Thanks. This installation was the starting point of a lot of different bracket ideas for me. I have many pictures of my new work posted on my FB page. Look up boondocksPWC on FB to see some of the new stuff. Have a great summer!

One is a fuse block, and the other is a circuit breaker. Both are made by BlueSea Systems. Information link in description. =)

Awesome, thanks for the tip! Which transducer did you use and which chartplotter? The info may help the next person looking to do the same.

Hi Rob, thanks for watching. I do have boarding step mounts for the 2015+ VX,GP, GPR, VXR, but my main focus is dash device mounts (GPS, speaker, antenna, rod holder) and side imaging transducer mounts for the 2012 and newer FX. My brand is boondocksPWC . You can see more of my work posted on my FB page and also some on my website. Have a good one!

In-hull transducers are becoming more and more popular with PWC and 2D sonar. In-hull is cheap and easy if done correctly. It can also be a very expensive lesson if done incorrectly. I sell a lot of transducer bracket kits and also dash mounting parts for FX Waverunners. I tell people their options. I am not stuck on one method. I sell these parts and do not depend on the money to live. I do it, because I enjoy making stuff. My parts look amazing and work great! Look me up at boondocksPWC online. Personally, I like having the instantaneous water temp readings and have zero issues with my transducer mounted on the transom. There is a ton of information online now about how to install transducers on Waverunners. That information was not available years ago. Many many people run side imaging on their chartplotter for fishing, or just to have more awareness of what is on the lake bottom. StructureScan, Side Imaging, SideVue transducers perform better in the water. JMO. This is an old video. I am running a Lowrance 7 HDS Live with Structure Scan on one of my mounting brackets. Thanks for watching. Send me a video link of your work. I would love to check it out!

Thanks for the comment. I have never heard of such a thing. OMG, imagine living in a world without wire ties. Generally speaking, when running any kind of wire or cable the installer should be mindful of not sharply kinking the wire per the manufacturers minimum bend radius (if available). My set up is running well for almost four years now. No glitches caused by wire tie use. I can consistently hold sonar bottom readings between 50-55 MPH in 100-200 feet of water. It has been a great performing setup. I am making some new parts for mounting a 7" HDS Live to this 2017 FX using a transom mounted 3:1 active imaging transducer and also a custom made cup mount. They will be designed and machined by myself. I'll post a video after I get it all done. My brand is boondocksPWC . You can see some of my work on Facebook and also on the Internet. Take a look when you have time. Have a good one.

Glad it was helpful!

Yes, use backing for sure. Without the backing the fasteners will likely tear out. I used very large diameter stainless steel fender washers. On my 17 SVHO, the side panel comes off very easily. It will make the work of routing your cables much easier. I believe I have a detailed list of parts used in the description of this video. I will have to check later to see if the list is there. It should discuss the size of the fender washers. If your 2003 has the dash cup holder, then I do have some cup holder mounts listed on eBay for the FX. Not sure if it will fit your 2003. Do an eBay search for "Yamaha FX Waverunner Cup Holder Mount for RAM 2-1/2" Dia. Ball Base PWC Jet Ski" and you will see my boondocksPWC seller name

Hi, yes the left mirror is blocked by the fish finder. However it is not an issue, because I just have to position myself at a different angle to see things better in the mirror. The Yamaha mirrors are horrible anyway. They're not adjustable and are hard to use just by their design. I can hold bottom at high speeds in deeper water too. Typically I run the Waverunner in depths ranging from very shallow to about 150 feet. I am in the Midwest, so no deep ocean water around me. I don't know if newer units will show bottom better at faster speeds. I am very happy with how well my unit functions. It seems like the same transducers are used year after year.

Not yet. I use my Waverunners for leisure. The Waverunners are typically running when the sonar/GPS is on. I have the sonar/GPS wired directly to the battery using a fuse block. The GPS will stay powered on independent of the engine stop/starts. Eventually I want to install another battery with a magnetic latch ACR switching system from Blue Sea, but just have not found the need for it yet.

Do you have to charge your ski between uses because you only have on battery? Do you sell your transducer brackets? I have a 2015 Yamaha deluxe.

No I do not charge between use unless my Waverunner will sit on the trailer for more than 2 weeks. I maintain my battery per the Deka AGM battery instructions. I've never had problems not starting on the water. I've never had problems with slow starts on the water. I have always carried BoatUS Tow Insurance. The insurance gives me peace of mind. If you talk to any boater that has paid full price for a boat tow then they will tell you it is not cheap. I do sell bracket kits for the 2015 VX. Send me an email at [email protected]. There are a couple people online selling brackets. My kits are much different than the other kits. I have many design options to choose from. The kits are priced based on option features, and your transducer will determine the best bracket. Just let me know what brand fish finder you plan on using, the transducer model # if already known, and let me know if you ride in salt or fresh water. Kindly,

Yes. You can contact me at [email protected]. The hull is slightly different than the previous SVHO. Just reach out by email and we can discuss it.

Yes I can. It would be easier to discuss by email. Please reach to my at [email protected].

I am in Toledo, OH. I typically mail these out USPS Priority.

Hi Jeff, On this FX install I have the 2"x3" rectangular base 1.5" C sized RAM ball mounted to the white plastic side panel with large stainless steel fender washers and brass nylocks on the inside. I am guessing the plastic Yamaha uses for the side panel is ABS and it is about 1/8" +/- thick. My 5" Lowrance is very sturdy. I do not travel long distances with the sonar attached, because they're expensive and I just dont want to risk anything happening to it. The only time I travel with it mounted would be on one of my camping trips. Sometimes I get back to the ramp late in the day and I just leave it on during the couple mile ride back to the campsite. Anything larger than a 5" screen would be getting heavy and I personally would not side mount it. Definitely use large fender washers or some kind of backing plate when mounting (vertical side or horizontal dash), so the screws dont tear through the plastic. I choose the 2"x3" rectangular base over the standard round RAM base in an effort to spread out the weight of the Lowrance over a larger area on the side panel. I've never had problems with screws tearing through, but have met a person that did. The person I speak of had his fish finder mounted to the horizontal surface of the dash on the black center dash cover of his FX and was using the standard 2-1/2" diameter RAM base without any fender washers or backing plate. Thanks for watching!

@@LorenP thankyou for your reply. I have a seadoo with the abs plastic I was going to mount too and just wasnt sure if people have just mounted these ram mounts on just fiberglass or on plastic also. Thankyou for your time to make the video and reply back. I'll look at putting a back plate on the back of the mount

Thanks for watching. The split fitting you ask about is something I designed, patented, and make myself with my own machine tools. There isn't anything like it available off a store shelf and you wont see much about it online either, because I am the only person making it. Unfortunately, Its time consuming and expensive to make. Email me at [email protected] if you would like to discuss it further. You can also, do a web search for PYI Seaview Cable Gland. They have a good product line and offer many affordable cable gland sealing parts.

Loren P. Do u sell them? If so send me link for purchase Thxs Chad

I am a big fan of the AGM batteries. They have a higher power capacity than the stock liquid acid batteries. They do not use liquid acid, so never have to worry about the battery being low. Some guys run double batteries on a "one / two" switch. The batteries can also be wired to a ACR "automatic charging relay". Personally, I just have one battery and I always carry tow insurance by Boat U.S. For now I use my GPS/sonar for navigation and depth of water. At this time I do not fish for extended periods of time with the ski off. If I were looking to go the double battery route, I would probably just add a second battery and have it independently wired to the fish finder and charge it at the end of the day until I had the time to wire the ACR and 1-2 switch.

Consider adding the 5 watt solar charger to the independent fish finder battery. www.bluesea.com

Loren P. Was thinking the same thing 👍👍👍

I will film more the next time I am down there. We camp there on vacation 1-3 times a year. Thanks for watching.

What is needed to drive in Holland on Lake Michigan on the sea? It really depends on your age. Many states require a boaters safety course. There is a test at the end of the course and if you pass then they will issue a boaters safety card. The card should be carried while on the water along with a valid jet ski registration. I carry my state drivers license, too. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources would be the best place to check with. They can tell you what the specific legal requirements are. Thanks for watching!

email me at [email protected]. I will send you a picture of the anodized part. We can work out the details via email if you're interested.

I would be happy to help as much as I can. Certainly with the transducer brackets. You can always reach me at [email protected]. Look up Dean Baynon on youtube. He just setup a 2018 FX HO and he is in Florida. His ski looks great, here is a link kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKOoe4iPpb2Djs0

I am in northwest Ohio, U.S.A.

Yes it is, thanks!

Thanks

On Amazon you can get a Stern Saver. It glues on permanent so doesn't require undoing the climbing step.

Thanks for watching Daniel. Yes those Stern Savers are nice. The Mini Stern Saver is available for use, too. Here is a link to a video of a guy that used a mini stern saver and my split thru hull fitting on his jet boat. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h52QnpeIgKyHh6M. This 2012 VX Waverunner has a very irregular shaped transom, so trying to glue anything flat to the back is difficult. I designed, machined, and bolted an aluminum arm onto the boarding step, because It was the easiest way that I could think of to mount the transducer in such a way to allow vertical adjustment, and also have the transducer square with the transom. There is a wedge shaped factory shim under the boarding step bracket that makes the install more of a challenge. The newer Waverunners are much easier to work with. The aluminum mounting arm isn't permanent on the ski, so I could take it off if I wanted to, but I do not see myself doing that. I will likely sell the sonar with the ski when that day comes. Make a video of what your install looks like for the rest of us to share! I would love to see it. Best regards.

Thanks! These little projects keep my mind busy. I am working on installing the parts for my FX. Hopefully will have the SVHO install posted soon.

I appreciate the positive feedback! This is a hobby for me. It keeps me busy :0)

Great questions! I have an industrial background, so "heavy duty" is just how I like to make things. On the water I would rather not have parts that might fail down the road just for the sake of saving a few dollars at the time of installation. All of the electrical components have worked flawlessly for me. As for the split thru-hull cable fitting, mine is one of a kind and is U.S. patent pending. There are few other options. Some people silicone the transducer inside the engine compartment, so no fittings are necessary. Some people use "clam shell" type covers. Some people have fancy racks mounted to the jet ski and use it for mounting parts. A thru hull transducer is an option, too. It just comes down to how neat you want it to look and what you are willing to spend, and how much room inside your engine compartment you have to work with. I couldn't find any good resources online showing what other people have done, so what you see in the video was something I came up with by myself.

Hi Amanda, Most of the sites do have electric. Just go to Reserveamerica.com and check availability at Lake Cumberland State Resort, KY. The website will tell you if it has electric or not. I do trailer a jet ski, so it might make it easier to check the sites for trailers. The trailer sites will have the pavement for trailer or RV parking. If you have difficulty searching the site, just email your contact information directly and I can walk you thru it by phone. My friend and I have been going there for years. It's a very nice place to camp.

I sure will, thanks Larry.

I use an AGM replacement battery that I purchased from my local Battery Wholesale store. It's a 325 CCA Deka ETX AGM Part # ETX16L . Its the Yamaha factory battery equivalent. The original factory battery was always low on fluid. The liquid acid was leaking from the battery vent tube down the outside of my jet ski and left streaks in the paint. I assume this was happening because of my driving habits. I like to thrash around on the jet ski every now and then. The AGM doesn't use liquid, so no longer have issues with leaking and low battery fluid. I use my fish finder primarily for navigation, depth of water, water temperature, and bottom structure. My PWC is used for leisure. I use the fish finder 100% of the time on the water and I never have any issues with slow starts.

No, I do not have a website yet. Directly emailing me is the best way to contact me. Best regards, Loren

Hi Daniel, I think you're asking about installing components of the split fitting -the inside rubber washer, the pressure plate washer, the keyed nut, installing the locking key, tightening the jack screws and installing the safety wire. Yes it can be difficult to reach back into the stern of the jet ski to install the parts. It takes a motivated person with good flexibility, a lot of patience, long fingers, and a pair of needle nose pliers to help install the safety wire. I make the fittings with a double keyseat now, so the locking key can be installed on either half of the fitting. The nose of the split fitting has an unthreaded round lead on it to allow easier installation of the threaded nut. The design alone makes installation easier. You definitely need a second person to help hold the parts at the time of installation. I had to remove the water tank and rubber hose connecting it to the water lock on the exhaust of my PWC to give more access. Removing the water tank and rubber hose was very easy as it only had a couple hose clamps holding it on.This fitting can also be installed inside the tunnel by the jet impeller -on the left or right hand side wall, instead of on the transom like I show in the video. Installing the fitting inside the tunnel will make reaching the fitting and installing the washers, nut, jack screws, key, and safety wire much easier, but it takes more time because it will require the removal of the rear impeller housing in order to install the parts. Having the split fitting inside the tunnel is also a very "stealth" way of installing the fitting. I can email you a few pictures if you would like to see. Just send your email address to [email protected] and I will send pictures after I am by my desk. Best regards, Loren

Thanks for your interest. Just email me at [email protected], so we can work out the details. At this time I am only shipping these parts within the U.S.A.

Hi Ray, just email me at [email protected]. I need to know what kind of jet ski you have, and exactly which parts you will need. We can discuss everything by email and by phone. Thanks for your interest.

Hi Stephen, send your email address to [email protected] and we can discuss it further. Thanks for your interest!

Gander Mountain is selling the same finder for i believe 299.00 now w/ a $50 Rebate. Just google it.

Thanks

Gabriel, just email me directly at [email protected] so we can work out the details. Thanks for your interest!

Email sent.

Tim, the transom of your VXR looks identical to my VX. I'm working on your transducer mount =0)

Hi Gerard, please email your phone number and a good time to call to [email protected], so we can further discuss the parts that you need.

Hi Ray, these parts are custom machined at this time. Email your contact information to [email protected], so we can discuss your needs further. I will be selling them on eBay soon -until my website is finished. Then they will be available through my website. Thanks.