# Installing a fishfinder wtihout drilling holes!



## Old Bill

Hi Guys,

I wanted to install a fish finder on my old 1957 14’ V-bottom aluminum boat, but I didn’t want to drill any holes in the hull because the hull is in excellence shape.

So what I did was make a mounting bracket out of ¾" plywood and mount it on the boat using one of the two oarlocks.







I then mounted the fish finder display head onto the mounting bracket.






After quite a bit of pondering about how to mount the fish finder’s transducer, I decided to use two of the bolts on the transom’s rear plywood to hold a bracket made of ¾" plywood.
















Not wanting to cut a hole in the transom for the fish finder’s transducer’s cord, I installed the transducer on the plywood bracket and ran the cord over the top of the transom. Not too pretty, but it works!






In the above photo you can see the ¾" spacer that I epoxied onto the lower backside of the transducer’s mounting bracket.

Simple installation without any new holes!

Bill


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## Jim

Bill,
Welcome aboard and thank you for joining. 

You did some awesome work. Allot of people hate putting holes in their boats and this is a great way around it. 

Thanks for posting.


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## Waterwings

That's nice work, and a great idea using the oarlock! Set yourself up a photo gallery and post some pics of the boat..............we like pics  

Welcome Aboard!


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## Ouachita

Welcome! What model and year boat is that? I have never seen wood on the outside of an aluminum boat transom. Was that original?


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## bAcKpAiN

I went with one of these as opposed to a wood option as I too was too chicken to drill a hole in my transome below the water line. I like that it should last me as long as the boat without worry and is an easy change from boat to boat if needed.


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## bassboy1

Ouachita said:


> \ I have never seen wood on the outside of an aluminum boat transom. Was that original?


I have had boats from the 50s that had wood on the outside of the transom, and boats from 1997 that had wood on the outside. That style of transom, was very common throughout the 50s and 60s. I would bet that the inside of the transom has wood too. And, being out in the open, many think it would rot real quickly, but it doesn't. It drains off, and leaves no place for moisture to collect, and thereby rot the wood. And, if it did need changing, you pull 6 easy to get to bolts and it comes right off. Now, if many companies still did this, especially on welded boats, it would make lotsa things a whole lot easier.


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## Old Bill

Quachita wrote:

"Welcome! What model and year boat is that? I have never seen wood on the outside of an aluminum boat transom. Was that original?"

Quachita, the boat is a 1958 Richline Model Challenger that was made in Arkansas during the 1950's and 1960's.

Overall length: 14 ft.
Gunwale length: 14" 11"
Beam: 60"
Max depth: 23"
weight: 205 lb.
Gauge aluminum: .064
Maz. HP: 35

This is the first aluminum boat that I also have seen with wood on the outside of the transom. As far as I have been able to determine it is original.

It is a stoutly built boat with hundreds being sold to boat rental places during that period.

Bill


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## Old Bill

bAcKpAiN wrote:

"I went with one of these as opposed to a wood option as I too was too chicken to drill a hole in my transome below the water line. I like that it should last me as long as the boat without worry and is an easy change from boat to boat if needed."

baAcKpAiN, that is really a great looking product! If I had known about it I might not have built a wooden arm!

Oh, who am I kidding? I'm very cheap!! :roll: 

Thanks,

Bill


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## Old Bill

bassboy1 said:


> Ouachita said:
> 
> 
> 
> \ I have never seen wood on the outside of an aluminum boat transom. Was that original?
> 
> 
> 
> I have had boats from the 50s that had wood on the outside of the transom, and boats from 1997 that had wood on the outside. That style of transom, was very common throughout the 50s and 60s. I would bet that the inside of the transom has wood too. And, being out in the open, many think it would rot real quickly, but it doesn't. It drains off, and leaves no place for moisture to collect, and thereby rot the wood. And, if it did need changing, you pull 6 easy to get to bolts and it comes right off. Now, if many companies still did this, especially on welded boats, it would make lotsa things a whole lot easier.
Click to expand...


bassboy, you are certainly right about it being easier to make repairs or replace the transom if all aluminum boats were built that way.

My boat's transom does have only a single sheet of aluminum sandwiched between a front and rear sheet of plywood! I don't know if all of the Richline boats were made like that or not. 

It is a nice boat for my limited use. But, of course, l'd like to have a longer and wider Jon boat! But, not likely in this lifetime! :lol: 

Bill


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## switchback

Bill, That's a nice boat and really clean. Nice work. I have a 65 richline and it has the wood on the outside to. Does yours have the red and green lights on seperate sides on the front of the boat (reminds me of eyes)? I'm glad this came up because I'm fixing to install my fishfinder. Will have to check out the bracket that bAcKpAiN posted.


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## bAcKpAiN

By the way Bill, welcome to the forums! Thanks for sharing your boat with us. I never get tired of seeing pictures of fish and boats!


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## Old Bill

switchback said:


> Bill, That's a nice boat and really clean. Nice work. I have a 65 richline and it has the wood on the outside to. Does yours have the red and green lights on seperate sides on the front of the boat (reminds me of eyes)? I'm glad this came up because I'm fixing to install my fishfinder. Will have to check out the bracket that bAcKpAiN posted.



Hi Switchback,

I'm glad to read that you also have a Richline! No doubt there are lots of the boats still in use, but they are not as well known as other makes.

The two red and green bow lights on my boat has been replaced by a single red/green light, but the holes were still visible when I bought the boat. I have since filled in the holes with J.B. Weld

There is a yahoo group for Richline boat owners. It has only 4 members and zero activity...but there are some old Richline brochures posted that are interesting. Maybe you will join and increase the membership by 20%, plus post a photo of your boat? :lol: 

https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Richline_53/?yguid=472415

Bill


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## Jim

Old Bill said:


> switchback said:
> 
> 
> 
> Bill, That's a nice boat and really clean. Nice work. I have a 65 richline and it has the wood on the outside to. Does yours have the red and green lights on seperate sides on the front of the boat (reminds me of eyes)? I'm glad this came up because I'm fixing to install my fishfinder. Will have to check out the bracket that bAcKpAiN posted.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Switchback,
> 
> I'm glad to read that you also have a Richline! No doubt there are lots of the boats still in use, but they are not as well known as other makes.
> 
> The two red and green bow lights on my boat has been replaced by a single red/green light, but the holes were still visible when I bought the boat. I have since filled in the holes with J.B. Weld
> 
> There is a yahoo group for Richline boat owners. It has only 4 members and zero activity...but there are some old Richline brochures posted that are interesting. Maybe you will join and increase the membership by 20%, plus post a photo of your boat? :lol:
> 
> https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Richline_53/?yguid=472415
> 
> Bill
Click to expand...


Bill,
If you can get those guys to join here, I will make a forum just for Richline boats......No big deal either way. We are always evolving and trying to make it better here.


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## kemical

thank you for this idea old bill!.. im doing the same for my fish finder and the other side i will use for a my rod holder!! thanks hope you dont mind me using your idea for my jon!
     ill post when im done with the project!!


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## Old Bill

kemical said:


> thank you for this idea old bill!.. im doing the same for my fish finder and the other side i will use for a my rod holder!! thanks hope you dont mind me using your idea for my jon!
> ill post when im done with the project!!



Kemical, I'm pleased you think the idea is worth doing!

Good luck,


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## hcsdchief

Old Bill, Welcome. Nice looking boat, and excellent job on the fish finder.


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## heavy-chevy

looks good, your rig looks to nice to drill holes in. my transom looks like swiss cheese, i wasn't even afraid to drill a hole in the bottom of the boat for the console lol.


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## Old Bill

heavy-chevy said:


> looks good, your rig looks to nice to drill holes in. my transom looks like swiss cheese, i wasn't even afraid to drill a hole in the bottom of the boat for the console lol.



Wow! Now that's a fishing boat!! It looks fast just sitting still.

Was the console very hard to install? Did the holes leak? :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


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## Butthead

bAcKpAiN said:


> I went with one of these as opposed to a wood option as I too was too chicken to drill a hole in my transome below the water line. I like that it should last me as long as the boat without worry and is an easy change from boat to boat if needed.



That's what I use on my boat except that I use it because I can't permanently mount a transducer to my boat due to me constantly beaching my boat to get it in and out of the water at the rampless lakes/ponds around here. I got the bracket with the LCR mount that attaches to the side of the boat, but the problem with it is it causes so much drag. Since all the reservoirs are electric power only, it likes to cut into your speed, and thus uses up more of the battery power which = less fishing time :evil: Anyhow, I just drilled a couple holes in the brackets, got a couple new bolts, and now the transducer mount sits is like the other ones so I can mount it in the back of the boat where it creates a little less drag.


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## Old Bill

Butthead said:


> bAcKpAiN said:
> 
> 
> 
> I went with one of these as opposed to a wood option as I too was too chicken to drill a hole in my transome below the water line. I like that it should last me as long as the boat without worry and is an easy change from boat to boat if needed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's what I use on my boat except that I use it because I can't permanently mount a transducer to my boat due to me constantly beaching my boat to get it in and out of the water at the rampless lakes/ponds around here. I got the bracket with the LCR mount that attaches to the side of the boat, but the problem with it is it causes so much drag. Since all the reservoirs are electric power only, it likes to cut into your speed, and thus uses up more of the battery power which = less fishing time :evil: Anyhow, I just drilled a couple holes in the brackets, got a couple new bolts, and now the transducer mount sits is like the other ones so I can mount it in the back of the boat where it creates a little less drag.
Click to expand...


I believe those mounts are great! Had I known about them prior to installing my home-made fishfinder mount I might have bought one.

Naw! I'm too cheap...but, they are nice looking mounts!! :lol:


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## heavy-chevy

Old Bill said:


> heavy-chevy said:
> 
> 
> 
> looks good, your rig looks to nice to drill holes in. my transom looks like swiss cheese, i wasn't even afraid to drill a hole in the bottom of the boat for the console lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow! Now that's a fishing boat!! It looks fast just sitting still.
> 
> Was the console very hard to install? Did the holes leak? :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Click to expand...



thanks. the console wasn't too hard, but wiring all the switches and key and gauges was a pain. countersunk all the screws n the bottom and sealed them with marine silicone and nothing leaks.


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## Jim

heavy-chevy,
Every time I look at your boat I chuckle a bit. You need to paint it red and put flames all over it, and chrome out everything you can. :LOL2:


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## Old Bill

Jim said:


> heavy-chevy,
> Every time I look at your boat I chuckle a bit. You need to paint it red and put flames all over it, and chrome out everything you can. :LOL2:



Jim, I think heavy-chevy needs to do just that! What a neat looking boat! =D> 

Just looking at his photo makes me believe that motor is at least 150 HP!


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## Butthead

When I first saw Heavy-chevy's sig I thought it was a photoshop job. 

Red w/flames is definitely the way to go!!! :mrgreen:


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## heavy-chevy

lol, yea all my projects turn out like this. last summers project was a rotax snowmobile powered ez-go golf cart...


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## Jim

heavy-chevy said:


> lol, yea all my projects turn out like this. last summers project was a rotax snowmobile powered ez-go golf cart...



:LOL2: :beer:


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## Buck43

Can some one tell me who makes the Alum transom mounts shown in this thread and where I can find them? Looks like what I need for my transducer in lieu of drilling.

Buck


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## ACarbone624

Cabelas

https://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0000844010095a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&QueryText=transducer+mount&sort=all&Go.y=0&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&Go.x=0&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1


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## Buck43

thanks!


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## RBuffordTJ

Saw it, liked it....made one for my boat. I love the simple idea of using the oar holes to mount the fish finder. I have to rig my transducer up now becuase I hate having it on my trolling motor!

Thanks for the great idea!

Bufford in Orlando


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## ohiolunker

Agreed. Using the oar hole is a great idea. Nice work.


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## bcbouy

i use my oarlocks for rod holders,so i cut a piece of 1" tubing the depth of my transom,painted it,mounted my transducer to it and c clamped i on.you cant even see it,cuz its the same color as the boat.


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## screwballl

Wow I have the same fishfinder (PiranhaMax 215)... but what I did was used a large hose clamp and tightened the tranducer itself onto the transom mounted trolling motor. For the unit itself, I just used an existing mount spot to bolt mine in.

Either way yours looks good!


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## tefletcher1965

My 57 richline challenger made in Richland Missouri


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