Airmar P65 User Manual

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONSOWNER’S GUIDE &

Transom Mount with Integral Release Bracket

Transducer or TRIDUCER® Multisensor

Model: P65

Follow the precautions below for optimal product
performance and to reduce the risk of property
damage, personal injury, and/or death.

WARNING: Always wear safety goggles and a dust

mask when installing

WARNING: When the boat is placed in the water,

17-293-01 rev. 02 04/12/11

immediately check for leaks around the screws and
any other holes drilled in the hull.

CAUTION: Bracket protects the sensor from frontal
impact only.

CAUTION: Never pull, carry, or hold the sensor by the
cable as this may sever internal connections.

CAUTION: Never strike the sensor.

CAUTION: Never use solvents. Cleaners, fuel, paint,

sealants, and other products may contain strong
solvents, such as acetone, which attack many plastics
greatly reducing their strength.

IMPORTANT: Please read the instructions completely
before proceeding with the installation. These
instructions supersede any other instructions in your
instrument manual if they differ.

Record the information found on the cable tag for future reference.

Part No._______________Date___________Frequency__________kHz

Mounting Location

CAUTION: Do not mount in an area of turbulence or bubbles:

near water intake or discharge openings; behind strakes, struts,
fittings, or hull irregularities

CAUTION: Avoid mounting the sensor where the boat may be
supported during trailering, launching, hauling, or storage.

• For the best performance, the sensor must be in contact with
smooth water. To identify an area of clean water, observe the
water flow off the transom while the boat is underway.

• Allow headroom space above the bracket for it to release and
rotate the sensor upward.

• Mount the sensor as close to the centerline (keel) of the boat as
possible to ensure the sensor remains in the water when the
boat is turning.

• Single drive boat—Mount at least 75 mm (3") beyond the

swing radius of the propeller (see Figure 1). The starboard side
where the propeller blades are moving downward is preferred.

• Twin drive boat—Mount the sensor between the drives.

Applications

• Not recommended for boat with large inboard engine(s).

• Designed for high speed operation up to 55 kn (63MPH)

• Vertically orients sound beam on hull with deadrise angle up to 30°

• Adjusts to transom angles from 3

° –20°

Tools & Materials

Safety goggles
Dust mask
Pencil
Screwdrivers
Electric drill
Drill bit, hole saw or spade bit for:

Bracket holes 4mm, #23, or 9/64"
Fiberglass hull chamfer bit (preferred), 6mm, or 1/4"
Transom hole (optional) 20mm or 13/16"

Cable clamp holes 3mm or 1/8"
Masking tape
Straight edge
Marine sealant (suitable for below waterline)
Zip-ties
Water-based antifouling paint (mandatory in salt water)

75mm (3")
minimum beyond
swing radius

Figure 1. Mounting location on single drive boat

123

slope of hull

parallel to
waterline

Align bottom of the sensor
with bottom edge of transom

Figure 2. Bracket position

Pretest

Connect the multisensor to the instrument and spin the
paddlewheel. Check for a speed reading and the approximate air
temperature. If there is no reading(s) or it is inaccurate, check the
connections and repeat the test. If there is still no reading(s) or it
is inaccurate, return the product to your place of purchase.

Plastic Shim

• If you know the transom angle of your boat (see Figure 3):

• Standard transom (13° transom angle)—The bracket is

designed for a standard 13° transom angle, so the shim is
not needed for this installation.

• High Speed Boat—If your boat is capable of speeds above

30kn (35MPH), install the bracket with the shim, tapered end
down. This ensures that the paddlewheel will be immersed at
high speeds.

• Stepped transom and jet boats (3° transom angle) —Use

the shim with the tapered end down.

• Small aluminum and fiberglass boats (20° transom

angle)—Use the shim with the tapered end up.

• If you do NOT know the transom angle of your boat:
To determine if the shim is needed, position the sensor at the

selected location. Using a straight edge, sight the underside of
the sensor relative to the underside of the hull. The trailing edge
of the sensor should be 1–3 mm (1/16– 1/8") below the leading
edge of the sensor or parallel to the bottom of the hull (see
Figure 3).

Attaching the Shim

Align the posts on the shim with the two holes in the bracket.
Snap the shim into place.

Installation

CAUTION: Do not position the leading edge of the sensor lower

than the trailing edge because aeration will occur.

CAUTION: Do not position the sensor deeper into the water than
necessary to avoid increasing drag, spray, and water noise and
reducing boat speed.

CAUTION: To prevent drilling too deeply, wrap masking tape
around the bit 22mm (7/8") from the point.

CAUTION: Fiberglass hull—Minimize surface cracking by
running the drill in reverse until the gelcoat is penetrated.

Assembling, Positioning, & Hole Drilling

1. Insert the sensor’s mounting posts into the slots on the back
TOP of the bracket. Rotate the BRACKET down until the parts
snap together.

2. At the selected location, position the bracket and sensor so the
bottom of the sensor is even with the bottom edge of the
transom (see Figure 1). Being sure the bottom of the sensor is
parallel to the waterline, lightly trace the outline of the bracket
on the boat transom with a pencil (see Figure 2).

3. Remove the sensor from the bracket by inserting the blade of a
screwdriver between the bottom of the bracket and the sensor.
Then pry upward.

4. Holding the bracket in place over the outline you have drawn,
lightly trace the three slots. Draw an “X” in each slot to mark the
screw hole 6mm (1/4") from the bottom in slots 1 and 3, and
6mm (1/4") from the top in slot 2 (see Figure 2). This will allow
you to adjust the bracket up or down. Do not mark the screw

holes at the extreme ends of the slots.

5. Using a 4mm, #23, or 9/64" bit, drill a hole 22mm (7/8") deep at
the locations marked for the screw holes (see Figure 2).

2

Mounting & Adjusting

1. Apply a marine sealant to the threads of the three #10 x 1-1/4"
self-tapping screws to prevent water seepage into the transom.
With the sensor attached to the bracket in the “up” position,
screw the bracket to the hull. Do not tighten the screws

completely at this time.

2. Lower the sensor until it snaps into place.

3. Using the vertical adjustment space on the bracket slots, slide
the sensor up or down to provide a projection of 3mm (1/8")
(see Figure 4). Using the straight edge, sight the angle again to
ensure that it is correct (see Figure 3). When you are sure the
hull projection and sensor angle are correct, use a pencil to
mark the hull with the bracket’s exact location.

4. Release the sensor upward. Tighten the screws. Snap the
sensor down into the operating position.

13° transom angle

parallel

14° –20° angle

slight angle

Figure 3. Sensor angle adjustment

angle
reversed

shim with taper down shim with taper up

slight angle

20° transom angle3° transom angle

angle
too steep

slight angle