Contrary to popular belief, mounting a transducer on an aluminum boat is not that difficult. That is if you know the nuances that go into bringing it all together. Here is how to mount a transducer on an aluminum boat and win at it.
Pick the required materials and finalize the placement
Once you find a compatible transducer, pick up a drill, sandpaper, a mounting plate, silicone sealant for marine equipment, bolts, and nuts as well as zip ties. Next, see that you install the transducer in a proper place or else it can cause problems with the integrity of your hull. You can mount the transducer between rivets. This is because they generate rivets and interfere with the transducer’s readings.
Drilling, coating, and mounting
Next, drill the holes so that you can attach the mounting plate.
- The number of holes relies on the kind of plate you have. See that the holes are systematically aligned with pre-drilled holes on the plate.
- Use a good drill that does not leave gaps or else it can make your boat susceptible to leaks. Sand away any extra metal barbs.
After this is done, clean the area where the transducer is going to be placed and coat the back of the plate with a marine sealant. Coat all of the bolts with marine sealant. Wait till the sealant dries and then mount the transducer.
Connect the transducer wires and test the waters
After everything is mounted, hook all of the electronic components to one another. Mount the display unit in the boat’s control station. This helps you read readings promptly and can connect the transducer to the monitor efficiently. Use zip ties to secure the hull of your boat in place. Now all that is left to do is test the water. If you want to check whether the marine sealant is sealed and the mounting process is a success, pour some water over the bolts. If there are leaks, dry the area. Following this, simply reapply the marine sealant and test it out again.
So there you go, that is how to mount a transducer on an aluminum boat. It is a lot easier than you think and once you begin the process, moving along the various easy steps is seamless and stress-free. As long as you see that all the drilled holes are securely sealed and the boat doesn’t begin to fill with water, you are good to go.
This is how you mount a transducer on an aluminum boat. Go ahead and mount yours using these tips.
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