Mounting transducer on aluminum boat

I just bought a new depth finder and will be putting it on a 16 foot aluminum boat. It is a 2D and down imagining finder. No side imagining . Before I install I want to see if anyone has any pointers or opinions on mounting a transducer on an aluminum boat. I've been doing a little research on the topic and have seen several options. I would like to drill holes and mount directly on the transom. Is this the best option? Are there any concerns when mounting that way? What type of silicone or any other product is the best for sealing the holes when I insert the screws?

Thank you for any advice!

Get you a transom mounting plate, that way you only have drill 2 holes to install it and you can move or add a different transducer down the road without having to drill more holes in your boat.


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Poly cutting board.


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I just drill holes and caulk with 100% silicone lifetime caulking and works for me. Never had a problem or a leak or a loose screw and if you can on the inside cur the screw off that sticks threw with a drimmel tool.

Buy a Transducer board or cut your own, they work great for fine tuning or moving and adding differnt transducers. I put mine on in 2012 with 3m 4200 chalk did use any screws.

I went to a lumber yard and bought a small piece of pvc board. I attached that to the transom with marine epoxy, no holes drilled. Previously I had done this in another spot, and subsequently decided to remove it. What a bear!!! Any fear of it just coming loose was dismissed. Attention to details as you do it, and you will have a place to fine tune your transducer, or add another, all without holes in your hull.

Thank you for the advice! I think I am leaning towards purchasing a transducer mounting plate and mount the transducer that way and use 3M-5200 or 4200. Still not 100% sure. Maybe I'm overthinking things too much...

Also, I have one battery on my boat that currently just has my trolling motor connected. Will I be ok if I also connect my fish finder to the same battery and run the trolling motor and finder off the same battery? Will that cause any interference with the unit? Or should I buy a separate battery to run just the fish finder?

I use 1 battery on my boat for finder, trolling motor, lights, and outboard. Garmin finder shows battery voltage, Walmart Everstart marine battery lasts all day for me.

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I used a piece of polyethylene and glued it to the back of the transom with jb weld marine glue. Then mounted the transducer to that.

Dont drill holes in a good boat if you dont have to.

Exactly what I did.

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Originally Posted by DRFISHDUCK

I use 1 battery on my boat for finder, trolling motor, lights, and outboard. Garmin finder shows battery voltage, Walmart Everstart marine battery lasts all day for me.

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I'm also just running just 1 battery. Got I-Pilot and 2 Lowrance DF and I've not had any interference proplems . My 20HP outboard charges the battery so that extends battery life but I've never come close to running it down. It's a 24 size AGM battery.

Answers abound above...You never mentioned BUT if you have Tunnel or Pontoons...Its a problem finding Clean water to get steady picture...

U might check out the sternmate transoms mount kit, it's a little pricey but no holes= no leaks

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Originally Posted by USMA65

I went to a lumber yard and bought a small piece of pvc board. I attached that to the transom with marine epoxy, no holes drilled. Previously I had done this in another spot, and subsequently decided to remove it. What a bear!!! Any fear of it just coming loose was dismissed. Attention to details as you do it, and you will have a place to fine tune your transducer, or add another, all without holes in your hull.

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This is exactly what I do. Works very well and no holes in boat.

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I just got a new garmin unit. I took my boat to a guy here that does welding on aluminum boats. He filled in the holes from the old transducer and welding me on a bracket that is about 7 inches wide. This give me plenty of room to move it I need to.

I used a cutting board, and cut a rectangle of 4"x6". Mounted transducer mount to it, then glued it to my transom with Gorilla Glue. Once it dries, I put the transducer in the mount. Works perfect, cheap, but wife is pissed because part of her cutting board is missing.