So I have watched many videos/read posts about how to rig up my new Garmin Striker 4 to my canoe. I have wanted to get a fish finder for my BWCA and Q trips for years and finally pulled the trigger. I think I have the whole set up planned out EXCEPT for the best way to "shoot through the hull" with my transducer.

I have heard about using water that is sitting in the bottom already.
I have heard about handing it over the edge.
I have heard about making a pool with silicon and foam.
The best thing I think I have found I just stumbled across and wonder if anyone has tried this. I have watch a couple separate videos on YouTube.
They use something called DUCT SEAL (sorta like silly putty/play dough that wont harden) from Lowes/Menards/where ever for like $4 and mold it around their transducer and just stick it to the bottom of the canoe away from any ribs or whatever. It comes right off both the ducer and the bottom of canoe with no residue but will hold fast as well and it shapes right around the ducer. It looks so simple, easy and not messy...almost to good to be true. The videos showed great results with the results on their screens with no issues reported.
Thoughts?
Has anyone tried it?
Thanks for your time during these cold days of February...we might as well talk about something.
-Matt

Your first solution is the best. There is almost always a puddle of water in the canoe. If it dries out, splash in a little more. Tried and true. Don't overthink it. Keep it light. Keep it simple.

schweady: "Your first solution is the best. There is almost always a puddle of water in the canoe. If it dries out, splash in a little more. Tried and true. Don't overthink it. Keep it light. Keep it simple.
"

Yes this works well up to a point, and that point is when it's time to portage and the transducer must be removed and stowed lest in strikes you in the noggin. Personally I like to have as few things to stow as possible when portaging.

nooneuno: "

schweady: "Your first solution is the best. There is almost always a puddle of water in the canoe. If it dries out, splash in a little more. Tried and true. Don't overthink it. Keep it light. Keep it simple.
"

Yes this works well up to a point, and that point is when it's time to portage and the transducer must be removed and stowed lest in strikes you in the noggin. Personally I like to have as few things to stow as possible when portaging."

+1
I've used a suction cup with success.
I've also rigged an arm on my sonar thwart to attach a transducer as well.

nooneuno: "

schweady: "Your first solution is the best. There is almost always a puddle of water in the canoe. If it dries out, splash in a little more. Tried and true. Don't overthink it. Keep it light. Keep it simple.
"

Yes this works well up to a point, and that point is when it's time to portage and the transducer must be removed and stowed lest in strikes you in the noggin. Personally I like to have as few things to stow as possible when portaging."

Well, I'm not sure how this is any larger problem than making sure that your fishing rod, bait, and tackle are also stowed prior to portaging. I was focused more on fishing one lake, not fishing while traveling/portaging site to site, but my point remains that there is no need to rig up anything fancy to make it work.

I have never tried this so I have to believe you guys but it just seems crazy that with a little bit of water (what, 1/4 inch?) in the bottom it gets that clear of a signal. That is nuts. I also am worried about having MORE stuff to put away but I will also mainly just use it on the larger lakes not when we are moving from lake to lake portaging.
With the "just sit it in the bottom idea" does it get knocked over often?
I like the putty idea. If it truly works I dont think it will be more of an issue than the "just sit it in the bottom" and if it stays upright better....
I dont know
If both work then I will be good either way I guess. I will take it out this spring a couple times b4 we head to the Q to see which I like anyway.

I bought one of these Sully clamp-on transducer arms last year and it worked great. My only issue is that it extends a little too far down when fully retracted, and will scrape the transducer at most landings, so you have to put it on once in the canoe, which adds uncertainty to whether the transducer is pointing directly down. BUT, it worked well and didn't add too much noise when moving at speed (trolling). A little spendy but a well-machined product. I am going to see if I can modify it to use a RAM ball to make it really easy to swing up and out of the way (and to get it at a perfect right angle instead of a slight tilt due to the shape of the canoe with the stock clamp).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000BVFUR

The easy way is to put a generous dab of silicone caulk on your transducer. Then work the puck in a downward circular motion until the layer of caulk is even and thin. Work the excess caulk around the perimeter of the puck to form a tight seal with your finger. No need to mess with water or anything else. To remove, just gently pull up while wiggling it loose. Caulk will peel off.

In most canoes the best place is under the bow seat.

MarshallPrime: "...it just seems crazy that with a little bit of water (what, 1/4 inch?) in the bottom it gets that clear of a signal. That is nuts..."

Yeah, all you need is enough to eliminate any air pocket under the transducer. Sometimes, it seems like all it needs is to be a little wet. My Humminbird PiranhaMAX 210 portable's transducer has 800 watts peak to peak power. It's not like the 2000 watts in the too-heavy-to-portage Marcum LX3tc I use ice fishing, but easily enough that I notice no difference at all in signal display between shooting through the canoe and hanging it over the side.

I just take a cheap piece of styrofoam to keep the transducer stable and it sits under the stern seat. There's always a small amount of water there anyway, and very rarely have to add anything special. About as light and no fuss as you can get. I tried the duct seal thing in the past and just seemed like it was more trouble to redo between portages, etc.

old_salt: "The easy way is to put a generous dab of silicone caulk on your transducer. Then work the puck in a downward circular motion until the layer of caulk is even and thin. Work the excess caulk around the perimeter of the puck to form a tight seal with your finger. No need to mess with water or anything else. To remove, just gently pull up while wiggling it loose. Caulk will peel off.

In most canoes the best place is under the bow seat."

If you use this method, there’s no need to remove puck or anything else to portage. I mounted the head on a ram mount on the thwart in front of stern seat. All I do at a portage is turn it off and rotate the head down into the canoe so it’s protected. Easy as pie. I run the wires along thwarts and underneath gunwales held in place with small clips.

Another vote for just sitting it upright in the puddle of water that graces the bottom of the canoe. Works for me just fine, though I'm using it mainly for depth (not for marking fish, though mine does mark (some) fish) and finding old and new spots (unmapped sunken islands, mainly).

I have used Duct Seal to make a little moat around your transducer. Pour water in the hole around the transducer and put extra duct seal over the top of the transducer.

I prefer using a piece of closed cell foam. Cut out a piece in the Center of the foam pad that will hold your transducer. Cement the foam pad to the bottom of your canoe. Sprinkle in a handful of water into the Center of the foam pad and then insert your transducer puck into the foam pads. Add water to the foam hole so there is always water around the transducer. When you are done it will look just like Patrick
E’s.

I have this exact same unit and use duct seal for my kayak. It's essentially permanent in my case but it remains pliable for easy removal if you are renting a canoe and are concerned about doing something more permanent like silicone.

Duct seal works great and is super cheap. That said, I've heard of others having success just filling a ziploc bag with water and putting the transducer inside. I'm not sure how it remains steady and pointing downward, but it's an idea.

moustachesteve: "...I've heard of others having success just filling a ziploc bag with water and putting the transducer inside. I'm not sure how it remains steady and pointing downward, but it's an idea."

Not inside, just sitting on top like a very underinflated pillow. Need to get all of the air out before sealing. Sometimes this helps when running in a canoe that has foam down the middle of the floor, like Wenonahs, and you need to set it just slightly up the sidewall curve.

schweady: "
Not inside, just sitting on top like a very underinflated pillow. Need to get all of the air out before sealing.
"

Ah, that makes more sense. Thanks for the clarification.

I have put mine over the side but not on travel days.

Thanks for the other ideas.

Magicpaddler turned me on to the idea of using plumber's putty. Works like a charm and stays pliable but won't fall off.

Go with your first option, it's the best. Use the water that's already at the bottom.

If you take the detector on and off all the time use the suction cup. If you leave the detector on use duct seal. I install my detector before leaving home and don’t take it off till I get home.

Since my last trip, I’ve bought the Cabellas bracket. So that’s what I will be using.

Wally13: "I have used Duct Seal to make a little moat around your transducer. Pour water in the hole around the transducer and put extra duct seal over the top of the transducer.


I prefer using a piece of closed cell foam. Cut out a piece in the Center of the foam pad that will hold your transducer. Cement the foam pad to the bottom of your canoe. Sprinkle in a handful of water into the Center of the foam pad and then insert your transducer puck into the foam pads. Add water to the foam hole so there is always water around the transducer. When you are done it will look just like Patrick
E’s.


"

That is the method that I have settled on, just use clear silicone to cement the closed cell in place and it is easy to remove if you ever want to remove it. With the battery pack strapped under the seat, cords zip tied together and a bungie dealie bob on the transducer so it can be fastened to something, you can portage without removing anything except maybe the head unit if it cannot be rotated down.

TomT: "Magicpaddler turned me on to the idea of using plumber's putty. Works like a charm and stays pliable but won't fall off. "

+1 I previously used fast dry (3hr) silicone until the plumber putty solution. thanks MP.