Q: Where do I mount my new SternMate? Q. Will SternMate fit my boat?
A: Familiarize yourself with your electronics manufacturer’s instructions. It will A. SternMate will fit the flat area of most transoms. Should
be mounted in a location the manufacturer recommends the transducer to be there be some curvature of the transom behind the
installed. An unobstructed flow of water is necessary. Mounting Plate, our adhesive is designed to fill the gap.
Comment: I have purchased a new fish locator depth finder with color monitor and transom-mounted transducer. The mounting instructions for the transducer advise that upon putting the boat into the water after installation, I should “immediately” check for leaks and any air bubbles that might be seen coming from the transducer mounting bracket screw holes.
Reply: We have read that too! (We have also read the installation disclaimers contained within the user and installation manuals written by manufacturers).
That is a valid and substantiated request that they make following all transducer screw-secured installations. You appear to be concerned about the potential
for leaks and so is the manufacturer of your equipment. Should you choose to mount your equipment directly to the transom as instructed, and at first it appears there are no leaks, you probably won't know for some time whether leaks have occurred or not. By then, water has had time to intrude…how much and how much damage is anyone’s guess.
Concern: I have a new boat and will mount my transducer on the transom. I have asked around and some have told me not to worry about drilling holes in my boat as they do it all the time. They tell me that the holes are sealed. Some have told me to screw on a piece of cutting board from "Wally-world" and mount my transducer to that, seal the screw threads and not to worry about it. They can do that to theirs, but I don't think I like that advice for my boat.
Reply: Oh, we're familiar with most all of the methods used to attach a transducer to a boat, thus one of the reasons SternMate was built. They may have taken the
advice from others who may not have understood or thought about the consequences. Maybe they had no other options at the time or they were just in a hurry.
Should you feel they have provided sound advice, then it is certainly an option. Most conscientious boat owners; however, would question it just as you have. Having a choice now to mount your transducer correctly makes it mighty nice. Most likely, the manufacturer of your boat recommends that you refrain from drilling holes in your boat hull...particularly below the waterline.
Q. Will mounting a transducer directly to my transom cause my boat to leak and possibly sink?
A. Sink? Most likely that won't happen since you've probably sealed your screw holes well. What you must remember; however, is that there is the likelihood
at some point that any screw-hole below the waterline or anywhere else for that matter which water can access, could leak. Water will, when given an opportunity
and when you least expect it, intrude and most always causes damage. How long it takes before you realize it is unknown. Embarrassingly enough, many years ago, that happened to us with a Dorsett Ski-Doo. We encountered all sorts of rot and damage.
Q. My boat is out of warranty and older. Why would I be concerned now about drilling holes below the waterline?
A. We'd think you would want to continue to take proper care of your boat regardless of its age. An older boat is just as susceptible to leaking as a new one. The manufacturer of your boat most likely had the "modification and alteration" language in your original boat warranty. We would recommend to take heed as if it could have been a problem when the boat was new, it could be a problem even though your boat is older now. In short, the manufacturer simply did not care to pay for a claim from leaks or damages from alterations or added equipment after it was built. Its a good policy to follow for the life of the boat. Does drilling holes in a boat below the waterline really make sense?
SternMate Comment: We are often asked how best to repair or fill transducer mounting holes drilled in aluminum boat hulls. Most of the questions come from those who are
(re: Aluminum Hulls) changing transducers and now have extra holes because their new brackets do not line up with the old. Some just cannot stop the small, irritating leaks
from their existing transducer mounts. Fortunately, there are some excellent sealants to plug up those holes, but most object to that sort of unsightly
repair. Some have had aluminum plate welded over the holes, painted to match the boat, but that could be quite expensive and you'll end up with an
obvious unsightly patch. Sometimes the holes are brazed or filled with weld, ground off smooth, the boat having to be repainted to match.
The simplest, quickest and most effective way to remedy leaking or "extra" transducer mount screw-holes in aluminum hulls is with SternMate. The screw-holes should be filled with a product such as Marine Tex, "JB WELD" or PC 7" and flush sanded smooth. SternMate can be installed directly over your repairs and you can do all of this yourself.
Q: Is SternMate difficult to install?
A: No, not at all! Installation instructions are illustrated and detailed, but the process is simple. The instructions are furnished in the kit and must be closely followed for a proper installation. Ask your dealer to install it for you if you wish.
Q: I installed a transom-mounted transducer last summer on my fiberglass boat. As I began to drill, I knocked a piece of gel-coat off with the drill bit nearly the size of my thumbnail
It looks awful. It makes me ill every time I see my boat. Should I have it repaired and reinstall with a SternMate? I am so disappointed I had not found SternMate sooner.
A: Unfortunately that happens more often than not. Pride in ownership of a nice boat would cause most proud boat owners to have the damage repaired and reinstalled with SternMate.
You’ll be much happier.
Concern: I would like to use an adhesive to attach my transducer to my boat hull so that I do not have to drill holes. I am concerned that store-bought adhesive may not be strong enough and might not hold.
Response: It's a great idea to attach your transducer without drilling screw-holes; however, it might be very difficult to locate an "off the shelf" adhesive to perform satisfactorily for that application. The design of SternMate™ is closely calculated to assure the perfect "marriage" of extreme demand adhesives-to- materials bonding strength specifically formulated
for the installation of SternMate™ to a fiberglass, aluminum, steel or wood boat hull following our simple preparation instructions. Formulations or our proprietary adhesives
are used extensively in building the finest off-shore racers, sea- going yachts and luxury trawlers.
Q: I have a transom transducer on my boat now. Can I replace it and mount it on SternMate?
A: Yes. SternMate is perfect for a retro-fit. As long as your gel-coat is firm and intact and you properly fill and flush-sand the repair (sand only if it is necessary), you’re in great shape for
a retro-fit. In fact, this question has come up many times as boat-owners are keeping their boats longer and are more conscientious about maintaining them. Do not mount over
osmotic-blistered gel-coat. Note: Do not abrade away the gelcoat surface. Unless you will be mounting your transducer in an entirely different location, install SternMate directly over
your repairs.
Q: I am getting ready to install a transducer on the transom of my new $30,000 fiberglass bass boat, but it makes me nervous to drill. Do you recommend a sealant?
A: Anticipation like yours is normal. There are many reputable sealants and they might seal your screw-holes...and they might not. Drilling and then hoping that your screw- holes are
sealed is not required to mount your new SternMate. You will find that adjustments will always have to be made to your transducer once you install it. Each time you make an adjustment
you will have to break the screw seal, reseal the screws, and most likely weaken the integrity of the screw-hole by stripping out the threads in the delicate fiberglass. The dynamics of water
tugging aginst your transducer as your boat moves through the water can be significant. This action can compromise the grip of the mounting screws, the sealant and the integrity of the installation. SternMate is designed to eliminate all of that anxiety. I’d be mighty nervous too!
Concern: I have a sonar fish locator on my boat which has a transom transducer. The provided transducer bracket has limited adjustment capability and I am unable to get a decent reading
much faster than trolling speed. It has become quite frustrating.
Response: There could be a number of issues causing this, one of which could be associated with an interfering obstruction, such as a running strake or thru- hull fittings fore of your transducer. Your transducer must run in a clean, unobstructed slipstream of water. We have found, that by installing SternMate, transducers generally work best when mounted flush with or just a "smidgeon" (we really don;t know what that is, but it isn't much) below the boat bottom. SternMate's unique design allows for unrestricted adjustments which could very well be the solution to your problem, if the basics are met as set forth as outlined in you electronics owner's manual. Unfortunatly, fine-tuning any tranducer to operate at its optimum involves trial and error. SternMate is designed to make that task so much more pleasurable. A retro-fit with SternMate could very well be the answer. You may have to fill holes and remount your equipment. Check well for evidence of water leakage from the screw holes in your boat before filling.
Q. I recently removed my older transducer and noticed a trickle of water coming from the screw-hole. I did not particularly like what I saw, but installed my new transducer and sealed up all the holes. I'm wondering if there is more water in my boat than I realize.
A. The water in your hull may not be intruding at your transducer screw-holes, but elsewhere. Fiberglass wicks water like a sponge through capillaries and voids in the composite and oftentimes your boat will get heavy. If you notice a performance loss, it may not be your motor, but your boat. Foam soaked flotation can become very heavy and, unfortunately, waterlogged foam will not dry out. We have addressed elsewhere in this section frozen water and the damages it can cause. When water is wicked into the fiberglass and freezes, it will expand causing delamination and more room for more water to enter. The cycle continues; absorption,freeze, expansion and can ruin a boat. Aggravating the situation by drilling holes is not recommended. Water contained in a boat hull simply never goes away.
Comment: SternMate is such a well planned idea for a transducer. I have mounted my outboard on a jackplate so that I can gain maximum performance of my boat. SternMate apparently follows a similar philosophy...a transducer on a jackplate...what a cool idea!
Response: Thanks! SternMate was designed around that concept, not only with optimum transducer sounding performance in mind, but having eliminated the necessity of screw-holes below the waterline. We have found that many have not considered the consequences and frustrations associated with mounting transom- type transducers. The jackplate idea has been around for a long time...a boat racer's best kept secret until the early 70's. It is primarly used to gain maximum performance of your outboard boat. We are the first ever to have used the concept for a transducer. So, you are correct. It actually is a mini jackplate for transducers.
Q: My boat is a painted aluminum. Will SternMate install on my boat?
A. Yes. Follow the simple instructions as you would for mounting SternMate any other boat; however, the paint must be gently removed to the bare aluminum (see instructions).
Q: I have drilled holes in my boat many times and have not experienced leaks. Why should I invest in a SternMate?
A: So have we! We have heard that comment many times. Some folks don't care and for many there have been costly consequences. There is a high probability that the leaks you "have never experienced" have to yet been noticed. Why take a chance like that when now you don’t have to? Think of SternMate as a great way to ensure it " won’t happen to you". Slow water intrusion into a hull can go undetected for a long time and, you know as well as we do, that water can cause all sorts of damage. Consider this: Someday you may decide to sell your boat which has equipment that you have attached with screws below the waterline....a transducer in this instance. You could very easily eliminate the savvy boat shoppers in the event that he or she were to make a water intrusion examination of your boat....and actually find water in the hull. Just how would you explain that to the next person who came to look at your boat?
