06 Heat depth finder install
 

Want to install a depth finder here. Anyone know the best location to mount one on a heat. I was planning on putting it somewhere in the bilge but the instructions say not to mount it behind the step in the hull. Also don't want it outside on the transom if possible. Thanks

Don't mount it out on the transom. I have had problems with them out there, this time going into the bilge.

The factory mounts them in the flat pad area under the engine oil pan. Make sure you use some solvent to clean up the gel so the transducer doesn't come loose in rough water. I also sanded mine (gel coat and transducer face) with #600 to give the epoxy something to bite into.
Regards,
Steve

Definately do not mount it on the transom. There really isn't anywhere in a Heat that you can access the hull forward of the step. Mine was mounted at the furthermost part of the bilge from the factory. It is completely useless over about 15 mph.

I do really like having it though, especially when beaching my boat, or going to some of the boat launches. It has definately saved my prop a time or three.

Chris

Thanks for the response, you guys have a good one.

Mine is also completely useless over 15 MPH on my rage. I dont get any depth readings at all at higher speeds. Nordic said that it is due to the stepped haul design.

Is the transducer near the bilge pump? I was looking for this this past weekend. Are transducers "cleanable"? I've been getting wrong depth readings.

Installed the unit on Sat and it worked great. Worthless over about 25 mph but that was expected. Thanks again!

In2: Yes the transducer is cleanable and located by the pump. May want to try moving it around in there, instructions on mine say location is key.

Transducers do not perform well in cored hulls, have issues on high speed and step hulls, and soft bottoms (mud) give poor sonic wave reflectivity.
A hard bottom surface, at slow speeds will usually work best on our boats.
On some of the fishing boats I used to own, the manufacturers would leave a small area in the pad without coring so the transducer was mounted directly to the inside of the hull. I had a couple of Bullets where I could get decent readings on LCRs to 80MPH.
Mine doesn't work on plane at all.......
Steve

I was told to drill through the inter fiberglass shell, take the pilot bit out and drill through the balsa to the outer fiberglass shell and it would work much better. Need to pull an engine to do that so has not been done. I did do that on my Velocity and it worked at all speeds up to about 60.