Mo' you don't need a mechanic to do a shoot through install

It's so simple even DD could do it.

Assumptions - you have a glass boat, you have access to the bilge where to mount it and you have a puck transducer.

1) Ya want to make sure you get a good return where you plan to mount it. Such as right on the flat running surface pad. To test your signal, fill the bilge area with enough water to cover the ducer by about 2". Put something on it to hold it in contact with the hull as well as possible and take a look at your FF. Move it around to see where the best signal and least interference is.

2) Once you've found the spot, clean the area with something like dawn detergent and flush with water.

3) Take either plumber's putty or playdoh and build a circle dam around the area where the ducer will go.

4) Place the ducer inside the dam.

5) Mix 2 part slow cure epoxy to directions. Take extra, extra, extra, extra care to not mix bubbles into the expoxy.

6) Carefully pour the epoxy into the dam you've made and fill until approximaley 1/2 of the ducer is submerged. More is OK, but not needed.

7) Allow to cure for at least 8 hours or as directed by the mfg.

8) Test it out.

9) Finish the wiring.

If you get bubbles, it will interfere with the signal. Enough in the wrong spot will kill your signal. Some epoxies can be heated slighly to release the bubbles....some can't depends on the mfg and the type. Slow cure is much easier to work with and keep bubbles out, plus is stronger.

Downside to this - if it doesn't work out or you get a bad set with bubbles or poor returns, only remedy is to knock it out with a hammer and start over.....most likely with a new ducer required.

There...you're educated. And you owe me lunch.

Wannabe...

You might have saved me enough money to warrant a lunch... I'll let ya know when I'm in nader and I'll pick it up... I'll def try it, someone told me I'd have to hack thru two layers of my hull, so I didn't trust myself with all that so I may give this one a shot. So for that I take back SOME of the heckling I give you. Owe ya one on this one

Shoot thru is different from Thru-hull. You see Thru hulls on salt water boats and they actually cut a hole for transducer and the ducer has a pressure fitting on the back side to seal it off. Any of the current FFs are capable of literally shooting the signal through a fiberglass hull and getting a signal return through the same hull without cutting a hole though. Fiberglass has similar sound carrying properties which make that possible. There is some slight signal loss, but 99 out of a 100 here couldn't tell the difference.

Anyway, it's pretty dang easy as long as you're careful about the bubbles and you have reasonably easy access.

Wannabe...

I was just worried cause i have the 3 layer hull... Its fiberglass, foam, and the outer glass... Jus wanna make sure i get it right within the first three times

What kind of boat is it exactly. You won't find a boat that is not a sandwhich of one kind or another though. Lots of 'em are balsa cored or these days "composite". Composite is actually an industry joke...because anything you touch is technically a composite. Heck, plywood is actually a composite. Anywho...you can test it yourself to see the signal you get before you get too deep.

Wannabe...

Its a 1996 Nitro 884 Savage. I will try to test it out this afternoon if I can get outta the painting and yard mowing long enough

good luck with the honey do's...bwahahaha!!!

You should have no troubles with that Nitro. Like that hull name BTW...Savage....Kind of catchy....projects a sense of beauty and ferocity all in one.

Wannabe...

Ha workin on MY new house... Got an old fixer up and doin all I can to get moved in before school starts and to keep costs down... Its a pain in the back end but I got time, money is where i'm lacking.

Me too... Need to get the prop reworked... With it lookin like a serrated knife she still runs 59... I wish it was bout 30 mph faster... Love goin fast