Gizmo holed, for a sonar summer
That's a beautifully built Interphase forward looking sonar (FLS) transducer -- actually two phased array transducers, one 90� vertical and one 90� horizontal, cast into the same epoxy block (hence the dual outputs). It can be used with several Interphase FLS models, but I'm looking forward to trying it with the company's new Ultrascan PC90, discussed here last Fall. And I went to some trouble, including carefully band sawing that fairing block, to give it a good view. In fact, some may call me crazy...
Yeah, I cut three holes in Gizmo's keel, about nine feet back from the stem. First up, obviously, is the Interphase FLS transducer. I thought about putting it off center, where it would be more protected, but the fairing block wasn't quite deep enough to achieve the ideal vertical athwartships orientation because of Gizmo's sharp 37� dead rise in this area. I also realized that the transducer's epoxy-filled bronze stem is flared at the bottom, so even if I hit something hard enough to sheer the black body off, it's unlikely the event will cause a leak. Plus I found that Gizmo's keel area sports a pleasing solid inch of fiberglass. I went for it.
The location of the FLS transducer is nearly ideal, I think, but as for the Airmar DST800 I plan to insert in that thru-hull casing right behind it...maybe not so much. I realize that, and have other options for speed and/or depth, plus Airmar has a camera that would fit nicely in that casing if there's just too much turbulence from the phased arrays.
Finally, further aft is a Lowrance/Simrad StructureScan side-looking transducer that's actually designed to be transom mounted (when bolted to a stainless bracket). But Navico won't have their StructureScan thru-hull transducer finished for a while, and I'm keen to test my theory that this technology can be useful for gunkholing. The duct tape, then, is holding in the large charge of 3M 5200 I squeezed into the offset cable hole (where I'm also using a Scanstrut Deck Seal. A little funky, yes; crazy, maybe; but it will be an interesting sonar summer. Lighting wise too...
I also drilled holes in the stern for a pair of OceanLED A6 Amphibian underwater lights, despite the major Panbo hooha on this subject. But they're "warm white" -- instead of Lauderdale blue -- in deference to New England sensibilities. When adding gizmos to Gizmo, even getting gooped with 5200 while lying on my back in dank shed was big fun.
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Incidentally, I'm looking for advice on the latest coatings to keep transducers clean in saltwater. Also what best for keeping barnacles off of bow thruster plastic prop, main bronze prop, and stainless rudder?