Help with Transducer placement?

[Danny2072]

Just recently purchased a couple ascend fs12t kayaks and my wife and I love them. Fishing from them is just so much more enjoyable without the hassles of the big boat.
At first I wanted to keep it simple, no motors, electronics etc. but now since I'm able to fish new waters I'm considering adding a fish finder with side imaging, Helix 7 si to be exact.
I want to mount the transducer on the bow to take more advantage of the unit. I'm having trouble coming up with a way to deploy and retrieve the ducer for when I want to beach it or when I get into thick brush.
Could really use some help with ideas or advice from someone that's done something similar.
I've seen many people use the thru hull method but I want the ability to use the side imaging.
Thanks in advance for any help

[Clint]

I have used a DF/FF in a canoe & kayak by just tye-wrapping my transducer in a piece of packing foam and floating it alongside the boat.

[jimp]

I've read where mounting a DI/SI xducer inside a plastic hull does work, this mounting method does degrade the signal some but the pics on the HU are very usable but I've only read this, not seen it. A cheap and easy test would be to get some plumbers putty and build a pad of putty with no air bubbles, and push the xducer down in the putty. Or build a putty dam and add a bit of water to the dam everytime.

[Danny2072]

Floating the ducer would work in open water but I've been fishing mingo and its full of snags to get hung on.

I always heard si wouldn't work thru hull but that was with thicker glass boats and aluminum. Thanks for mentioning that jimp! Did some reading and humminbird Greg had some pics on another forum.
Sounds like it's worth trying, I just have to decide if I want to cut through the upper deck of my yak for the final install in the bow
Thanks guys, I'll post up if I can get it to work or not

[jimp]

I would do a TEMPORARY set up first testing the DI/SI results before I drilled any holes in the hull. You have a hatch in the cockpit area, use that to run the wires in/out before making it permanent. JMO.

Mind posting up the link for those pics you mentioned, or PM me as I'm considering a SI/DI set up on my new project hanging around out in the shed.

[Danny2072]

Will the HdSi transducer work in a shoot-through kayak application?

Hobie Cat Forums • View topic - Humminbird HD Si transducer install...need help please.

Yeah I would test it before I start cutting out any holes. From what I read the guy had to turn his sensitivity up to max to get those images.

And for the most part, the areas I fish have a really soft bottom 3 foot of mud and silt. Thru hull may not work for me because I usually run 14-16 sensitivity already

[jimp]

Thanks for the links, the thread I read did not mention any sensitivity settings, but the poster said it was his buddy that had the in hull set up, and they both had basically the same units, and there was little difference in the screen resolution. This was a side by side comparision while on the water.

[bfish]

If it is me, I would be going for a Mad Frog Liberator type mount. No need to cut hull below waterline, easily movable from boat to boat, and easy to deploy (both at the start of the day, but also for clearance around obstacles). IMO hull mounts and through hull are just pains in the behind.