Northwest Fishing Reports

Upgrading to a Lowrance, with 2 transducers.
I have a aluminum hull, I read somewhere that you should mount on a "non- metallic mounting plate??"
LINK-
http://www.cabelas.com/sonar-accessorie ... hannel=Goo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Something about the stainless brackets and the aluminum?? My current transducers are mounted
directly to the hull. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I will have to mount in a different pattern or location, what's the best solution for the old mounting
holes if they end up "behind" the non- metallic mounting plate?

Thanks

i used poprivits with a washer both sides of the hull ... and put a goober of 3M BELOW THE WATER LINE APPROVED caulk on the CLEANED parts and hull (inside and out) ... so it sorta squarshs it between the washers and in the hole ... clean up excess oooze with solvent ...

(hint) dry fit your transducer 1st and mark the old holes on the mating surface incase you need to make indentions say with a drill bit to accommodate the rivit head/washer for a snug fit to the hull (learned the hard way) .... i added a lil goober of caulk to said indentions before finnal assembly so it would sorta oooooze over the rivit/washer when tight'ned .... GL .. DOG

First, do you have a bracket attached to your hull for mounting items like transducers and speed wheels and thermometers? If not, I'd look at mounting a block of plastic/nylon at the waterline kind of like this: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Stern_Sa ... TRNSV.html I have a bracket on my aluminum boat and have all my gear mounted using stainless steel screws, no issues and I fish both fresh and salt. Using the plastic block method should be self explanatory and eliminates the need to drill holes into your hull unless you'd rather mount it with hardware instead of glue.

Thanks for your input G-man and DOG. I always get a little nervous when it calls for breaking out the drill!

spindog wrote:Thanks for your input G-man and DOG. I always get a little nervous when it calls for breaking out the drill!

GOOD !!

G-Man wrote:I have a bracket on my aluminum boat and have all my gear mounted using stainless steel screws, no issues and I fish both fresh and salt.

That's how mine is mounted (though no salt use) and no issues with mine either.

That's how mine is mounted (though no salt use) and no issues with mine either.

On my previous boat I did something similar using heavy guage aluminum and affixed it to the hull using marine grade epoxy. To mount the transducer, I countersunk two stainless screws in the back side of the plate and set them in epoxy before gluing the plate to the hull. No issues for 3 years with intermittant salt water usage.

spindog wrote:Upgrading to a Lowrance, with 2 transducers.
I have a aluminum hull, I read somewhere that you should mount on a "non- metallic mounting plate??"
LINK-
http://www.cabelas.com/sonar-accessorie ... hannel=Goo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Something about the stainless brackets and the aluminum?? My current transducers are mounted
directly to the hull. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I will have to mount in a different pattern or location, what's the best solution for the old mounting
holes if they end up "behind" the non- metallic mounting plate?

Thanks

I believe what you are referring to is galvanic corrosion. Unless you leave your boat sitting in the salt water for extended periods of time, say 10 years or so or go boating in an acid filled sludge pond, I don't think I would worry about it. If it concerns you, just use titanium hardware. It's going to take a long time for the stainless screws to get the aluminum hull to sacrifice itself, think shear size. The other way to avoid any problems is to make sure all electrical circuits are isolated from the hull.

Bodofish wrote:

spindog wrote:Upgrading to a Lowrance, with 2 transducers.
I have a aluminum hull, I read somewhere that you should mount on a "non- metallic mounting plate??"
LINK-
http://www.cabelas.com/sonar-accessorie ... hannel=Goo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Something about the stainless brackets and the aluminum?? My current transducers are mounted
directly to the hull. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I will have to mount in a different pattern or location, what's the best solution for the old mounting
holes if they end up "behind" the non- metallic mounting plate?

Thanks

I believe what you are referring to is galvanic corrosion. Unless you leave your boat sitting in the salt water for extended periods of time, say 10 years or so or go boating in an acid filled sludge pond, I don't think I would worry about it. If it concerns you, just use titanium hardware. It's going to take a long time for the stainless screws to get the aluminum hull to sacrifice itself, think shear size. The other way to avoid any problems is to make sure all electrical circuits are isolated from the hull.

Thanks Bodo, "Galvanic Corrosion"