I currently have my Lowrance 4xHDI on the ride 135, but feel like the transducer is a pain and could be mounted in a better place.  Of the 3 options given, which is your preferred method?  Feel free to comment as to why.

 

1. Through hull

2. Scupper hole mount

3. Arm/Bar hanging over the side of the kayak

I have mine stuck to the inside of my Slayer 12 with plumbers putty. I have an Elite 5. Have had no issues and get a clear image on the unit. I don't see why you would do it any other way on a kayak, unless the boat has a big recessed scupper for a transducer, like the Ride 115X.

Get the arm, and forget the rest!  Unless you're looking at a newer boat like the ATAK that is ducer ready.

Get the arm, and forget the rest!  Unless you're looking at a newer boat like the ATAK that is ducer ready.

 

advice or tips on how you use yours?  i actually have the yakattack cellblok and have the arm installed on it.  it just can be a pain sometimes getting caught in stuff and also seems to be plowing the water so to speak and interfering with the signal.  I would prefer to keep with the arm mount, but would like to make sure i'm getting the most out of it too....

I had the arm and didn't like it at all and went with a thru hull and that was peachy.  Now i have a transducer ready yak so i don't have to do either lol 

My first yak with a FF was old and had no TX hole/built in scupper mount. I used the Liberator arm. I made the entire unit removable with a plastic box for the battery. One large unit so to speak. Worked well, but was on the deck in the way. Over the side picked up weed and made an audible splash sound at times.

 

Next yak had a built in scupper recess for the TX. Works great. No turning back. My latest also now has a LARGE scupper mount for the HDI style TX.

 

I think thru hull is best if the yak has no scupper mount. Its easy to do and keeps stuff out of the way. Over the side may be easier, but it costs money to buy the arm whereas the thru hull is free.

Get the arm, and forget the rest!  Unless you're looking at a newer boat like the ATAK that is ducer ready.

Be brave.  Making your own transducer mount is easy as pie (cost me less than $10, not including the fish finder):

Be brave.  Making your own transducer mount is easy as pie (cost me less than $10, not including the fish finder):

 

brave is one word for cutting a 4" hole in the bottom of the yak.....  i don't think i could bring myself to do it!

brave is one word for cutting a 4" hole in the bottom of the yak.....  i don't think i could bring myself to do it!

 

I am with you but i have to say, the set up looks pretty clean.  I am brave when cutting my yak but cutting in the bottom would be hard for me to do and probably kills any warranty on the hull too.

I am with you but i have to say, the set up looks pretty clean.  I am brave when cutting my yak but cutting in the bottom would be hard for me to do and probably kills any warranty on the hull too.

 

no doubt looks clean and he thought that one through..... i just about cried putting a 1/2" diameter hole in mine to run some wiring....  and that was on the top of the yak!

DIY is not for the faint of heart.

i think i saw another post that he had with the write up and he works on marine stuff or something so it wasn't as big a deal  I'll take the electronics pod on my ATAK instead lol

Suction cup mount works like a champ on my kayak. 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lowrance-Eagle-Suction-Cup-Kit/738118.uts

My trident 13 has a transducer ready scupper so I mounted it there. Garmin wouldn't swap the transom mount my unit came with, so I just used silicon to keep it in place. A better idea I've come across is using a piece of plastic w 2 holes drilled in it, while running a zip tie down the scupper, through the transducer, back up and tightning it in place.

I currently have all three options in my Tupperware fleet, and the scupper hole or Atak depth hole are by far the most accurate and easiest to deal with.