Reef Runner Construction

[Battjn]

Howdy,

I have a 2007 Caribbean Reef Runner and I'm looking to put a shoot through hull transducer into the bilge area (will need to modify the fuel tank slightly to make it fit) The area needs to be solid fibreglass in order for it to work correctly.

Iv'e already removed a section of floor liner in the bilge area to fit the transducer. Underneath the floor liner I was expecting to find the solid glass hull but instead found a fairly uneven surface of which the higher areas contain a foam membrane. It looks to me that the foam membrane drains trapped water from around the sides of the fuel tank to the keel where it flows to the back of the bilge area.

I want to cut out the foam membrane then glass over the area to make a solid glass level surface in which to fit the new transducer.

Does anyone have experience working with a hull constructed in this manner. Am I likely to compromise the strength/intergrity of the hull if I remove the areas of trapped foam. I emailed Caribbean and was advised once the floor was removed the hull was solid glass with no mention of the foam.

Not sure If I should abandon this idea and build a bracket to mount the transducer to the transom.

Floor1.jpgTransducer Location.jpg

[MyWay]

did you try 1st to place your transducer in plastic bag or old ice-cream continer with water in to see if work before cutting fiberglas?

if so your idea is good .

[Battjn]

Theres an air space between the floor liner and the hull of about 4mm. So the transducer in the bag trick won't work properly because of this. I was lead to believe if I removed the floor liner I would find solid glass and this was the most appropriate area to do it. Unfortunately that was not the case and I'm pretty sure the performance of a shoot thru hull transducer will be affected by the layer of trapped foam and air.

No huge loss so far as I haven't purchased a transducer yet. If I can't find a solution I may opt for a smaller through hull fitting in the same location which would have required removal of the floor to build up the low spots first so the through hull fitting has a level surface to tighten up against. Down the track I may fit a larger transducer to a drop down pole on the transom for use in the deeper water.