Fishfinder Transducer installation on I12

I was thinking of using the Hobie Fish Finder install kit but basic question.

Can the transducer be installed on the top of the Mirage drive well?

Or what about the bottom of the mirage drive well with a line running up the opening lashed down out of the way.

Since the kit has the power kit then I can mount a Finder to the scotty mount.

tks

What about attaching it to the rudder??

Thanks.

Interesting option. Permanent Mount?

It doesn't have to be permanent. Depending on what you are using the kayak for at the time would determine if you removed the transducer or left it on. Your choice.

I now have mine permanently installed on the rudder, this after a couple of other locations that I wasnt pleased with. It really doesn't effect performance at all but know three things before you do this:

1. your rudder will be heavier to raise/lower
2. if going through debris it will collect more than normal
3. obviously your finder is useless if your rudder is up

Overall I'm very pleased with my rudder mounted transducer. On an i12s by the way.

Etazeta: How do you install the transducer to the rudder? I saw it on one of the photos from your very useful crate storage system .There you can see a part of the rudder with the mounted transducer. Is it possible to give a precise description to mount it and/or make another photo where you can see the details? That would be great.

Greetings from Germany

Any photos or greater description of the rudder mounted transducer would be much appreciated.

"Big H" and I have been mounting our transducers on PVC pipes attached to our crates. I became annoyed by sound of water rushing around the pipe (sounds like a running faucet, or worse). I switched to using an aluminum angle bracket (from Home Depot), hammered closed on the wire to the transducer (see pic). It really works great! I screwed the angle bracket to a plastic plug at the end of a narrow black PVC pipe that telescopes inside another foot of pipe that is anchored to the crate using zip ties. We use a large pin through the two pipes to hold the inner pipe in the right position (distance out over the side and angled straight down into the water). I can easily pull the pin and swing the arm up beside the crate when heading through rocky water. I have recently discovered that I can use this system without a crate by wrapping the black tie-down cord around the PVC pipe. Our next step will be to find a way to store the battery in the front hatch, and maybe even mount the transducer up there using the same "down rigger." We mount the fish finder on a Scotty rod holder mounting bracket glued to the boat.

I've seen rudder mount methods where they mount to the tip of the rudder, or to a bracket hanging off of the side. I'm inclined towards one that's more to the top of the rudder, just below the water line. This isn't mine, I just saw it elsewhere. Problem might be interference from the rudder.

Mounting directly on the rudder looks like the way to go. The way you have it rigged should protect the transducer in shallow water.

Big H

I had mine on an arm over the side & it worked fine. Easy to swing up & down & clear if it got fouled. Also showed what was directly below the cockpit rather than a few feet behind. Did make a lot of noise though.

Problems arise if you want an anchor trolley since the transducer arm interferes with the trolley lines. Hobie really forces you to put any over-the-side accessories on the left side since the paddle & holders clog up the right side.

I ended up mounting on the rudder. It works great and can stay attached when the boat is folded. I don't think having the bottom image be of what is 4 feet behind you is that critical. I aligned the mid-line of the transducer with the tip of the rudder. This eliminates any interference of the rudder with the sonar "cone" & still lets the rudder protect the transducer. I made a rigid mount so that the transducer doesn't swivel out of alignment if it bangs on something. If you impact bottom/debris the rudder acts like a shock absorber/deflector and the transducer just moves with the rudder. Most transducers are designed for that kind of abuse at 40 mph, so hitting something at 4 mph is not a big deal. No way to scramble back there to align things & getting out of the boat to realign the transducer is a PITA.

I'd be leery of mounting the transducer mid-rudder since it has to shoot through the rudder. The transducer may also be above water sometimes with large swells, at least with a standard rudder - probably not a big deal. Mounting to the tip of the standard rudder basically puts the transducer just below the waterline anyway.

Biggest concern is wire management. I clipped the wire to the front of the rudder at three points to prevent any large wire loops on the rudder. Clearing debris caught in the rudder wire would be a major bummer!

You aligned the mid-line of the transducer with the tip of the rudder. Does that mean, the transducer ist mounted sideward to the tip of the rudder (with an angle)?? Is it possible to post a foto?

I'd post a photo but the yak is folded away for a few more weeks. Sorry.

It's a Lowrance skimmer type transducer, exactly like the one in the photo. My configuration may not work exactly the same as whatever transducer you're dealing with. It's mounted in the normal orientation. Basically just take the arrangement shown in the rudder mount photo and slide it down from mid-rudder to the point where the tip of the rudder is at the middle of the transducer puck.

Instead of a mounting bracket I just drilled a hole through the rudder and bolted the transducer directly to the rudder. The rudder and a couple starlock washers keep it from rotating if it hits something.

Hope this helps!