Stealth Transducer Install.

So the wiring thru hull fittings that I used for the transducer are a combination of Hobie and Yak Attack.

The cable glands for the power wire are some I ordered off Amazon. Just get the size that matches the size of your power cable.

Hobie https://www.hobie.com/parts-and-accessories/?ItemGroup%5Bquery%5D=wiring

Yak Attack https://www.yakattack.us/through-hull-wiring-kit-pair-ems-1001/

I think the Hobie ones are a bit nicer, but cost 3x as much. There are actually a lot more options out there as well if you look around.

Either way a little bit of silicone sealant will help waterproof the fitting.

If I were doing the hatch again I might use TH Marine Ceacap https://thmarinesupplies.com/products/ceacap-bulkhead-pass-thru-fitting I like that it would lay the cable flat.

For the water bath I wanted to make it permanent. As in fill it once and leave it. I bought a waterproof box, cut the bottom off it and acuffed it real good so that adhesive would stick well. On the lid I drilled a hole for the cable and used a cable grommet to seal it. The box was glued down using marine adhesive.

I'M ABOUT TO DO A TRANSDUCER INSTALL ON MY "NEW" EVOLUTION 495, COULD YOU TELL ME WHERE DID YOU GET THE CABLE GROMMET? AND WHAT DID YOU USE FOR THE WIRES COMING UP THROUGH THE HATCH TO THE FF? THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO!

Geeturdun...no fear...drill baby drill...I'm just trying to stoke myself to put a sail on my profisha...congrats on da tribal purchase...

Nice! As the new owner of a Stealth Fisha and a Humminbird Helix 7, this is relevant to my interests. What kind of mount did you use to connect the head to the fish box lid, and did you reinforce the lid where the mount is, um, mounted?

Congrats on the sick new Fisha! The tribe is growing....

Nice! As the new owner of a Stealth Fisha and a Humminbird Helix 7, this is relevant to my interests. What kind of mount did you use to connect the head to the fish box lid, and did you reinforce the lid where the mount is, um, mounted?

I ended up just using the goalpost mount it came with and mounting it directly to the lid, using some stainless fender washers on the inside. I tried using a ram ball mount, but it was just too bulky. I would prefer to have the mount fully removable, which I may do at some point. I was thinking a chunk of HDPE mounted on the underside of the fish hatch with a set of embedded nuts, then thumb screws to make attachment and removal of the whole mounted fishfinder faster. Eh, maybe I’ll just leave it alone.

Nice! As the new owner of a Stealth Fisha and a Humminbird Helix 7, this is relevant to my interests. What kind of mount did you use to connect the head to the fish box lid, and did you reinforce the lid where the mount is, um, mounted?

I ended up just using the goalpost mount it came with and mounting it directly to the lid, using some stainless fender washers on the inside. I tried using a ram ball mount, but it was just too bulky. I would prefer to have the mount fully removable, which I may do at some point. I was thinking a chunk of HDPE mounted on the underside of the fish hatch with a set of embedded nuts, then thumb screws to make attachment and removal of the whole mounted fishfinder faster. Eh, maybe I’ll just leave it alone.

Thanks, didn't even occur to me to use the included goalpoast mount, but the low profile works well for the deck mount. I've got some HDPE lying around so I might go for that, although if the fish box lid is solid enough for you, I might just do it your way in the interest of getting up and running ASAP.

A fiberglass kayak and a flush mount, thru-hull, transducer, like something from Airmar, could be an arranged marriage made in heaven. Don’t know if Hummingbird is a dedicated transducer, I believe Lowrance will work with 3rd party transducers, Raymarine will.

I did a quick look at the Hummingbird Helix 7 and what Hummingbird has for thru hull transducers, looks like you are limited in your options, didn’t see anything flush mount.

Overall, it is a cleaver install without having to do any fiberglass work. Do you drain the water out of the transducer box after fishing?

You and your transducer project now have me rethinking rotomold kayaks vs fiberglass.

There is at least one guy running a flush mount transducer on a stealth kayak.  Rod from Rokkitkit On Youtube.

The full time water bath idea is a good one, that's a method alot of guys used in the past (8+ years ago before the hobie x lowrance marriage that ended up unfolding), since all of the transducers needed to be inside the hull at that time.

In my fisha 500 I just glued the transducer into the flat area that is reachable through that access port in the fish hatch.  I used a marine silicone from Goop if I remember correctly, and it works great, however I do not have the ability to use side scan with this method, and I am sure my water temp is slightly off.

Fwiw I installed the 3-in-1 transducer that is exterior of the hull since making this post.  I had to drill a 1” hole in the bottom of the kayak and had to therefore seal that hole.  The most difficult part was getting everything lined up.  I still think it’s out of alignment but I fished it for a couple of days last weekend and didn’t take on any extra water.  The side scan is cool, and the water temps are accurate.  I can also read bottom more clearly probably up to 1k feet or a little more.  It hooked up to my existing elite ti2 head unit.

That is only sick...

Oh man, that is quite a leap from what I did. I am impressed.

Looks like you did it the Rokkit Kit way.....sweet. Looks awesome. If I ever get a FF that's how I think ill do mine as well. Did you use the scupper covers from Stealth for the cord?

A fiberglass kayak and a flush mount, thru-hull, transducer, like something from Airmar, could be an arranged marriage made in heaven. Don’t know if Hummingbird is a dedicated transducer, I believe Lowrance will work with 3rd party transducers, Raymarine will.

I did a quick look at the Hummingbird Helix 7 and what Hummingbird has for thru hull transducers, looks like you are limited in your options, didn’t see anything flush mount.

Overall, it is a cleaver install without having to do any fiberglass work. Do you drain the water out of the transducer box after fishing?

You and your transducer project now have me rethinking rotomold kayaks vs fiberglass.

There is at least one guy running a flush mount transducer on a stealth kayak.  Rod from Rokkitkit On Youtube.

The full time water bath idea is a good one, that's a method alot of guys used in the past (8+ years ago before the hobie x lowrance marriage that ended up unfolding), since all of the transducers needed to be inside the hull at that time.

In my fisha 500 I just glued the transducer into the flat area that is reachable through that access port in the fish hatch.  I used a marine silicone from Goop if I remember correctly, and it works great, however I do not have the ability to use side scan with this method, and I am sure my water temp is slightly off.

Fwiw I installed the 3-in-1 transducer that is exterior of the hull since making this post.  I had to drill a 1” hole in the bottom of the kayak and had to therefore seal that hole.  The most difficult part was getting everything lined up.  I still think it’s out of alignment but I fished it for a couple of days last weekend and didn’t take on any extra water.  The side scan is cool, and the water temps are accurate.  I can also read bottom more clearly probably up to 1k feet or a little more.  It hooked up to my existing elite ti2 head unit.

I'm considering the leap to doing this. Drill a big hole in my hull that is. And when I say considering it I mean I have bought all the parts and a 6 pack and it will probably happen this weekend since it looks like it will be windy out 

That being said I was looking back at your pictures and was wondering what the wings are you have on both sides of your rudder? It looks like it would keep kelp from getting caught in the rudder and I want to do something like that.

Also what adhesive did you use? I was planning on using sikaflex 291, but if anyone has thoughts I would love to hear them.

Looks like you did it the Rokkit Kit way.....sweet. Looks awesome. If I ever get a FF that's how I think ill do mine as well. Did you use the scupper covers from Stealth for the cord?

Thanks Porkchop, I used a custom one that I designed and printed.  Its a 2 part component, one is a sleeve that drops down through the hole to prevent chaffing of the wire, and the other is kind of "clam shell" shaped cover with an opening the same diameter as the cord so that it can seal it up nice.  My buddy Dan from Lost Horizon Fishing with the yellow 555 actually did a similar install on his stealth, I printed him a cover as well, however his is more of a dome shape per his request.  He has a YouTube video of it.

A fiberglass kayak and a flush mount, thru-hull, transducer, like something from Airmar, could be an arranged marriage made in heaven. Don’t know if Hummingbird is a dedicated transducer, I believe Lowrance will work with 3rd party transducers, Raymarine will.

I did a quick look at the Hummingbird Helix 7 and what Hummingbird has for thru hull transducers, looks like you are limited in your options, didn’t see anything flush mount.

Overall, it is a cleaver install without having to do any fiberglass work. Do you drain the water out of the transducer box after fishing?

You and your transducer project now have me rethinking rotomold kayaks vs fiberglass.

There is at least one guy running a flush mount transducer on a stealth kayak.  Rod from Rokkitkit On Youtube.

The full time water bath idea is a good one, that's a method alot of guys used in the past (8+ years ago before the hobie x lowrance marriage that ended up unfolding), since all of the transducers needed to be inside the hull at that time.

In my fisha 500 I just glued the transducer into the flat area that is reachable through that access port in the fish hatch.  I used a marine silicone from Goop if I remember correctly, and it works great, however I do not have the ability to use side scan with this method, and I am sure my water temp is slightly off.

Fwiw I installed the 3-in-1 transducer that is exterior of the hull since making this post.  I had to drill a 1” hole in the bottom of the kayak and had to therefore seal that hole.  The most difficult part was getting everything lined up.  I still think it’s out of alignment but I fished it for a couple of days last weekend and didn’t take on any extra water.  The side scan is cool, and the water temps are accurate.  I can also read bottom more clearly probably up to 1k feet or a little more.  It hooked up to my existing elite ti2 head unit.

I'm considering the leap to doing this. Drill a big hole in my hull that is. And when I say considering it I mean I have bought all the parts and a 6 pack and it will probably happen this weekend since it looks like it will be windy out 

That being said I was looking back at your pictures and was wondering what the wings are you have on both sides of your rudder? It looks like it would keep kelp from getting caught in the rudder and I want to do something like that.

Also what adhesive did you use? I was planning on using sikaflex 291, but if anyone has thoughts I would love to hear them.

***EDIT***  I will make this all easier to find in a new thread where I will try and describe the install: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=98149.0

Hey Man, The "wings" are some parts I designed and made to keep my my fly lined baits and other lines out of my rudder, they also work well for kelp and other trash and nasty weeds like eel grass.  They work quite well thus far.  I had a few times where I had to either get in the water or spin around and lay down to clear my rudder so I had to come up with something.  I know stealth makes something similar but its a hassle to get them from SA.

As for the adhesive I used for attaching everything to the kayak, I use this stuff:  https://amzn.to/3OQ5gUu its 3m 4200 marine silicone.  (If you buy it through that link amazon gives me a commission and it doesn't cost you anything, how ever you might want to check west marine for a better price first).

See pics below of the set of parts I used to seal the hole, and the wire is just for representation.  Keep in mind that I use a lowrance unit, so the unit you use may require a larger or smaller hole for the connector to pass through.

Curious what you all think of this low-tech transducer mounting solution that only requires a GoPro mount and some Goop...

Would it present issues with drag? Does the transducer need to be consistently in/under water to work properly?



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Yes it needs to be under water to work properly.  If it’s in and out of the water you may get mixed results but likely your graph will not be decipherable because the signal does not transmit well through air, so as it comes out of the water you reading would be drastically different, and then when it goes back in it would read ok.