I remember when I did my B-164, that 3 1/2" hole saw will give you serious pucker power as it starts gnawing away at the hull!! :)

Looks great, Ken. Glad to hear that the ride improved too. I am still amazed that the entire project was completed in such a short time.


Talk about the pucker factor...I was so nervous when I cut a hole for an AIRMAR B175HW transducer in my 27 Tournament. Like a dope, I then tried to install myself after work one night. The sealant I was using set up real quick and got on the threads and I was screwed. Had to come back in the next day and have a mechanic at the shop help me remove it, clean everything off and then start over with two people...lesson learned, dont rush it and ask for help if needed.

Never had a gel coated bilge before so I dumped a quart in and sloped it around. I have no intention to put a bunch of effort into making it pretty and keeping scrubbed but it doesn't look too bad and all the fresh glasswork is covered. Tomorrow comes the most important hardware....transducers!!!!

Ken,

Couple questions:

I see you have autopilot, did you go with the small pump and kit for around 2k or did you put in the full ghp reactor with smart pump instead? If you went with the small kit, how is performance and sensitivity with that 300? any issues so far?

Also I see the bocatech custom panel from international marine, what did that cost you and what is your opinion on those switches so far?

Why did you go with a hermco instead of an armstrong bracket as well?

Thanks

Actually I think it is the ghp 10 1.2 pump. I did upgrade to a ghp 20 head display. The system has worked great for the last 3 years with no issues. It responds well and turns plenty fast enough.

The switch panels vary in cost to what u want in options. Call and tell them what u want and they'll give u a quote. It's not cheap but they are very nice.

Hermco brackets are made for our boats. They fit perfectly, don't leak and displace their own weight and most any outboard you mount on them. You don't have corrosion issues with the stainless mounting bolts as well.

Finished installing thru hull transducers today! Measure 10 times... drill once.
The Garmin GT 51 was a challenge but fit perfectly on the keel. No more transom mounted ducers! I'll get some photos tomorrow after we get the bilge tidied up.

"I'll get some photos tomorrow after we get the bilge tidied up"

Really?? Bilge tidied up? Never heard of such a thing!! :)

Pic of the ducer install from the bilge.

Too pretty!! :)

Thanks Don but I can guaranty it will only be pretty for a while. I don't see Mel scrubbing the bilge after every trip and we all know what happens in the bilge stays in the bilge. :D

I will say that having a large bilge access has been a bonus for getting everything installed. We are considering a washdown pump and it looks like installing the through hull, strainer and valve will be a breeze. I also ran a fuse box in the center stern compartment for future use as well as pulling a couple of extra wires from the switch up front. Looking as some deep drop reels in the near future and putting in the power resources during construction should make it a lot easier on the back end.

Kmoose can you get a bottom shoot of the garmin transducer

Not a great shot but it is located 26" forward of the transom a 56" from the back of the bracket right dead center of the keel. The flat pad of the keel is the exact same width of the GT 51.

Wow, that is a big hunk of transducer! That thing could probably find MH 370. Just curious what happens (and hoping you don't) when you run around with that big dude hanging down there? Also, seems like it would be a huge hydrodynamic incumberance? Interfere with clean water to prop? Maybe I live in a cave, but I've never seen anything like that...

Jim

Not as big as it seems in the pic. It's right at 2" in height and 2.5" wide, very hydrodynamic and has proven itself to be no issue in the past. Before my bracket I had a transom mount GT 51 mounted dead center < 10" directly in front of my lower unit with zero effect on performance. Now it is 5 feet in front of it.... not an issue. Think of the fact my motor feeds from off a 5" step 30"+ behind it. With a ramp fronted ducer 26" farther ahead I don't think there will enough turbulence created to be measurable, especially from the keel.

Here is a pic of the previous install I ran for a year with the 250 and after the repower as well.

I'll know for sure after Saturday as she is going offshore for a full day and I will report back.

Thanks for the pictures was wondering if it would interfere with the trailer / or cause turbulence

Very nice & clean! Thank you for the pictures!

Did you consider internal install, or is that not an option with this unit?

Not an option for this transducer as it functions as a sidescan ducer as well as a traditional medium chirp and down view ducer.

I need the braille setting.

Looks like images from the Mars Rover !
Show me some Grouper :eek:

If Saturday weather pans out grouper and red snapper will grace the new fishbox.

Well we had the option to work on cosmetics on the sled or taker her out for a sporty day 60 nautical offshore......

Again....how big is that new fish box?????? :) Yum-O, not too much better than cobia!

Everything went very well. The fish box is a meat locker bigger than 250qt. It swallowed the cobia, limit of red snapper, half a dozen big mangos, 8 hogs, and a fat gag. Ran out of air before I ran out of fish and daylight.

Nice to see great results from all that hard work!

Yikes, What a christening!
Leave a few grunts out there for Donny to fry up at the Gathering.

WOW!:eek:

Nice fish and great shot!

Now that's what I call fabulous cosmetics!

Busy week, just a peek!

Whoa! what's that? New 350? New lower unit on your 300?....hmmm.

After closer inspection, non counter rotating. I guess just a tease? or indications of future upgrades...

Kicking the idea around but there are some negatives in added weight and pricing for the moment. There are some deals coming up on some demos but all of them are 25" and I am all locked in for a 30".

All of this build was for nothing unless you bolt on a new 350.

Now , Now....go back to post #261 to see if the build was successful as is. :)

So, it`s not a DP?
No need to step up for 50 more when you are at 250.

Hey Ken - more ponies here. Not sure about the weight.

http://www.cwsmarketing.com/?p=3739

I saw his fish....

He still needs to come off that cash and buy that 350'

I saw in the September issue of Florida Sportsman magazine the "preliminary word" on the price of the DF350 was $32K! I would think the already installed DF300 will be just fine, however I'm a cheap bastard! :)

I think the biggest attraction to the 350 for me is the lower unit. Unfortunately it's not a direct swap to the 300 that has more than enough ponies for any 23. Unless an incredible deal becomes available for a 30" demo 350 it will be off the table for a couple of years.

Got the rub rail installed today. Not a fun task but well worth the effort.

No more shrimp boat gunwales.