By Keith McQueen – Team NuCanoe
Looking for a way to mount your fish finder and transducer to your new Frontier? Well this DIY may be for you. This is a quick, cheap and effective way to mount your fish finder’s transducer to the Frontier by utilizing the Freedom Track. It is not only easy and inexpensive to build, but it also easily folds the transducer out of the water and rotates it into the boat for travel without having to remove it from the kayak. It is designed to have very little if any drag while paddling with it in the operating position. You can easily modify the design to accommodate different mounts instead of the flush mounts I used. ½” PVC fits into a Scotty mount very nice and snug so the mount that holds the transducer arm needs to be either a Scotty Flush Mount or Base Mount, but the fish finder itself could be changed to your favorite mount. Just keep in mind that if you go with the base mount you will have to adjust the arm length. Instead of a board you could use the NuCanoe Slide Mount (#2440).
Here is the BOM you will need:
(1) ¾” x 7-1/2” x 25- ½” plywood.
(2) Scotty Flush Mount Rod Holders
(2) ¼” threaded knobs
(2) ½” PVC electrical 90 degree sweeps
(2) ½” PVC pipe cut to 3” long
(1) ½” PVC electrical union
(1) ¾” x 10” lg. x 1/8” aluminum flat bar (bent)
(1) 1-1/4” PVC pipe cut to 7-1/2” long (transducer wire storage)
(1) 1” PVC pipe cut to 7-1/2” long (Fish finder power lead storage)
(2) ¼” track bolts
(3) Pad eyes (optional)
Various Hardware (screws, bolts, nuts, washers, etc.)
PVC Primer (clear)
PVC Glue (clear)
Paint
Tools: Screwdriver, hacksaw, wrench set.
Steps:
Build the Console:
1. Rip ¾” plywood 7-1/2” wide and cut to 25-1/2” length. *See note at bottom.
2. Center and drill hole for Scotty Flush Mount Rod Holder 4-1/2” from outside edge and 2” from back edge on left side of console. Repeat on right side.
3. Drill (1) 3/8” through hole on each side from center out 11-1/4” to give a 22-1/2” center between holes for mounting to the Freedom Track.
4. After all holes are drilled, mount and square the Scotty mounts to the console board using self-tapping Stainless steel wood screws.
5. Flip the console over and mount the 1” PVC from left edge and 1-1/4” PVC pipe from right edge to the console 7” from outside edge to the underside of the console. When console is flipped right side up the 1” PVC will be on the right and the 1-1/4” will be on the left. Be sure to square pipe to front edge of console. You need to drill holes through the PVC pipe for the size wood screws you choose to use. The hole that will be adjacent to the console should be drilled to a size that will accommodate the screw being used. The outside hole should be drilled large enough for a screwdriver to be placed through the hole in order to tighten the screw.
6. Install the optional pad eyes equally spaced and as many as you desire at this time. I use the pad eyes to attach items such as my battery box (separator build), pliers, paddle leash, fish grabbers, etc.
7. This should complete the console and allow you to move on to the building the transducer arm.
Next build the Transducer Arm:
1. Cut (2) pieces of ½” sch 40 PVC pipe 3” long.
2. Primer and glue 3” pipe into the bell end of the ½” 90 degree electrical sweep.
3. Primer and glue the opposite end of the 3” pipe into one end of the ½” electrical union.
4. Primer and glue the second piece of 3” PVC into the opposite end of the assembled union.
5. Primer and glue the second 90 degree sweep onto the 3” pipe using the bell end.
6. 1” From the bottom end of one of the 90 degree sweeps drill a through hole through the sweep to the size of the bolt you choose to use to attach the transducer arm. From the previously drilled hole, measure up 1” and drill a second through hole.
7. Set PVC assembly arm to the side for now.
8. Next we need to make the arm to attach the transducer to the PVC assembly. My fish finder is a Humminbird 176i. The dimensions I am giving here is to accommodate it’s transducer. You may have to alter the given dimensions to fit your transducer. Also, I made my arm extend several inches above the last bolt and added additional holes in order for adjustment depending on the weight in the boat. I started by placing the Frontier flat on the floor and then adjusted the arm so the bottom of the transducer, when mounted to the assembly, was about 1-1/2” from the floor. This would be my highest setting in the bolt pattern. With the additional adjustment holes I can move the transducer deeper into the water. I wanted the bottom of the transducer up from the bottom of the boat where when stepping into the kayak it would not roll enough to press the transducer into the ground. So far, it seems to be the correct distance. Depending on your transducer and if you want adjustments, cut the ¾” flat bar 9-12” long (Hint: you can always cut off the additional later but you can’t add it). For my transducer, I bent a 90 degree bend 2” long on one end of the flat bar in my vice. Next using you transducer as a guide, drill holes for the bolts that came with your transducer in the small bend of the arm to mount your transducer. Next, drill at least 2 holes at the top of the bar to match the 1” spaced holes on the PVC assembly the same size as drilled through PVC. If you chose to make the arm longer for adjustment, drill additional holes 1” apart.
Assembly
1. Insert the transducer arm into the left Scotty flush mount rod holder.
2. Zip-tie the transducer wire to the transducer arm in several places. Leave enough slack in cable to allow the transducer arm to rotate at the union.
3. Insert the fish finder head unit into the second Scotty flush mount rod holder.
4. Plug the power cord from the battery into the fish finder head unit. *Note if you build the battery box in my “Fish Finder and Aux Power Box” build, it will fit under the console and between the 2 PVC cable holders.
5. Take an additional power cord and fold it end over end to where the cable bundle is less than 7” long. Place 2-3 twist ties around cord. Be sure to leave enough slack to be able to insert the cable bundle into the 1” PVC pipe.
6. Repeat step 5 for the transducer cable and place it into the 1-1/4” PVC pipe.
Additional information:
I think another Scotty deck mount placed in the front center between the 2 flush mount rod holders would give you another place to add a rod holder or accessories.
I hope you enjoyed the project and it will make your experience with the NuCanoe Frontier 12 even more enjoyable.
Check for additional DIY projects on my Team NuCanoe page.
You may also find me on:
NuCanoe forum (bearkat)
Texaskayakfisherman.com (bearkat9293)
Texasfishingforum.com (bearkat9293)
Texasbowhunter.com (bearkat)
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