How do I remove the plastic fin from top of Dragonfly transducer?

[Jim_MI]

Chuck -
I just got a new kayak with a "Lowrance Ready" hull. This will require some plastic surgery in order to fit my Dragonfly 5 Pro transducer into the Lowrance well and cover plate. That means that I must remove the vertical plastic fin that ordinarily connects the Dragonfly transducer to the transom mount. I don't recall if this unit came out of the box pre-assembled or if I slid the fin into the grooves on top of the transducer and it clipped in place somehow. At any rate, the vertical plastic fin does NOT want to simply slide off. I lubricated the slide joint and can get it to move back-and-forth 1-2 mm, but I don't want to force it without better understanding how these 2 pieces of plastic are held together so tightly. Is there some locking tab or trigger that I need to spring loose? How???

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Jim,

The vertical portion of the Dragonfly CPT-DVS transducer's mount is held within the groove located on the upper surface transducer by a clip located at the forward end of the groove. When the transducer is mounted to a transom or other vertical surface, gently, but firmly striking the trailing end of the transducer with one's palm in direction parallel to the groove and toward the forward end of the transducer will release the clip, permitting it to slide out of the groove.

[Jim_MI]

OK, Thanks Chuck. Did as you suggested, and after a few FIRM taps it popped loose. I now have it mounted in my Hobie PA kayak. For a complete review of how to do this, see http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic...65#p280541
That said, I am not as pleased with the performance inside this well plate as on a RAM transducer arm over the side of the yak. Despite my best efforts to mount it securely, today when out on the water I discovered that despite a reasonably good downvision image, regular sonar mode it is not "seeing" the downrigger ball (starboard side) or a jig lowered on the starboard side of the kayak. It sees the jig if lowered on the port side. Also, fish arches are not symmetrical - they look more like inverted checkmarks, more elongated on one side than the other. I suspect that this means that the transducer is not pointing straight down, or at least is not pointing at the angle that would alleviate these artefacts.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Jim,

You're welcome. Unlike traditional fishfinders using 50/200 kHz fishfinder transducers, the Dragonfly display transmit with much lower power. As there is structure (i.e. the mounting plate) between the transducer and the water column, it is possible that the structure is interfering with signal reception/transmission. I would have recommended a modification to the mounting plate permitting the transducer to be in direct contact with the water beneath the hull.