Where to mount depth finder/fish locator on tiller boat?

[Gobbi-M1]

Yeah, don't want to spend a 1/4 of what the unit cost for a mount. There aren't any big box outdoor stores in two hours of here, it's hard to compare with pictures or would chance ordering one.

Looks like Ram makes a swing-away adjustable for about $60. My tiller handle is on the left too, so the unit needs to be to my right and out of the way if possible without turning around.

I like those Hobie rails if they don't put the unit out over the gunnel. Do they offer a shorty rail?

Yup, they make them in 9 inch, 21 inch or the longer ones in 41 inch I believe. Amazon carries the 9 and 21’s. I ordered the longer ones from Austin Kayak online.

And yes, Ram Mounts makes various mounts that would work and they are easily adjustable and can swing away easily as well.


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[Weldorthemagnificent]

I can’t help but think that if a guy wanted a swing away mount for his depth finder that some sort of hardware store bracketry could be cobbled together and it could be pinned in the oarlock on the cheap.


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[jtf]

If it would mount to the face of the rear seat box on the right, it could be pulled up to view and maybe be out of the way when moving around the boat or landing a fish. I have a few more mods to finish to get the hull snag proof as possible.

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

You can get magnetic mounts for cell phone. I have one on an arm that’s adjustable. It suction cups to the window but I’m sure it could be screwed. Works good and holds a plus size iPhone with a case even when driving the truck on the farm.


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[Weldorthemagnificent]

I’m just spitballing ideas here, you got me thinking.


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[user 18775]

I had an old Lowrance left without a mount. My solution was a Scotty rod holder socket mounted to the gunnel, a Scotty table and some aluminum angles. It is up where I can see it, ot of the way, and easily moved.

 

[LDUBS]

Just tossing another idea. If you are decent at fabricating, you could make an articulated arm. I made one once to hold my lathe dust collection hood. Worked neat cause I could move it around as needed. I don't have a pic of the one I made. It is long gone. Here is a generic pic from Google.

Edit: forgot the pic.

 

[LDUBS]

I had an old Lowrance left without a mount. My solution was a Scotty rod holder socket mounted to the gunnel, a Scotty table and some aluminum angles. It is up where I can see it, ot of the way, and easily moved.

Neat and clean. I like it.

 

[GrandpaMike]

I had an old Lowrance left without a mount. My solution was a Scotty rod holder socket mounted to the gunnel, a Scotty table and some aluminum angles. It is up where I can see it, ot of the way, and easily moved.

Neat and clean. I like it.

Wow! There are some great fabricators here! Thanks for all the ideas.

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[Captain Morgan]

 

[oakchas]

I got a flag pole holder. The kind that mounts a flag pole to the house. They're aluminum. I then got a 1" dowel and inserted it into the rod holder, covered it with 1" ID pvc pipe. I can keep the sonar in view while piloting the tiller steer motor. You can make any length you want, any angles you want... See my post on 1966 mirrocraft (last page) for more details.

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[Brian121804]

Late to the party, but here's mine.

I pieced together some scrap plywood,
stained it with some old deck stain I had laying around,
& mounted my tachometer & depth finder to it.

There's enough cable to move it anywhere in the boat I need it.
It generally lives on the port side shelf, or on the center bench.

Pay no attention to the mess of cable on the floor, that's since been cleaned up.

 

[GrandpaMike]

More good ideas! I had purchased a used trolling motor. A Minnkota bow mount with a wireless foot pedal and installed it. It ran fine on the donor boat but never ran on mine. The motor itself is fine, it's the electronics that failed. I finally took it to a Fixit clinic and three electronics guys tried to help me. After an hour and a half they declared the main circuit board to be dead. RIP.

It is old enough that you cannot but the part so I ordered a Motor Guide Xi3 that should arrive today. If/when I upgrade my fish finder to any Lowrance model with GPS, it will interact with it, so at that point making the fish finder a little more mobile in the boat would be nice.

New fish finder is down the road a bit, but nice to have these other ideas for planning.

Thanks!

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