It took me awhile to decide where to mount my new Garmin Echomap Plus 63cv and transducer. Thanks to Covid it's kinda hard to shop right now for kayak mounts, so I made my own.

 

Transducer:

 

The transducer is too big to use in a scupper. I thought of a side mount but figured the drag on one side would irritate me, and maybe the up and down movement would give a less than optimal reading, so I opted to mount it in the rear where the rudder would go.

 

 

Not much to explain. I found some aluminum scraps in my parents cabinet shop - one straight piece and one L shaped / right angled piece. I cut a notch out of the L piece so the transducer arm can swing all the way up back into the yak. I used the plastic mount that came with the fishfinder.

 

I'd never worked with aluminum, it was just a simple matter of drilling some holes and making a few cuts. I filed and sanded the edges. The arm can be removed with a wingnut.

 

I hope it's deep enough in the water. I'd better drill a few extra holes!

 

 

 

Mounting the fishfinder

 

Finding a spot on the Ride 115 for the main unit was difficult. The raised center "console" looking thingy is too far forward - I wouldn't be able to see the screen or touch the buttons. Rail mount seemed okay but it would still be a bit too far maybe. My eyes aren't getting any younger.

 

The main issue was finding a mount NOW, because of Covid. I didn't want to wait weeks and I didn't know what would fit my fishfinder anyways.

 

So I grabbed a piece of Starboard, also mysteriously just laying around in the shop, and took apart one of my rail-mounted rod holders so I could use the rail mount and ball portion.

 

I made this (the white thing):

 

 

I'll buy a proper mount later, but for now this should work. I made it like this so that it would reach beyond the length of the rail and closer to my seat. I can slide this up the rail temporarily if it gets in the way of paddling. I can rotate it out over the water a little if my leg bumps it too much. And I can remove it with a twist of the knob.

 

The black fishfinder cradle also rotates on top of the white mount. It ain't perfect but in one afternoon I have my first ever FF ready to go!

 

I thought of mounting it to the seat frame with some sort of arm. That would be nice and close and out of the way of everything, but I didn't know how to make one! For now we'll see how this goes.

For now the battery is in my milk crate in a waterproof tupperware box.

 

Just thought I'd share mainly the transducer mount idea.

 

Also, if anyone knows which rail / Ram whatever mount will work with this fishfinder please let me know. I've searched for them and none mention being compatible with my particular unit, though they fit other units that are the same approximate size. Most of them have so many holes I'd imagine they fit most models in a given size range.

 

I'd like it rail mounted and on an arm - ball mount style would probably work.

 

:) 

It makes me smile when I see builds like this.  Everyone used to have cobble something together at home to accessorize their kayaks.  Yours seems pretty well thought out, and I think leaving the transducer mount adjustable was a good idea.  Most of the ones I've seen mounted on a transom have been down a little lower.  You might find that the graph being where it is gets in the way of your paddle stroke, but you can always move it forward.  I think that's what drives kayak anglers to use the console in paddle kayaks most of the time.