Transducer Under Cabin Step???
 

Ok so I've read a lot of posts where people are saying they have a hand hole cover under the cabin step where you can put a transducer. I'm assuming this is a 6" hole plastic cover just line under the rear seat. I do not have this and am wondering if I'm looking in the wrong place. When i lift up the hinged door and pull up the carpet on the floor, there is a tiny tiny metal cap that looks just like a fuel fill but it's smaller. It's got 2 key indentions for a key but they are very close together unlike the fuel cap. I haven't taken the cap off, but if i could, the opening would be about the size of a 50 cent piece and no transducer could fit under there. I've also pulled back the carpet of the sides of the under-step to see if there is a hole under there by chance. No luck. So I need to know how to get under the floor to mount this transducer. any help would be appreciated. Thx.

non stepped '94 27 had the gas fill looking cap in the step. Access to eyeball the hull I assume. Not big enough for anything else. Transducer was in bilge.

My stepped.'99 32 has the large white access lid in port side of the step storage. My transducer is inside that area.

Yeah, my 98' 32' has the stock one in the bilge but it's after the step hull so doesnt work above 3 mph. (why did they do that). Do you have any pics of where your access hole is under step? If I lift up lid, and pull up carpet on floor, is that where yours is? or is it on side of in side of step?

Sorry, wasn't clear.
It's on the side, inside of the step storage, not on the floor or under carpet. Open step lid, there it is.

BTW, My depth gauge only works when the boat is sitting still. Put it in gear, it stops reading. Messed around with it but never had any luck. Even tried a different puck, moving it around looking for that sweet spot. Appearantly mine doesn't have one. :)

Wildman Graphics has same boat with transducer in same spot as mine. His works up to 50mph or so. I think he said he replaced his though.

I think thats with a lot of boats get up past a certain speed and they dont read. Personally I think it has to do more with units being able to read and calibrate fast enough to do this. I thought I read on certain GPS's with tranducers they will read up to a certain speed. My thought on is if your going fast enough and dont know the area you wont be able to react quick enough to unscrew the situation anyways.

Sometimes I find its better to just keep going then slow down anyways, because slowing down and everything creates more draft then just being up on plain.

So If I'm on my knees inside the cabin and facing the step, I open the step lid and it's on the left or right side? I'm thinking mine doesnt have one since it has the fuel cap looking thing on the floor under the the step (under the carpet). If I don't have one, is there another place I can put it or get to the bottom hull before the step? I noticed a 6" hand hole under the rear seat but never looked under it. Would that be an option? Cut out a hole under the cabin step?? Give me some ideas, US1. I know you know ur stuff.

Mine is on the port side inside the step. Maybe someone replaced the carpet and covered it. Mine is a 98 32' and it has the same plug in the bottom. I'll take a pic tomorrow.

Yeah, bro! If you could take some pics that would be awesome! thx, man!

Yes, mines on the port side. I don't have the gas fill cap in my 32. (My 27 did, so I know what you are referring too) There is no flooring in my step that would require that. It's open to the hull bottom and used to have the cabin bilge pump mounted to hull bottom inside the step. (I actually removed the pump yrs ago from there) The access cover under the rear bench is to access the gas tank sender. I don't think the transducer would work if you did cut the step floor out as you suggest. If I recall correctly from someone at FPB a few yrs ago telling me, that the hull is cored approx 12" out both directions from the center/keel. That's why the transducer was located underneath the sink cabinet flooring, moves it to solid hull. The access hole/cover where mine is is cut thru the stringer. That's a full 1 1/2" of stringer wood. I'd have trouble cutting thru that if it were me in hopes the depth gauge would work. You might consider, if you still wish, to remove the cabin seat bottom (just a couple long screws located in the seam) on the starboard side and cut a hole thru the floor towards the locker and locate the transducer in there. Be same location as mine is, but on opposite side of boat, and not compromising the hull itergrety. You'd just be cutting thru plywood.

Guys I put my transducer on the port side just under the motor and it works up to 60 0r 70 mph it was a option to my garman ,I also have a 32 with one step.
Rich

Port side under the motor is where mine is on a twin 29 and in every bass boat I own or have owned they are always in the bilge area. They will stop working above appx 60 mph...they all stop working at high speeds.

Any luck on those pics? thx.

Ok so i took some pics myself today that show that my boat doesnt have a hand hole cover on the port side under the cabin step. Any thoughts? see pics...
http://s8.postimage.org/yr9h7dzlh/IMG_0767.jpg
http://s16.postimage.org/myevuvdt1/IMG_0768.jpg
http://s17.postimage.org/4plw5scz3/IMG_0771.jpg

Is yours a step hull?

That position under the step is way too far foward unless you only want it to work off plain, when mine airs out the transducer stops working.
Rich

Yes, Step is kinda under rear seat.

Under the cabin step is where everyone is saying to put it. Some say theirs is under the step from the factory.

No, not under the cabin step, but off to the side of it.... accessed thru a access cover that would be located in the stringer shown in your 2nd pic. As I stated earlier, transducer has to be 12" +/- off center for solid hull.

Have you ever removed that floor fill cap for a look? Just curious if you ever find water in there

Yeah, i was never going to mount the transducer on the very bottom keel. I know to mount a foot to the side. But I am showing that my boat has no access cover on the side of the step. I only showed the fill in the bottom of the floor so all could see what all I have. So I guess I'm screwed as far as mounting this thing?

My boat is in the shop but mine is mounted just to the right of the silver cover. What I would suggest you try is to get the boat in the water and place the tranduscer there to see if it work. You have to test it over the side of the boat then fill a bag with water and test it on the boat floor to see where the readings coincide. Most of the instructions you get with the transducers will tell you how to find the best mounting spot using that technique or one similar. Try that out and see waht you get.

I found mine to work best by dropping the transducer over the side, and measuring the length of cable till it hits lake bottom.

Mine's in here. factory as far as i know.
http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...Transducer.jpg

Same as mine

Here is the location of the transducer on a 2005 35 lightning

Yeah, I definitely do'nt have this cover under my step like you guys do.
So the question remains... How/where can I mount this thing? I don't think it would be smart to cut a hole in the side of the stringer where you guys have a hand hole. I don't want to mount behind the step, under the motors where the stock on is because it won't work above idle. Any thoughts?

Post #9 :rolleyes:

Under Strb cabin seat. gotcha. I would assume this part of the boat would be out of the water underway, no? I've wanted to look under those seats but havent really been sure how they come off. Can you explain a little more clear about the screws that are holding them on? How to get to etc? sorry to be a pain. thx man.

If you locate it as far back as possible under the seat, you'd be about the same location as ours are. Kinda reaching under the storage closet, if you would. ( Could just cut an access hole thru the closet floor and cover with the plastic covers or whatever, if you cut the carpet back cleanly and relay it over) You'd just be on the opposite side of the hull.

Spread the seat cushion apart by hand along the center pleat and look for either scews heads or most likely small holes in the material where the screws have gone thru it. Just a couple of phillips screws hold each seat base down. Then you'll just have the carpet covered plywood exposed for the seat bottoms fasten too to cut thru. I didnt cut mine do to the lack of space that would be gained. I'm going from the info/pics that someone posted yrs ago that did cut theirs from more storage space. Not worth the hassle to me. It not real deep under there. Several inches towards the center to just a couple as you get closer to the hull side. The 32's have a stringer running thru the center of that space, so just cut deep enough to go thru the plywood. 1/2"???
I did experiment locating my transducer in the step compartment as the above pic of the 35, but it didn't work at all. Appears the 35's compartment might be wider than ours. Yours wouldn't work there with the floor, unless you cut a hole in it to set the transducer down into. Maybe remove your fill cap assembly and try that spot???? Nothing to loose and just take a few minutes if the hole is large enough.

Try to find a spot as low as possible towards keel, but in solid wood, no coring. Which is what I was told by FPB to be the 12" measurement. (Now that I think about it, that might be 12" total, 6" both sides????) A call to RF might clarify all this.

A lot of the area in front of the hull step can be out of the water when running, or at least running in clean water, accept for the very center. I imagine that why a lot of it is a hit or miss if they will work, depending on trim settings and loads.

So I got an email from Tony Vick today. He said the best bet would be to cut through the side of the step since it's only plywood there. He also sent me a stringer layout of the 32'. (I can email a copy of this to anyone that needs it). See Tony's email below...

"Jay,
Good morning. The chrome fitting that you are showing is not the correct location. It would be in the step area, However it would need to be into the side of the step facing the wet bar. I have verified with the engineering dept and you will need to cut a 4" hole in the area I have marked which is to the right of the chrome fitting. You can install a 4' inspection plate once you have mounted the transducer. You can not install this by the chrome fitting due to the coring material in the area. This transducer should be mounted forward of the hull steps due to the aeration that is created by the steps.
Also, I have attached a copy of the stringer layout of the boat. The engineer sent me over the attachment. You should be ok because there is a open cavity between the plywood side and the stringer refer back to the drawing. Hope this helps. Thanks, Tony"

http://s16.postimage.org/vbmx1ypcl/3...ger_layout.jpg

Yep. hey, when you take your cover off under the step, how thick would you say the material is with fiberglass? Trying to get a feel of how deep I'll have to cut.

Just emailed you Stringer Layout too.
thx.

us1fountain (at) hotmail dot com

Plywood? Never would have guessed that since its so thick. But who's to disagree :) At least the rest of the info coincides with what I've seen or heard

I'll take a copy of the layout, if u don't mind.
[email protected]

Just sent.

Got it thanks

Thanks FF

BTW, your PM box is full. You can't receive any more PM's.

All Deleted, thx.

I have an older 93 lightning with no depth guage. Where is the best place for a transducer?

Lot's of info in this thread about that.

Here you go FF

Not sure why it always rotates them 90 when taken with phone?