I would like to semi-permanently mount my transducer to the inside hull of my Souris River. I have used plumbers putty and a little splash of water for years for a temporary mount and it's worked pretty well. My question is: Can I just use silicone to mount the transducer and make sure that there are no air bubbles, or do they still need water under them to be effective? I have an older Lowrance X-4 Pro model.

I have used silicone and it worked well. Push the transducer all the way until it touches the bottom of the canoe.
Does the x-4 remember your settings when it is shut off?

I didn't have good luck with the silicone mounting on my Souris River. The first time I had very poor signal, and the second try it was fair at best. This is absolutely not to say it will not work as others appear to have had good luck with it. I most likely did something wrong. Air bubble maybe? I went with a foam cut out siliconed to the floor and add a little water and press it in.

MagicPaddler: "I have used silicone and it worked well. Push the transducer all the way until it touches the bottom of the canoe.
Does the x-4 remember your settings when it is shut off?"

Surprisingly it does! It is not a fancy unit, but it gives me a good depth reading and is easy on 10 AA batteries for a week,

I have had a silicon transducer work in my Bell Magic and MN II canoes.

I went to plumbers putty and then like mgraber moved on to a foam cut out cemented to the floor. Add some water and press the transducer in. I feel the foam cut out is the permanent solution.

I have an older black and white Lowrance X-4 and it does remember your settings when you turn the unit off.

I've done some research on silicone and transducers with a shoot hull approach. Most of what I have found has said yes, you can shoot the hull as long as there is not bubbles in the silicon.

This was my thinking not more that a week ago, but then I started thinking, why not just go with a suction cup mount.

okinaw55: "I've done some research on silicone and transducers with a shoot hull approach. Most of what I have found has said yes, you can shoot the hull as long as there is not bubbles in the silicon.


This was my thinking not more that a week ago, but then I started thinking, why not just go with a suction cup mount."

Agreed. I use a suction cup mount and love it. Very easy, very accurate. Simply slide down u der the water when needed. Slide up the side wall when not in use.

The suction cups work well but I have recently just mounted my transducer off my fishing thwart. Caution, the suction cups can cause some whitening of epoxy in the heat. This will sand off.

Is that from long term use or just a few days, i was thinking the suction cup idea when we rent a canoe but i dont want to ruin one if it does that in a few days.

Reke0402: "Is that from long term use or just a few days, i was thinking the suction cup idea when we rent a canoe but i dont want to ruin one if it does that in a few days."

Just a few hours. Those black suction cups can heat up.

Yeah, suction cups suck. (Is there an intended pun in there somewhere??) The texture on some canoes aren't all that conducive to all-day outings. You notice that when using rentals. They'll hold for a while and then you lose your reading and can't figure out why until you finally check for the 'ducer and it's trailing behind you. Glad I can set mine in the ever-present puddle of water in the bottom of the canoe and ignore other methods. More equipment I get to leave behind.

Good to know i will scrap that idea i had

I agree with Schweady .

I used a suction cup for many years. It would come off every now and then.

But the main issue was the "drag" on your canoe that comes with using a suction cup. I liked to troll a lot and I do not like the transducer suction cup dragging, particularly when I am trolling long distances between camp relocation.

Wally13: "I agree with Schweady .


I used a suction cup for many years. It would come off every now and then.


But the main issue was the "drag" on your canoe that comes with using a suction cup. I liked to troll a lot and I do not like the transducer suction cup dragging, particularly when I am trolling long distances between camp relocation.



"

I was concerned about drag with the suction cup as well, even just a little drag can be a huge nuisance. I just want to be able to "set it and forget it." I'll try the silicone method for a trial run at home. If the graph doesn't read well, I'll come up with some type of foam saddle to rest it in.

Wally13: "I agree with Schweady .


I used a suction cup for many years. It would come off every now and then.


But the main issue was the "drag" on your canoe that comes with using a suction cup. I liked to troll a lot and I do not like the transducer suction cup dragging, particularly when I am trolling long distances between camp relocation.



"

I used to connect my ducer to the suction cup via a 6" pipe strap. Never had any drag. I only would get the white outline when I left the canoe on shore out of the water. Don't think this ever happened while the canoe was in the water.

I'm also not a fan of the suction cup as I have the sonar on most of the time, it is the best way to find those mid lake reefs or concentrations of fish. We are fishing or prepared to fish almost all the time, even while traveling, often trolling as we travel. This has often resulted in some ridiculously good fishing. Transducer drag sucks, taking your FF on and off during a trip sucks, having batteries that last only a day or two sucks, imho.