Airmar SS264 Thu Hull Transducer Installation
Guys
Thought some of you may be interested in the tranny install I did on Sunday on my new Boston Whaler 235. Not the easiest of jobs but well within the capability of anyone with a reasoable tool arsenal.
These are the 1kW HD bad boys that have to go in, 200kHz and 50 kHz. Bloody huge! They have 20 degree tilted elements so can be flush mounted in the BW 20 degree dead ris section.
The boat unexpectectly came with a B744 thru hull and performance fairing on the starboard side which works very well..........this is where the 200 kHz was to go...I decided to just for the 50 kHz on the starboard side to start with as I will need to remove the B744 and glass up the holes before putting the 200 in.....
Measured once, twice, three times, fours times...............
Pilot hole drilled....freaking out a bit.
95 mm hole saw did not quite reach all the way through the hull......63 mm thick solid....this baby aint falling apart.......phaaaarrrkkkkkkkkkk, freeking out a lot about now! Had to attach it from inside as well......not perfect but no going back now!
From inside the bilge area. The raw water intake thru hull pipe is parrallel to the tranny (so not in the water flow tothe tranny), closer than I wanted but I could not move the tranny any further forward or in as the Whaler has a dedicated thru hull section with solid core that limits space a bit. Hoping there will be no turbulence from the raw water intake.....If there is, it will go!
Cleaned up the antifoul and feathered all edges, then prepped with 80 grit for Sikaflex to grab.
After lots of research, sealed the unit in with Sikaflex 291. Nifty trick of masking off the whole area including tranny first, then cutting around the tranny with a stanly knife, then applying sealant to the tranny, then installing and squeezing the tranny up. Results in almost no cleanup....a good thing with Sikaflex!
Pull off the masking tape and hey presto, clean as a whistle! Just needs a bit of antifould touch up.
Had to make a special tool to tighten the nut on the tranny as it is massive......if anyone wants to borrow it, your welcolme to.
Final product inside. Went in the next morning to tighten the nut a bit more....no chnace, the sika has locked everything in place tight! I hope I done need to pull it out anytime soon!!
Currently installing a new FCV587 and moving he other electronics about in the dash, will post a few piccies of that once complete.
Giving her a run on Friday assuming everything works........
Cheers
John
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
.thumbnail.jpg "Ute on Fire!!!!")
Georgejungle
Posts: 354
Date Joined: 25/03/09
Nice Job mate looks good
Nice Job mate looks good
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Thats just the install - now
Thats just the install - now for results ... when are you going fishing!
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
Looks like a good job well
Looks like a good job well done John.
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
fisho-ron
Posts: 2539
Date Joined: 26/09/09
nice work john, will she be
nice work john, will she be ready for friday???
we are going to hit it hard this weekend, try to get out as much as possible.
o/reef friday and see what happens from there, might even do a night fish!!
cheers mate, looking sweeeett!
Nelly
Posts: 518
Date Joined: 04/05/08
Looks like a very good
Looks like a very good job,can just imagine making sure everything was right about 20 times before drilling and then still freaking out while drilling!
sammy85
Posts: 831
Date Joined: 31/08/10
Good work John looks the
Good work John looks the business. Hopefully I can do mine soon :)
Plumber and gas fitter- 0415489103
shortfuse
Posts: 211
Date Joined: 02/01/12
looks like the same hole saw
looks like the same hole saw we used when we fitted ours to the cruise craft, unfortunately ours was not up to the job all the teeth wore out before the job was complete. Had to improvise with a jig saw to complete the task. Just wondering what transducer you will select in the 587 menu? Job well done, others have told me to keep an eye on that locking nut but ours hasn't moved used the same sika flex good stuff but very heavy consistancy makes it hard to lock down.
JohnF
Posts: 2836
Date Joined: 07/07/10
Nah, I through that home saw
Nah, I through that home saw in the bin before I started and got a Sutton jobbie.
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
Sweet
Gooooone Fishin!
pelagicyachts
Posts: 1301
Date Joined: 23/02/11
love the masking tape idea -
love the masking tape idea - brilliant
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Great job
Great job John, Yeah a bit freaky putting a big hole in ya hull, but it all looks sweet to me . Thanks for sharing .
southcity104
Posts: 1659
Date Joined: 27/01/09
great job
wet face is the way to go! And if you ever want to change trannies, the hole repair is a simple job for a good glassy.
"Its a life style job"
jayce
Posts: 564
Date Joined: 10/12/11
John whats he advantage of
John whats he advantage of the seperate units for 50 and 200?
And what made you choose the SS as i thought they where suited to ali boats and the B was better suited to glass?
Any info you could give me on the seperate units would be appreciated as i am looking at putting 1 KW through hull into my ali.
shortfuse
Posts: 211
Date Joined: 02/01/12
Jayce I think in a nut shell,
Jayce I think in a nut shell, that they are trying to put larger elements within the package to increase the sensitivity and overall performance of the transducer so the SS264 series are split into 2 seperate transducers as oppossed to the B164. The SS264 also allows for selection of a combination of different cone angles to suit your fishing application. I recently purchased a SS264N in 200k and as far as I could find out these versions are only available in stainless version.
Michael
JohnF
Posts: 2836
Date Joined: 07/07/10
Shortfuse has it correct. the
Shortfuse has it correct. the B164 is much cheaper and still 1 kw, but the power is only a VERY small part of the equation. It is the sensitivity of the transducer that counts.
The 1kW B164 is 6 times more sensitive than the standard P66 600 W transducer at 50 kHz, and 2 times more senstive at 200 khz.
The 1kW SS264 5o kHz is 50 times more senstive than the P66, and the 200 khz is 13 times more sensitive. A big difference.
The sensitivity of the 50 kHz was responsible for us to be able to see tuna clearly circling a bait school, and this was the result on Friday.
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
Cruise Control
Posts: 971
Date Joined: 03/11/10
The 50KHz obviously works
The 50KHz obviously works well at trolling speeds John. Nice Yellowfin
Belly Fish
Posts: 499
Date Joined: 09/03/12
Starting mine now...
Getting the SS264 ordered soon to go with my FCV 295. I'm being advised to go wide in the 50 khz (only option I think) and narrow in the 200khz. Is that the way you went?
Love to borrow your tightening tool if you still have it.
My boat is aluminium, hence the SS version...not looking forward to drilling the holes, but I suppose if I stuff it up I can always get it welded up
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Just a tip
Just a tip for you mate , every hole i have drilled in my boat. I first drilled a srcap piece of alloy to check the size was right . With hole saws they can wander a bit and make the hole bigger than you want . Also rub a bit of candle wax on the hole saw to lubricate it and you will get a much better cut .
petermac
Posts: 2946
Date Joined: 03/03/10
balls of steel
to drill a hole that size in your hull you must have balls of steel I don't think I could do it I got scared just jig sawing into my console to flush mount the radio
Deano87
Posts: 1
Date Joined: 05/11/16
Hi John, I just purchased a
Hi John,
I just purchased a 235 and was going to install a B164 and wondering if i can ask you a few questions.
Thanks