we have to. Just trying to avoid the hole it's going to take to get that giant plug through the hull if we can.

Edit: it's a 2015 AR240 if it makes a difference.

I have also been looking for a good spot. When I get back from vacation I will be spending some time investigating,

 

[Y242limitedS]

I have 242 limited S - 2015 and our lake went way down. I am thinking about installing a Chirp but the 242 already has a depth using a thru-hull transducer. Will another transducer added for the CHIRP cause problems to the existing transducer?? I thought maybe I could remove one and put the other in its place but then I would lose the temp and depth off the touch screen and I did not want to mess that up.

Anyone have any experience in this area??

 

[smthng]

My friend found a spot on his AR240 that works... it might not be the best, but it works for low speed, which is what he wanted (it's a Lowrance CHIRP fishfinder). He put it in the bottom of the bilge, forward of the rudder. He said he had to put it slightly off-center for some reason I don't remember, but it does work up to about 15 mph and it doesn't interfere with the stock sender.

 

[Bruce]

You want to use a different frequency than the stock unit to avoid interference.

I believe Yamaha switched to thru hull senders ahead of the jets because they work better. @txav8r installed a second thru hull sender on the opposite side of the factory unit.

 

[txav8r]

I put my second transducer thru hull in the mirror spot to the factory thru hull on the opposite side of the keel beam, as @Bruce mentioned. It is just about the only solution I could come up with. The transom wall is out, the rigging for the pumps on the later model boats just took it out of play. On the 2015, with the keel beam being even more pronounced, placement and tilt is going to be even more critical. On my 2012 SX240, Yamaha installed the same brand transducer that I put in for the Garmin 70S chart plotter. The 70S does have temperature and sonar, and both work perfect in this location. Of course, you need to remove the clean out tray and get down there to verify that you don't have any interference with anything else. Once verified, I taped off, marked, and drilled the thru hole for the transducer. Then clean the area thoroughly as recommended so that your sealant permanently prevents leaks. I used LifeCaulk, which is designed for underwater use. It can be cleaned off and removed if you ever needed to replace the transducer. Don't use 3M5200, it is permanent and more cement like than caulk or sealant like, and can not be removed and cleaned off if needed. It has to be scraped and ground off, so it isn't for anything that may need to ever be changed. Be advised also, that as @Bruce mentions, that you want to make sure that you don't run the same frequency of the factory transducer to prevent interference. Also, for whatever reason, Yamaha was installing the transducers with the same tilt as the unit I used with my Garmin, which was 20 degrees, with the keel arrow pointing to the bow! That confused the hell out of me. Apparently, they felt that it would work successfully for their purpose. I called both Garmin and Airmar (transducer manufacturer), and both said that some boat manufacturers over thought installation and did that for bow rise. My factory depth readings don't read as reliably as my Garmin so I think maybe they should have followed Airmars intent. At any rate, I followed recommendations and pointed their arrow at the keel beam as intended with my new install and did not alter or change the factory transducer. I also asked about interference between the two due to close frequency. I don't remember them now, but Airmar told me that the limited spread was two different frequencies and they would work fine co-located. I also used a c-clamp to prevent turning while tightening the transducer. Here are my install pics...

 

[subysti]

Here is where I installed mine. I have a hummingbird with sidescan so I needed 2 because of the rudder.

 

[Ronnie]

I installed a second transducer for a garmin fishfinder/depth finder in the same place that Mel / txav8r installed his. I didn't want to drill the hull so I went with a shoot through model. I can't remember what kind of chalk I used but after removing and reinstalling all of the plumbing back there once to get the second transducer in place I'm sure I won't be removing it for any reason. That was a hard install, so if it breaks I will retire it in place.

 

[Jerry Ferrera]

You want to use a different frequency than the stock unit to avoid interference.

I believe Yamaha switched to thru hull senders ahead of the jets because they work better. @txav8r installed a second thru hull sender on the opposite side of the factory unit.

Bruce do you have a picture of the spot you used for your through hull.

 

[Jerry Ferrera]

I put my second transducer thru hull in the mirror spot to the factory thru hull on the opposite side of the keel beam, as @Bruce mentioned. It is just about the only solution I could come up with. The transom wall is out, the rigging for the pumps on the later model boats just took it out of play. On the 2015, with the keel beam being even more pronounced, placement and tilt is going to be even more critical. On my 2012 SX240, Yamaha installed the same brand transducer that I put in for the Garmin 70S chart plotter. The 70S does have temperature and sonar, and both work perfect in this location. Of course, you need to remove the clean out tray and get down there to verify that you don't have any interference with anything else. Once verified, I taped off, marked, and drilled the thru hole for the transducer. Then clean the area thoroughly as recommended so that your sealant permanently prevents leaks. I used LifeCaulk, which is designed for underwater use. It can be cleaned off and removed if you ever needed to replace the transducer. Don't use 3M5200, it is permanent and more cement like than caulk or sealant like, and can not be removed and cleaned off if needed. It has to be scraped and ground off, so it isn't for anything that may need to ever be changed. Be advised also, that as @Bruce mentions, that you want to make sure that you don't run the same frequency of the factory transducer to prevent interference. Also, for whatever reason, Yamaha was installing the transducers with the same tilt as the unit I used with my Garmin, which was 20 degrees, with the keel arrow pointing to the bow! That confused the hell out of me. Apparently, they felt that it would work successfully for their purpose. I called both Garmin and Airmar (transducer manufacturer), and both said that some boat manufacturers over thought installation and did that for bow rise. My factory depth readings don't read as reliably as my Garmin so I think maybe they should have followed Airmars intent. At any rate, I followed recommendations and pointed their arrow at the keel beam as intended with my new install and did not alter or change the factory transducer. I also asked about interference between the two due to close frequency. I don't remember them now, but Airmar told me that the limited spread was two different frequencies and they would work fine co-located. I also used a c-clamp to prevent turning while tightening the transducer. Here are my install pics...
View attachment 30401 View attachment 30402 View attachment 30403 View attachment 30404 View attachment 30405 View attachment 30406

Great job, this may sound juvenile but I'm trying to do the same thing with my 2014 242 but have not been able to find the a place for it . Would you send me pics of the area you installed it in from a few associated with the engine

 

[Bruce]

@Jerry Ferrera, this thread has pics of @txav8r's transducer install https://jetboaters.net/threads/mounting-a-thru-hull-transducer.4477/

 

[txav8r]

Thanks for the backup @Bruce . @Jerry Ferrera , I did install a transducer for my Garmin just opposite the factory location on the other side of the keel.

 

[txav8r]

LOL, I just realized the thread you posted with the pics...IS THIS THREAD! Now that is funny!

 

[txav8r]

@Jerry Ferrera i just reread your question. I realize you asked about the transducer in relation to the engines. The boat is built using an upper and lower section with the upper section contain floor pan. The floor pan contains all the seat supports as well as the engine room. All of the engine room sits above the actual outer hull. So to install a transducer, you have to get to the actual outer hull. The place most look to do that is under the clean out tray on the swim platform. It is a bit of a chore to remove the tray and sealant. And I put a gasket in place of the sealant, so I could open the tray for any reason just by removing the screws. One inside, you can see you have other things to get past to get down to the floor easily. But a mechanics mirror and good lighting will show you were you want to go and what may need to be moved to get there. You can do this by loosening the clamps on one waterbox (muffler) and just moving it aside. I hope this helps more. This info is back up the thread but they get lengthy and sometimes the continuity suffers.

 

[Jerry Ferrera]

I finished install and it looks great. I had to move water box out of the way but was able to squeeze my big hands in to tighten and completes set up. Once I clean it up a bit I will try and post some pics.