Post by silveryaker on Sept 13, 2012 18:15:05 GMT -5
Wanted to show how I mounted my fishfinder on my Cuda. (Note: Cabela’s had reconditioned Lowrance Elite-5 combo’s for $349 vs. $549 new – seemed worth the risk with the warranty.) Like Elgeebee, I didn’t want to mount it on the center hatch cover because I use the center hatch for gear storage and didn’t want to restrict access on the water. I’ve got a few more grey hairs than Elgeebee and my eyes are worse (reading glasses required for fishfinder), so I couldn’t see it if I mounted it on the flat areas in front of the footwells. Since it’s a GPS model, I needed to access the finder while I’m on the water, and it was just too far to reach in the flat areas, too. So, I connected a RAM-201U-D double socket length arm to a YakAttack Screwball and put a RAM fishfinder base at the end of the arm. Moving it ~10 inches closer to me was enough to keep it in reach and in focus with these old eyes.
For the wiring, since I used a scupper mount for my transducer, I only needed to run the power wire through the hull. I found an Ancor 764998 marine grade electrical wire seal on Amazon ($6.79 ea.) to go through the hull and seal the opening. My only complaint about the Ancor wire seal is that it didn’t come with the O-ring to seal the exterior of the wire seal to the hull. I had plenty of left over O-rings from plumbing repairs, so I had a spare to fit the seal – minor complaint.
Inside the hull, I mounted my battery in a Sealtite container from Wallyworld for about $6. I liked the Sealtite container because it had a rubber o-ring on the inside of the lid and four latches around the perimeter. It looked pretty watertight. I went through the wall of container with a watertight electrical conduit fitting which I filled with Marine goop to seal around the wire. I bolted the wires to the battery with a flat, two-prong trailer connector that plugs into the charger when I’m charging the battery or the finder power line when it’s in the yak. The wire set I used came with an in-line fuse holder which is inside the battery box. For now, I’ve got the box velco’d to the hull in the center hatch, just behind the high density foam that Jackson uses for support for the deck.
The last issue I had to deal with was the 20 foot long cable between the fishfinder and the transducer since they are only about a foot apart. All this cable was on top the deck. I cut a section of 1 ½ inch PVC pipe, glued a cap on one end and screwed a cap on the other. I drilled a large hole in the screwed cap, coated the outside of the capped pipe with black truckbed liner and stuffed the excess cable inside. Not sure that I’m going to like this solution long-term, but it’s a start. Since it’s got to ride in this location in transport, I put a Velcro wire wrap around the pipe to hold it in place while I’m riding down the highway.
Now to get it out on the water and see how it all works!
View from seat
Overhead view
Battery box
Battery box mounting and wiring
Battery box installed (kayak on side, so box is tilted)
Pipe secured for transport
For the wiring, since I used a scupper mount for my transducer, I only needed to run the power wire through the hull. I found an Ancor 764998 marine grade electrical wire seal on Amazon ($6.79 ea.) to go through the hull and seal the opening. My only complaint about the Ancor wire seal is that it didn’t come with the O-ring to seal the exterior of the wire seal to the hull. I had plenty of left over O-rings from plumbing repairs, so I had a spare to fit the seal – minor complaint.
Inside the hull, I mounted my battery in a Sealtite container from Wallyworld for about $6. I liked the Sealtite container because it had a rubber o-ring on the inside of the lid and four latches around the perimeter. It looked pretty watertight. I went through the wall of container with a watertight electrical conduit fitting which I filled with Marine goop to seal around the wire. I bolted the wires to the battery with a flat, two-prong trailer connector that plugs into the charger when I’m charging the battery or the finder power line when it’s in the yak. The wire set I used came with an in-line fuse holder which is inside the battery box. For now, I’ve got the box velco’d to the hull in the center hatch, just behind the high density foam that Jackson uses for support for the deck.
The last issue I had to deal with was the 20 foot long cable between the fishfinder and the transducer since they are only about a foot apart. All this cable was on top the deck. I cut a section of 1 ½ inch PVC pipe, glued a cap on one end and screwed a cap on the other. I drilled a large hole in the screwed cap, coated the outside of the capped pipe with black truckbed liner and stuffed the excess cable inside. Not sure that I’m going to like this solution long-term, but it’s a start. Since it’s got to ride in this location in transport, I put a Velcro wire wrap around the pipe to hold it in place while I’m riding down the highway.
Now to get it out on the water and see how it all works!
View from seat
Overhead view
Battery box
Battery box mounting and wiring
Battery box installed (kayak on side, so box is tilted)
Pipe secured for transport
