I just got a new humminbird and was wondering if anyone has tried this; Use a ‘small’ innertube with a piece of wood secured to it, then mount the transducer to the piece of wood. I could tie it off close to the canoe. It would be easy to pull in and pack up at the end of the day. My only worry would be if the readings would be more affected by smaller ripples in the water than if hooked to the larger more stable canoe. I did figure it would have to stay close tied to the canoe in a way to keep the transducer down flat. Just wondering if anyone has used this method. I’ve had more secure methods, this just seems quicker and safer for the transducer if it hit something.
no clue but
do you think strips of velcro epoxied to the tube and canoe would be a temporary/removeable way to batten the whole thing down?
Good way
One good way is to glue it inside the hull. It would not be affected by ripples or waves. I mounted mine and at first I unsure how it would work. It worked the first time and everytime thereafter. This is what I did I read about it in a kayak fishing book. I took a large diameter foam swimy tube and crosscut about a 2" to 2.5" thick section. The inside had a small diameter round hole so I took a utiliy knife and cut out a section the same shape and size as the transducer. I did not cut through the outside part that is round. Next I used marine adhesive and glued it on the inside of the hull(let it have ample time to set up and dry). Then place the transducer inside where it’s shape was cut be sure it sits flat on the hull. Fill over the top of the transducer flush with the top of the foam with marine silicone adhesive. You can place it anywhere bow to stern I put mine under my seat which is about the middle of the boat. This worked great and gives a true reading at all times. I used a cuda 300 which is an inexspensive unit and works great. Good luck and good fishing.
Transducer in the boat
Bananaboat - I just bought the Eagle Cuda fishfinder and I’m getting to mount mine as well. So you haven’t had any problems with reading the bottom/fish with the transducer in the boat (as opposed to in the water)? I guess the only thing you give up is water temperature readings… Your way seems much easier than trying to mount the transducer in the water at the rear of the boat - but I really don’t want to give up temp readings…
I have an Eagle Cuda
I use a suction cup mount and stick it to the outside of the canoe hull under the waterline. Works well and gets temp. reading fine. Only problems is the wire slows down forward motion just slightly and when paddling in weedy conditiond the transducer get weeds on it. In those conditions I simply remove the transducer until I stop moving. The suction cup mount is an available accessory here at Cabelas.: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=&id=0014025013194a&navCount=0&podId=0014025&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IA&rid=&parentType=&indexId=&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=Bing&cm_pla=eagle%20cuda%20suction%20cup%20transducer%20mount&cm_ite=netcon&rid=2146251080&hasJS=true
There are suction mounts
– Last Updated: Feb-16-10 7:01 PM EST –
for Humminbird transducers also. just Google for it.
ducer mouting
I also have mine glued inside the hull of my SOT. Actually, the temp readings are still supprisingly good. In the summer, it just takes a few minutes to come down to the water temp, but I’ve asked bass boat guys I saw onteh lake what temp they were getting & mine has always been w/in a deg of what theirs was. In a canoe, you might have to keep direct sun light off of it to get accurate readings. Also, if you have a foam core hull, inside mouting won’t work.
transducer
Sorry, I was down for awhile and couldn’t post. Well I don’t want to glue the trnducer in because of where I leave it…I’m lucky the canoe is still around seeing is it’s aluminum. Anyway though, I got a small 10" tube and put a thin plate on the bottom and mounted the transducer to that. I just plan on tyeing it close to the canoe as I paddle or slow troll. when i’m ready to pull it out, i’ll just pick it up and set it in the boat. I found a spot of melted ice where I was able to put the tube in and it worked good as far as the readings went at 6’ of water depth. It was near a waterfall and the water was a bit choppy and the readings were steady so I think i’ll go with this until I can actually get out on the water and use it. I didn’t know you lost temp readings when mounted inside, i’d kick it or throw something on it if it was in the boat anyway so I never considered that, besides it being permanent. With my float I can us it on the other canoe, I like it being portable. I did my test runs using an old motorcycle battery in a small carry sac, i’m curious to see how long that will last when I go out with the canoe. Thanks for all the input though.
Transducer mounting
Hello Auqaboy, Temperature are good just allow a minute or two for the temp of the boat and water to stabblize. The readings are probably within a degree or two if that. The depth readings are dead on and the fish depth and size readings are true. I have been pleasantly surprised how well it works. Then at the end of the day I just unplug the wire from the back of the unit detach it from the bracket and take it in the house. I purchased the Cuda 300 because it was cheap and I mounted it just in front of the seat between my leggs so it is real easy to get to and opperate. It was small and didn’t take up much room. With all it’s features it gives all the info you will want and need. The fellow that I fish with says he don’t need no fancy gadgets but he asks me all the time what the depth and temp is. Mounting was easy and using it is great, I could have gotten a lot more exspensive model but it gives everything you need to know and $75.00 verses $200-$300 you can’t beat it.
That’s really interesting
I never would have guessed that would work. Knowining how the density of the medium sonar waves are traveling though (even thermoclines where the water above and below are different densities due to temperature difference) can affect readings, I would think having to travel through royalex or whatever your particular canoe is made out of would certainly affect the readings.