Installing the transducer

There's nothing fun about drilling a hole in the bottom of your boat, especially a BIG hole!  Very careful consideration went into where this hole should be drilled.  It must be relatively close to center, not in an area of turbulence and in a safe place with respect to bottom strikes, bunk boards and lift straps for the travel lift.  I chose a place behind the curve of the hull about 6 inches out from the keel.  It looks like the area is protected.  I routed a cup in the laminate for thickened epoxy.

Here is the hole with hole taped with thick epoxy in the groove.  I saturated the laminate first with thin epoxy. Overnight, the heat lamp kicked it off very nicely.  I then re-drilled the hole and faired it up.  I sanded the top and bottom and clean it off with bleach water then water.  The hole is tangent to the waterline for a strait down look with the fish/depth finder. 

 I had my friend Paul, (the woodworker) help me cut the fairing so the mount would be tangent to the water line.  Trust me, we put a lot of calculation and thought into the building of the jib and securing it for cutting on his band saw.  Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the jig. 

Here is the mounted fairing and transducer well bedded with 3M-5200 and clean up.  It took about 20 minutes to do the caulking and mounting. Then it took about two hours to clean up the mess.  You can't get anything on the crystal which I did accomplish.  I cleaned up the mess with mineral spirits and cleaned the crystal with rubbing alcohol.  

Here is the other split part of the mount all bedded and secured with the transducer nut and the anti-spin bolt.  All aspects of the surfaces are well coated and set in with 3M-5200.  Whew, what a job.  I will install the plug after everything dries.  The paddle wheel sensor for water speed looks a little vulnerable to the carry strap.  I think I will swap out the plug for the paddle wheel after I am in the water. 

It has been a nerve wracking job because of time constraints and worries about 5200 contamination.  I am relieved that it all went relatively well and I am completely certain that no leaks will occur.