My Lowrance GPS Install

[97Champ181]

Thought I would post this for any other newbies doing their first fishfinder/GPS install. I was able to complete it in a couple days ( I work slow) with alot of help from you guys on the BBC boards. Thanks again for the assistance. I took it out on the water yesterday and everything worked great! Wasn't able to test the sonar reading at anything over idle speed yet because I went to an idle speed only lake. I'll post an update when I do.


First step: select a spot in the bilge area to mount the 'ducer and sand it down till it's smooth. I sanded it by hand because I didn't have anything small enough to fit in the small area and didn't feel like disconnecting all the hoses. The hoses don't have much flex to them either so it would've been a pain!




2nd step: I used fiberglass resin (bought at Home Depot) to mount the 'ducer to the hull. This was suggested by BBC er Pat Goff and it sounded like a good idea to me. To use the resin you have to build a pool to pour the resin into and contain it because it's thinner than epoxy. I bought some modeling clay from Wally World to make my pool around the area I sanded. Mix the resin and hardener and pour it into the pool, then set the 'ducer in the resin. I used some modeling clay on top of the ducer to weigh it down and also stuck some wire thru the hole in the front of the ducer to act as a stabilizer so it wouldn't tip over. If you are using the skimmer ducer like me, rock it back and forth several times in the resin to get the bubbles out from under it. Then tape it down with duct tape and let it sit. It took about 2 hours for the resin to harden.





Third step: Fishing the 'ducer wire to the console. I used an electrician's fish tape to run some string from the console to the bilge area. Then attach the string to the 'ducer plug and pull it to the console.

Fourth Step: I made a plastic spacer/hole cover/mounting pad to attach my Ram Mount to. I bought a small piece of 2.5" dia plastic from a fabricating shop in town and since i'm a machinist I whipped it out at work. I borrowed the idea from another BBCer that made something similar for a Johnny Ray mount. I only had to drill three holes in the boat this way. I drilled a 1" dia hole with a hole saw for the 'ducer plug to go through and two smaller holes for the 10-24 mounting bolts. I screwed the Ram mount into the plastic using stainless self tapping screws.














Modified by 97Champ181 at 8:32 AM 4/12/2009


Modified by 97Champ181 at 8:55 AM 4/12/2009


Modified by 97Champ181 at 8:57 AM 4/12/2009


Modified by 97Champ181 at 8:59 AM 4/12/2009


Modified by 97Champ181 at 9:00 AM 4/12/2009

[waldodog]

Very nice, clean job!

[jerzia]

You could sell those spacers if you made more. For instance, I would buy one.

[billybass]

Great job, looks real nice! Thanks for the walk thru too.

[Fish Hook]

I want a spacer also.... it looks great. I didn't drill any holes because I was not sure how to make it look right with a big hole and the ram mount.

If you are going to sell some please add me to the list.

[shootincyclone]

Very clean, nice job!

[Bassin Bob71]

Great Job Where do you fish around Rockford?? I lived in Freeport for 13 years before moving to WI. Still wondering why I moved north

[97Champ181]

Thanks for all the kudos guys. I will see what I can do about getting some more spacers made. I do have a couple extra prototypes made already that would probably work just fine. I have more material that I could use to make some more, it's just a matter of finding time to do it. For those that are interested, send me an e-mail at sofa_king75@yahoo.com and I will try and hook you up. As far as fishing around Rockford, I mostly fish southern wisconsin. Lake Delavan is my favorite right now, I also hit the madison chain, Geneva, Rock Lake, Castle Rock, Lauderdale Chain on a regular basis. I also just started fishing Lake Michigan for smallies around Chicago, went out there a couple times last year and can't wait to hit it this spring.

[shootincyclone]

Did you take your champ out on Lake Michigan? I saw a video on youtube of a guy on lake michigan in a champion and the colors look very similar to your boat..

I live just south of McHenry and we have a private launch into the chain in my neighborhood. Maybe sometime we can hook up and catch some fish!!

You mentioned Delavan lake...have you been fishing up there already this year?? I was up on Geneva and Delavan a few times last year and had a great time!

[97Champ181]

Yep, that was me out on Lake Michigan battling the 4 ft rollers. Caught a bunch of steelhead in Diversey Harbor that day. I haven't been up to Delavan yet but I plan to SOON! How is the bass fishing on the chain? That's one of the few local waters i've never had my boat on.

[ChampionNorm]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jerzia &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You could sell those spacers if you made more. For instance, I would buy one. </TD></TR></TABLE>

+1

[BlackChamp]

+2

[bobbymc]

Very professional job and it looks great..

[Bassin Bob71]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 97Champ181 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yep, that was me out on Lake Michigan battling the 4 ft rollers. Caught a bunch of steelhead in Diversey Harbor that day. I haven't been up to Delavan yet but I plan to SOON! How is the bass fishing on the chain? That's one of the few local waters i've never had my boat on. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've been on Delavan once a couple years ago. I hear its awesome in the spring. We should meet down there sometime - its about an hour and fifteen from me.

[203]

I like the install, with one exception. I think I would pull it apart and coat the hole with some form of resin/hardner of your choice to completely waterproof the fiberglass / composite raw edge that is there in the cap. The hole in the machined piece is aimed to drive water down into that area when you are towing or running in the rain.

Then I think I would use some latex or silicon to seal the tunnel where the wires go thru, or you will still have a path for water to get in under the dash, which has caused me some heartache in my under dash electronics. My water comes in thru the windshield fastners and I have yet to find a decent way to dry them up.

[97Champ181]

Thanks for the advice Richard. I'm way ahead of you on the coating of the holes, I did take some of the fiberglass resin and coated the bare fiberglass using a Q-tip before I assembled everything. Just forgot to mention it in my steps. As for putting the silicone in the tunnel, I didn't think of that but it sounds like a good idea. I should probably seal the bolt holes too. A couple other things I did but forgot to mention, I made a thin backing plate out of the same plastic for the backside of the mount. I didn't like the thought of tightening the nuts down into bare fiberglass. Also, the spot that I drilled through came out a little too close to the PVC pipe on the underside that the wires run through, so I had to do a little trimming on the end of the pipe. If you are putting a mount in the same area watch for that! And one more thing, I made a cork gasket that I put between the spacer and the top cap for a little more cushion/padding. Yes, I am somewhat anal! Spring has arrived in Illinois FINALLY..gonna be 70 tomorrow. Can't wait to see bass cruising the shallows!