Tranducer mounts "stupid" kayak makers

New Fishfinder just picked up a Lowrance Elite 4 HDI..... WOW had it out once and the things that I can see and do now is awesome I cant wait to try it in the "big pond" But what I am here for is a major complaint for all kayak makers. Who designs this stuff its got to be a bunch of suits that never hook up a transducer on a kayak, probably never fished on on either. My new transducer is huge and most new transducers I have seen are either bigger or longer. My Ocean Kayak "2014" has a spot for a transducer about the size of an egg "stupid" nothing will fit except a transducer that is special order puck style and its more than what the FF is worth. If you make a spot for a FF on a kayak make it so it fits all sizes of transducers not just Humminbird's gosh that's so dumb. I dint like to shoot threw the hull I have found sensitivity on the new FF it wants to be in the water. I found fussing around with glues and gels a mess so I fabricated a 2" aluminum bar and its mounts to the side works fine but if Ocean Kayak had made the transducer spot just a little bigger I could have put it there out of the way and in the water clean and never have to worry about swinging out of the way for a beach landing or kelp hang-ups. OK glad to get that off my chest thanks for listing...LOL "Joe the bartender" another beer please.

yeah you think...funny Since Johnson Marine=Ocean Kayak=Humminbird are all the same company, that OK would build a better mount for their own FF...even my H-bird folded down flat wont let me close the lid on the cover....I`ll buy the next round ..Barkeep !!!!

 

we are so spoiled these days

Well, in OK's defense, FF technology is moving very fast. The kayak was designed for older style equipment. Kayak molds are not cheap, and to even change one little thing means a new mold, period. You can not modify the old molds. I am sure that OK is working on newer updated boats as I type this and will most likely include room for the newer tech. I do not work with or for OK, but who I do work for is in the same boat so to speak. We have come out with new kayaks recently and made room for bigger transducers, then, earlier this year Lowrance came out with new technology again. The trans is enormous, designed for power boats, and guess what, it does not fit our specifically designed kayak trans spot. And we are partnered with Lowrance. The molds are done, and will not be changing soon. I have been told these molds are 100k. I can not confirm that though. Even if they are half of that how long does it take to pay one off? A long time. Maybe you should be mad at the FF company for not designing kayak specific models to fit all the different kayaks out there. Maybe an OK staffer can add to this.

Well, in OK's defense, FF technology is moving very fast. The kayak was designed for older style equipment. Kayak molds are not cheap, and to even change one little thing means a new mold, period. You can not modify the old molds. I am sure that OK is working on newer updated boats as I type this and will most likely include room for the newer tech. I do not work with or for OK, but who I do work for is in the same boat so to speak. We have come out with new kayaks recently and made room for bigger transducers, then, earlier this year Lowrance came out with new technology again. The trans is enormous, designed for power boats, and guess what, it does not fit our specifically designed kayak trans spot. And we are partnered with Lowrance. The molds are done, and will not be changing soon. I have been told these molds are 100k. I can not confirm that though. Even if they are half of that how long does it take to pay one off? A long time. Maybe you should be mad at the FF company for not designing kayak specific models to fit all the different kayaks out there. Maybe an OK staffer can add to this.

Good points Rob...I think the same thing happened with JK and Raymarine....JK designed the Kraken mold around the Dragonfly transducer and then Raymarine came out with a new Dragonfly transducer that didn't fit the mold...or something like that...I don't really know since I don't have an FF. 

Stupid FF companies!!

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Well, in OK's defense, FF technology is moving very fast. The kayak was designed for older style equipment. Kayak molds are not cheap, and to even change one little thing means a new mold, period. You can not modify the old molds. I am sure that OK is working on newer updated boats as I type this and will most likely include room for the newer tech. I do not work with or for OK, but who I do work for is in the same boat so to speak. We have come out with new kayaks recently and made room for bigger transducers, then, earlier this year Lowrance came out with new technology again. The trans is enormous, designed for power boats, and guess what, it does not fit our specifically designed kayak trans spot. And we are partnered with Lowrance. The molds are done, and will not be changing soon. I have been told these molds are 100k. I can not confirm that though. Even if they are half of that how long does it take to pay one off? A long time. Maybe you should be mad at the FF company for not designing kayak specific models to fit all the different kayaks out there. Maybe an OK staffer can add to this.

 your correct.... the technology does move very fast and yes, Changes = $$$$

and this...

we are so spoiled these days

Well at least we have people like Bill trying to help the industry to understand these issues.    And at least they are trying, because for a long time they didn't try and do anything of the sort.  You had to just adapt to what was on the shelf and that was it.  The technology seems to be rapidly changing from year to year... hopefully it will slow down a bit and maybe stop being so brand specific/competitive.

It seems to me with computers getting smaller that these "stupid" FF companies would make TD's smaller, not bigger. They should stop making anything new till they can get their S&^% together.

and then you get ravensblack that kicks ass every year at the Simply Tourney w/o a FF to show how unnecessary a FF is   

I'll weigh in when I'm at a keyboard rather than a phone

and then you get ravensblack that kicks ass every year at the Simply Tourney w/o a FF to show how unnecessary a FF is   

No FF beats local knowledge and fishing an area since 1978. Rock on, Craig!

and then you get ravensblack that kicks ass every year at the Simply Tourney w/o a FF to show how unnecessary a FF is   

No FF beats local knowledge and fishing an area since 1978. Rock on, Craig!

+1

this is why i like working on my kayak you get to make custom brackets and shit on your kayak. it's a good way to post up a diy tutorial on ncka.

It seems to me with computers getting smaller that these "stupid" FF companies would make TD's smaller, not bigger.

+1 WTF is up with that?

I was also very frustrated when installing Lowrance FF on my older OC Ultra. I understand forward compatibility is not easy, but not impossible - at least larger transducer hole and thought-through mount (and then somebody will want to use it for motor mount.. oh, I know where I'm going, some company has done it )

Frankly, it seems more as a conscious business model - buy FF of our own brand, and if that is too large - well, buy new kayak which fits it.