Fish Finder Transducer mounting - Stern Saver?

Hey Fellas - New Member here from the West Coast of Canada - going to hopefully be buying a Lund SSV 16 next year. I'm going to get a finder for the new boat (Probably a HumminBird) and I'm curious if anyone has tried the "Sternsaver" mounts with the epoxy/glue on mount that you put on your transom that you mount the transducer onto so you don't have to drill holes and/or use stainless steel screws/bolts on your boat. Any concerns on the use of these or if/how they could affect your boat? Is it the way to go or if anyone has other creative solutions I"m all ears. I'm sure this topic may have been discussed perhaps.

:WELCOME:

I made my own out of cutting boards, glued 2 of them together so I would have the thickness I desired. Used 2 SS bolts to mount it to the transom using 3M 5200 to seal the edges and bolt holes. I used SS sheet metal screws to mount the transducer bracket to the board.

Works well and I haven't noticed any ill effects from having it there.

Pretty sure if you just used 3M5200(tranducer on cutting board) and no screws in the boat...it would still hold.That stuff is real strong,when set properly.

I put the Stern Saver on my boat about 3 years ago - and it's still holding strong today. I was actually able to read the bottom at faster speeds than when I had it mounted directly to the boat. I also lost the "rooster tail" from the transducer when running fast because the Stern Saver allows it to mount further behind the boat and gets out of the cavitation that is created.

I had my Lowrance Side Imaging/Down Scan transducer & the actual 2D transducer mounted on the small square (too cheap to buy the right piece to mount both side by side), but the SI/DS ducer was fully mounted, and the 2D ducer was only mounted with one side of the bracket on the Stern Saver... it worked luckily


I'm selling my boat now, and I'd like to take it off instead of buying a new one, but I think I'll just go ahead and bite the bullet and buy another.

Gramps50 said:

:WELCOME:

I made my own out of cutting boards, glued 2 of them together so I would have the thickness I desired. Used 2 SS bolts to mount it to the transom using 3M 5200 to seal the edges and bolt holes. I used SS sheet metal screws to mount the transducer bracket to the board.

Click to expand...

Zum said:

Pretty sure if you just used 3M5200(tranducer on cutting board) and no screws in the boat...it would still hold.That stuff is real strong,when set properly.

Click to expand...

I did something similar. I used two pieces of .125" aluminum screwed together. Drilled and tapped #10 holes into the pair, and then glued the assembly to the transom with 5200 (overnight stuff). I've used it the whole year with absolutely no issues.

Only thing that I would say is to give it a VERY long time to set (Over the winter would be smart). When I pulled out one of the #10 screws about 2 weeks later, the 5200 on the inside of the screw holes was still fresh. The outside edges had sealed, but the inside hadn't set yet. I am sure that there was virtually ZERO oxygen transfer through the AL, and once the outsides set, it will take a very long time for the rest to cure.

But even then, I still couldn't budge it with all my strength.

I used a "sternsaver" to install my HDS LSS transducer on my tracker PT175 with a stepped transom this past spring. I installed the sternsave on the underside of the step (for lack of a better term), and it has held strong for 6 months. If you don't want to put any holes in the hull, this is definately a solid option for you.

I have one I'm going to install on my boat when I mount a console fish finder. I've looked it over and the quality is definitely there. I would not hesitate to recommend them based on what mine looks like.

i have a Tite-lok Inc. transducer mount for sale email me at [email protected] if interested...thanks

https://www.titelok.com/product_info.php?cPath=18_21_37&products_id=129

will let it go for a ver good price

Besides thickness, I believe the only difference between using the cutting boards and buying a stern saver mounting is that the stern savers are made out of marine grade poly. (Never could remember how to spell the full word). The marine grade is probably treated to reisist UV rays from the sunlight. I don't know that this is that important.

The "stern saver" I installed had 1/2" holes drilled on the back side that you fill up with the "special glue" they provide in the kit, it looked like epoxy of some type. Very simple to install, just follow the directions, I did put a support under (bottle jack and 2x4) to hold the stern saver in place while the glue/epoxy set up. I checked the LLS mounting last weekend, and still solid, nothing has moved or come loose yet. And no I don't work for 'em or have any interest in the company. It is a bit pricey but it does what they say it will do, so far anyways.

What I did on 3 other boats was to cut a block of 1 inch thick plastic and glued it to the boat using silcone addhesive. This has been on these boats for over 10 years and it is still holding. I am not a big fan of drilling holes in the boat under the water line so I used no bolts or screws to hold it on. On the boat I rebuilt last summer I did the same thing but used 3M 5200 because I had an open tube. I always let it set up for at least a week before I used it so it could dry as best as possible. I have one of the stern,s brackets and I used it on a smaller boat but I don't like it,but hay I only paid a 1.00 for it at a yard sale.

I put an inexpensive FF on the stearn of my 16' jon boat. When I run it, it makes a large rooster tail.
Read a few post and was wondering if putting a couple of thickness of poly to mount the transducer on
would possibly eliminate the rooster tail.

Snitzel said:

I put an inexpensive FF on the stearn of my 16' jon boat. When I run it, it makes a large rooster tail.
Read a few post and was wondering if putting a couple of thickness of poly to mount the transducer on
would possibly eliminate the rooster tail.

Click to expand...

probably so.. just need to be cognizant of how far above the water line you are with the poly.