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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:31 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:03 am
Posts: 2
Hi
First of all, let me just state that my english might not be too good....however, my need for help is big so ill do my very best to make it as understandable as possible :wink:

I have bought a Hobie Outback (2012 edition) which sadly is not "Lowrance ready". I have tried to install the transducer in the hull of the kayak with some "Hobie Marine goop". However a big buble of air in the glue resulted in some inteference on the screen

The image was like this
Image

After having tried all possible settings i unmounted the transducer just to see the big gap of air in the glue which can be seen here
:oops: :oops: :oops:
Image

So i took off all the glue and concluded that i had found root cause.

I tried a new mountingmethod using some sanitary putty (http://www.unipak.dk/en/node/42)
That gave a bit better picture. The upper part of the screen had a more clear picture but still a lot of interference on the screen.
The screen now looks like this
Image

Compared to the old setup the upper part of the screen has improved a lot.

So i rushed back home to figure out why the picture was not close to perfect. I found out that i had not inserted the transducer close enoug to the hull. approximately 1-1,5cm of sanitary putty was between the hull and the transducer. Now i have mountet it again using a lot LESS putty. I think the transducer is less than 0,5cm from the hull of the kayak.

tomorrow ill go and see if it is better.
So why am i writing this "cry for help"??

Well...Furthermore suddenly the DSI did nok work last time i was out to try the "sanitary putty-setup". The symptom on the DSI is that the seabed is not shown on the screen. I have read in another forum that another user has experienced the exact same symptom using the sanitary putty. With the marine goop the only thing that seemed to work was the DSI. With the sanitary putty the DSI is not working.
So i have this gutsy feeling that it still wont work. Maybe im a bit closer to the goal having inserted the transducer closer to the hull. But the DSI not working at all...thats a mistery..
So my motivation to ask for help in here is to ask if anyone has had succes installing a Lowrance HDI transducer in the hull of a Hobie Kayak which is not "lowrance ready"?
One important note is that it seems that most transducers are working fine...its so far only the HDI transducers that are experiencing these issues.
The transducer is this one
Image


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 3:28 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 2:40 pm
Posts: 1365
One simple test is to take your kayak into the water and hold the transducer, over the side underwater to see what the view is.
This test will tell you if the transducer is good or bad.

In my old Outback, I secured the transducer directly to the inside bottom of the hull, located it just forward of the sailing mast.
I used Duxseal to hold the transducer in place.......Duxseal handles like modeling clay.....I rolled out length of the material and basically "molded it around the transducer and the hull".
This method avoids any air pockets between the transducer and the hull, while securing the transducer to the hull.
You can't use too much Duxseal and can basically cover it over it you like.......just keep the transducer away from the Mirage Drive fins so there is no interference.

Here is a link to Duxseal http://www.parker.com/literature/Engine ... s/5245.pdf

We can buy it at Home Depot in the US and it's called Duct Seal ( different manufacturer) ....found in the electrical department since its used to seal electrical conduit, etc.....it's also cheap....http://www.homedepot.com/s/ductseal?NCNI-5

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Hood River, OR


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:23 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:03 am
Posts: 2
Dr.SteelheadCatcher wrote:
One simple test is to take your kayak into the water and hold the transducer, over the side underwater to see what the view is.
This test will tell you if the transducer is good or bad.

In my old Outback, I secured the transducer directly to the inside bottom of the hull, located it just forward of the sailing mast.
I used Duxseal to hold the transducer in place.......Duxseal handles like modeling clay.....I rolled out length of the material and basically "molded it around the transducer and the hull".
This method avoids any air pockets between the transducer and the hull, while securing the transducer to the hull.
You can't use too much Duxseal and can basically cover it over it you like.......just keep the transducer away from the Mirage Drive fins so there is no interference.

Here is a link to Duxseal http://www.parker.com/literature/Engine ... s/5245.pdf

We can buy it at Home Depot in the US and it's called Duct Seal ( different manufacturer) ....found in the electrical department since its used to seal electrical conduit, etc.....it's also cheap....http://www.homedepot.com/s/ductseal?NCNI-5


Thanks

Did you secure it like i have now? or did you secure it on the other side of the sailing mast?
Mine looks like this now
Image

And do you know if it matters which direction the cable from the transducer is heading?
I have placed it as close to the sailing mast as possible. But if i turn the transducer around i can move it closer to the mast and further away from the mirage finns.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 3:50 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:32 pm
Posts: 469
Location: Out There
I used Lexel to mount the transducer to the kayak hull. You can get it anywhere. It takes 2-3 days to fully cure, but this transducer has been mounted for at least five years; hot, cold, impact, just about everything and still works perfectly.

Image

I used a piece of acrylic tubing(PVC works just as well) to help secure and protect the transducer, it's an option to do a super good job. I "roughed up" the hull with fairly coarse sandpaper to create a good surface for bonding. When using the Lexel, or any other adhesive, squeeze it out of the tube slowly so you don't make bubbles. Work the transducer slowly into the glob of goop for the same reason. As you can see in the photo, it doesn't take too much Lexel to do the job.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:49 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 2:40 pm
Posts: 1365
The "pointy end" of the transducer should be facing forward/towards the bow........or another way to say it is the top end of the transducer, with the mounting hole in the plastic arm should be facing closest to the bow.

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Hood River, OR


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