Hey anyone know how to install fish finder onto jet ski

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without you doing a search, here are the basics.

If you want water temp, you need the transducer in the water. If you don't need temp, you can find a place inside the hull to epoxy the transducer to shoot through the hull.

If you have no way to route the cable to the transducer from the Sonar, then drilling may be required, but on a ski, there are plenty of openings many times.

Mounting the transducer bracket on the outside of your hull should require drilling for the screws, but with silicone caulk it should seal without issue. As far as the sonar unit, find a good place for a RAM ball and it is all downhill from there. Ram mounts give you plenty of range of movement with one ball mounted. You can also easily remove it for storage.

I'm not familiar with the Elite-3X, but I don't believe it is a Downward Scanning Sonar If it were, you have no choice but to put the transducer outside the hull in the water. Or you would loose all DSI functionality.

Good luck!
 
I recently completed the installation of my raymarine pro 4 gps/fishfinder with DVI. I fabricated a mount bracket out of aluminum (primed/painted) and mounted it between the ski and step bar. I ran the cable underneath the seat. I purchased a suction ram mount (short) and it holds extremely well on the glove box lid. When not in use, I store the cable (zip tied) in the hull (2007 Sea Doo GTI SE 130).
 
I recently completed the installation of my raymarine pro 4 gps/fishfinder with DVI. I fabricated a mount bracket out of aluminum (primed/painted) and mounted it between the ski and step bar. I ran the cable underneath the seat. I purchased a suction ram mount (short) and it holds extremely well on the glove box lid. When not in use, I store the cable (zip tied) in the hull (2007 Sea Doo GTI SE 130).

Shacho, How is the pro4 working out for you? I've been looking at one for a couple of days, after reading a lot of material. The IP6 and IP7 ratings are what makes the unit stand out for me. I don't know enough about the electronics on them to know what's hype and what's great.
The screen seems a bit small, but if it's mounted on the glove box lid (as you did) I think I'll be able to see it well enough.
What concerns me the most is the transducer mounted on the transom. Have you had any problems with that? Did you mount it at the bottom of the transom or a bit higher? Drill or glue?
You mentioned running the wire under the seat. At first I just thought that was from the transducer, but I'm wondering, did you also run it from under the seat to the unit on the glove box?
Anything you'd like to share about the unit or the installation, I'm all ears.
thanks
 
Here's how I installed my fish finder. The hardest part was finding someone to bend the aluminum just right. Also, I put some clear sealant (rubbish like after drying) on the bolts mounting the transducer to the ski.

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Thanks Shacho. Those pics help a lot. That transducer looks huge. The 09 GTI has a small round spot on the inner hull to mount a thru hull transducer, I assume, port side just out from the centerline. But the transducer for the Dragonfly 4 pro appears much longer (x2 or 3?) that the round spot.
When I asked Raymarine about thru hull transducers, their answer was that they had heard some success stories with epoxying the unit into some single layer fiberglass hulls. When I asked them of their opinion on the transducer taking the beating on the back of a jet ski, they suggested I go to jet ski forums for others experiences.

You've said it works up to about 25 mph, if I remember correctly before there's too much interference. I can work with that I think.

Thanks again. I'll post something once I get it installed.
 
Yup, sure do, been through every iteration of installing an electrical plus sonar onto a jet ski, first you need a voltage disconnect to protect your battery , then you need a place to mount the fish finder, I could not bring myself to start drilling holes in my machine, so I mounted and maverick handle bar bracket, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tACv9WNERYc&list=PLkTk-SuREwQzoFtrbuJyFQXAe7ctnZT4j&index=26
the final step is to mount an internal transducer to shoot through the hull. Oh, and we installed a distribution panel to feed my lighting system and the stereo that's going in next month.
 
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Just adding my setup. I did drill into the hull for the transducer cable. I just wanted it nice and tidy. Aluminium mount for the transducer and the same for the monitor. Not to hard

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Vexilar

Sorry I didn't update this. I have retired all those fish finders and by far, and we have installed them all, the best solution we have found is the Vexilar system. We shot the transducer through the hull by the jet where the hull is single layered, run the power right off the battery and mount the WIFI box, well in the case of Yamahas up front in the cuddy and Seadoos in the glove box. I then run my phone or Tablet off the WIFI signal in combination with the Navionic software for GPS etc, and budda bing your in action. I had a customer tell me that all cell phones are coming out water proof now, even better than my water proof case. I mount the phone or the tablet in a RAM Mount made for the model of device you have and mount that into the Maverick bracket system and your done. I'll send some pictures eventually when I get a chance, I have video for the Wave Runner install and the Seadoo install, just been too busy.

Here's a cool thing, the sonar app from Vexilar is a free download, so your buddy can see your sonar and you can see his, I can see the day when the information will be combined for a multi view overall combining everyone in your groups sonar together creating a area pattern, anyway, that's the easiest install, no holes blasted and simple as spit.

Oh and another thing before I forget, the Vexilar software monitors your battery voltage and gives you an alarm if your wearing out your welcome, get fishin faster.
 
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Hey Sancho, I like your setup! I am looking at getting the Raymarine Dragonfly 4 Pro on my 05 Wake and don't want to drill any holes.

I have a few questions maybe you can help with

1. Did you use a secondary battery to power the system?
2. Do you have a link to the suction cup ram mount?
3. Could you send me a few more pics of the transducer mount that you fabricated?

Thanks!
 
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