The best way to install a transducer on a kayak

I found this very informative, make sure to finish it and see how air bubbles accumulate :

Good information.  I've always used epoxy but I'm sure there are some tiny air bubbles formed when doing that process as well.  I noticed that he did not "prepare" the surface by sanding/cleaning.  Is that necessary?

That's the video that got me interested in using Duct Seal, but it was from another post on here that I first heard of it.  It works great for me!  Especially with the DSI transducer, which is long and narrow and hard to seat in foam.  There are no air bubbles, because you dont have anything inbetween the transducer but water and your hull.  I would definetly clean the surface, and make sure it's nice and dry before dropping in your duct seal.  I've carried my AI and X-Factor upside down for a few thousand miles, and that stuff has never fallen off, not even during the summer heat!  I'm not sure it's the "Best Way" but it sure is an easy and simple way.   

Also the Duct Seal was only 2 bucks for a brik of it, and that was enough easily for two installs.  I also added just some extra glob of the stuff where my battery box is, and now it doesn't slide around. 

That's the video that got me interested in using Duct Seal, but it was from another post on here that I first heard of it.  It works great for me!  Especially with the DSI transducer, which is long and narrow and hard to seat in foam.  There are no air bubbles, because you dont have anything inbetween the transducer but water and your hull.  I would definetly clean the surface, and make sure it's nice and dry before dropping in your duct seal.  I've carried my AI and X-Factor upside down for a few thousand miles, and that stuff has never fallen off, not even during the summer heat!  I'm not sure it's the "Best Way" but it sure is an easy and simple way.   

I'm assuming you have some water inside the Duct Seal dam as well, correct? 

Correct, you still need a water bath for the putty setup to work.

I used this video to set up my transducer and it has worked great.  I pour a small amount of water in the mote before launching.  The only thing I noticed was to make sure that you build up the walls of the mote a little more than in video and use extra duct seal across the top to make sure the transducer doesn't shift during transporting.

So when my foam doughnut finally comes un-Gooped some time after the 5 years it has lasted, I can use Duct-seal.  It looks like it remains flexible and doesn't harden up, but still sticks to the hull --  is that correct?
    I'm thinking that I could carry some in my car in case the foam doughnut fails somewhere near the launch, then I could paddle back, dry the inside of the hull, use the putty and get going again with a working ff.

I have GOOP-ed all my transducers and have never had any issues even in the Sacramento 100+ degree summers and 32- degree cold winter weather.I store them on their side and transport upside down. The duct-seal method looks convenient for short term but long term I still think the GOOP method is by far the best if your attaching it inside the hull. If you need to remove the transducer or move it the GOOP also is relatively easy to undo.
 
A couple tricks when installing GOOP

-Surface prep (may be obvious)
   *Make sure its dry...dry!
   *Sandpaper to rough up the surface
 
-Application
(apply the goop and wait a couple of minutes for the goop to tack up <--- this is key for not having air bubbles) then push the transducer down to the hull.

When the GOOP or any other material is fluid the likelyhood of bubbles it almost evident that's why letting it tack up is important.

I am going to try the water bath set up.  Been doing the gooped method for years.

I also gooped mine for years and just starting having issues so mounted externally finally, resolution and sensitivity is much better I have to say. And if anyone does decide to use epoxy check before sanding or roughing, it usually bonds stronger to smooth surfaces

I switched to the method below, instead of putty I am using a piece of foam and pour about a quarter cup of water.  The quality of my units reading is now amazing.  I missed a lot using the goop method for 4 years.

I found this very informative, make sure to finish it and see how air bubbles accumulate :

I built a well inside my hull, filled with water and it's been working great ever since.
 
Started with 4" PVC


Shaped it to fit the hull then cut off about 3" tall


Then I RTV'd it into the hull and added water.




Used a rubber cap and X slit the top to run the transducer plug.








This works great!!

Love it. The Lowrance transducer I have is a bit rounded on the bottom, so laying flat is not an option. So I think the combination of the 4" pvc and the duct seal to hold it in place is the trick. Protected and accurate. I'm running with it! Thanks all, good stuff!

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