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Water Proofing the GT (Help Please)

fir469 said:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=493233&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10119&subdeptNum=10874&classNum=10879

it has 3 latches and fits the sov box perfectly. I removed one latch from the box for room for the clams and left it overnight in the full bathtub with a weight on it to keep submerged and filled it with paper towels. No leaks whatsoever... Put the control box in then and brought it to the lake and it floated around with me the whole time with no worries. Held it under and it was clear and dry. Very nice sturdy box. And cheap. I used the GSI box and it leaked twice... First box came with a Brien latch so thy sent me a new one and that one the latches never felt too snug and it leaked in testing. This Plano box has 3 claw style latches that lip the box first then flip shut. Beautiful design.
Click to expand...

Do you have a picture of that box with the GT control box inside it? I'm interested in how much bigger it is than it needs to be. I don't want anything bigger than it has to be in order to keep things from getting bulky. I think I have a West Marine near me. I guess if they don't have it in stock they can order it for me?

And did you get the clam cable connector from them too? Price? Like I said before that I'll probably just drill a hole in the box for the headphone and coil cables to exit and then seal those on both sides using Shoe Goo since I don't plan on removing the coil or headphones. The 10" coil will probably be my permanent water coil unless I get a 12x10 or S-12 for my water rig down the road. Even then it would be real easy to just peal off the Shoe Goo to change them. The stuff stays flexible. For headphones I think I'll just use another pair of Sony Studio Phones from Walmart ($20) as they have the best sound I've heard so far, are real comfortable, and it's not like I'm sticking my head under water when hunting so they don't need to be waterproof.
 
GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va said:
here is the bag link

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/588995-REG/Aquapac_AQUA_664_AQUA_664_Waterproof_Large_Whanganui.html

u can buy off of ebay easier
Click to expand...

I think I like this bag idea. Has anyone here actually installed the clams and used the bag? Seems like it would be the easiest to carry and most compact method of waterproofing a Sovereign. Thanks for posting it.

HH, Crispy
 
I don't know how those clams work but for sure with Shoe Goo I wouldn't expect it to stick to the bag well at all. Even on plastic I plan to scuff up the box where the cable exits so the Shoe Goo sticks well. I'd like to hear about those clams and the soft bag as well. I know a local boat shop that carries those bags for I think $15.
 
Critterhunter said:
I don't know how those clams work but for sure with Shoe Goo I wouldn't expect it to stick to the bag well at all. Even on plastic I plan to scuff up the box where the cable exits so the Shoe Goo sticks well. I'd like to hear about those clams and the soft bag as well. I know a local boat shop that carries those bags for I think $15.
Click to expand...

$15 is a lot better price than the $44.95 cost of the bag posted.

I too am not real familiar with the clams. I understand how they work but never tried them. I just bought a couple that were listed in the "accessories for sale" forum with the intention of using them on a waterproof box. I think the plastic bag would be lighter and less bulky though.
 
The bags I saw might now be the same as the above so maybe that's why they are cheaper. They look the same, though, and are waterproof. Looked like it was just big enough to house a GT control box as well but I was mainly looking for a waterproof box when I was up at that boat store.
 
I've Hunted with Marty "Treasure_Hunter" many times.. and he always used his SOV when he hunted..

The Box Houses the GT Perfectly.. Yes it is a lil big.. but there really isn't much extra room inside of it after the GT is installed..

Yes, It is a bit bulky.. and it floats.. But he does really well with it... he mainly posts on Tnet.. and I'm sure he'll have no issues with answering any of your questions about it..

It is an Ikelite Box.. He bought it custom built from another memebr who modded it the way you see it....

He's never had any issues with leaks or anything else... But. it is a bit of a Clunker... But, He has found many gold in Chest/ Neck deep with it.



goodmore said:
Found on another forum! Looks good!
Click to expand...
 
OOPs.. the Pictures with the Ikelite box are Treasure_Hunters..

the Yellow Box... I can't remember who's machine this is.. But the mod looks great too..
very Streamlined.. No Bulk..
Personally, If I were to do it.. I'd do it the way the Yellow box has been done.. I'm not sure how that Box compares to an Ikelite though...
 
I'm always leary about boxes that use standard clip latches they never seem to be tight enough. I like the claw style on the Plano boxes and not many boxes use them. They just seem to be stronger and seal better. I like the army style shoulder strap Max. I saw that smaller red one too and it seems a nice fit for explorers and ACE's...
 
I'm confused here now. So which box seals the best and also is no bigger than it has to be to house a GT control box? Those are the two factors I need to know. I'd like to see a picture with the GT inside it, and I'd want a clear box so I could monitor it for leaks. I probably overlooked the answers to these questions in the thread but I'm too lazy to read back through it today.

Just another thought too...At least on days when the water is calmer it might be a good idea to let the box float free beside you. Put a couple huge/long catfish bobbers on both sides of the box to stabilize it like they do on some canoes. So long as the sealing portion of the lid is above water I'd see no issues with potential leaks, and the occasional splash of a wave over it should be a problem. I kind of like that idea to have less junk hanging off my chest or back while water hunting. Hmmmm...I may try that. Remember that I'm hunting the great lakes where we have less wave action more often than you ocean hunters.
 
I just picked up this box at West Marine. They only had one .680 clam
and one .834, and a bunch over an inch. Is the .680 or .834 the mediums
you're talking about?










GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va said:
west marine here in norfolk had two

if u use the med. clam, u will not have to remove the clamp job on one side.........one mounted on either end for coil wire............left or right swingers and headphone from the top i think.

HOW DO U CARRY IT??..............DID U ADD BELT LOOPS OR THE LITTLE EYE LOOPS MADE INTO THE BOX AND ????...OR MAYBE FROM THE HANDLE ??

NICE BOX................thanks again
Click to expand...
 
I think I just posted that.. 2 or 3 posts ago....

The Ikelite box Houses the GT Perfectly... and just enough room on the face for your controls....

their really isnt ANY room around all sides of the Ikelike box except for the front of it.

Never heard of someone wanting to troll with their GT.. for catfish... but.. to each their own.....


This Box is Completely water tight... and true to fit.... but It'll cost ya....


if your going to go through the Trouble of waterproffing a GT..... Then Why would you wanna open up the Case again to land hunt with the machine.....


It's One or the Other when Hunting the Surf.... It's not like having your Ice-cream and eating it too....


you either want it waterproof.... and thats that.... or you don't.....

Otherwise, you'll have a leaky paperweight...





Critterhunter said:
I'm confused here now. So which box seals the best and also is no bigger than it has to be to house a GT control box? Those are the two factors I need to know. I'd like to see a picture with the GT inside it, and I'd want a clear box so I could monitor it for leaks. I probably overlooked the answers to these questions in the thread but I'm too lazy to read back through it today.

Just another thought too...At least on days when the water is calmer it might be a good idea to let the box float free beside you. Put a couple huge/long catfish bobbers on both sides of the box to stabilize it like they do on some canoes. So long as the sealing portion of the lid is above water I'd see no issues with potential leaks, and the occasional splash of a wave over it should be a problem. I kind of like that idea to have less junk hanging off my chest or back while water hunting. Hmmmm...I may try that. Remember that I'm hunting the great lakes where we have less wave action more often than you ocean hunters.
Click to expand...
 
n/t
 
My logic is simple- Why stick a machine in a box that you can't easily remove it from if you don't have to? I'm mainly a land hunter for old coins and the occasional ring hunt. Water hunting is the exception to the rule for me, otherwise I'd own an Excal. Don't get me wrong, I like to water hunt, but not enough to modify my GT in a way that it's committed to that for now on. It's really perfectly logical to build a box where I can quickly remove the GT from and throw it on my land unit. I already do that with my GT water and land rigs. A few seconds of moving the box from one to the other and I'm set to jet. A $20 pair of headphones (Love those Sony Studio Phones from Walmart) and my 10" coil are what stays for good on my future water unit control box. Since I have another pair of those headphones for my land hunts and I prefer a different coil on land as well, makes perfect sense to waterproof the water unit's headphone and coil cables via some Shoe Goo rather than forking out the money for clams, which by my money are at more risk of leaking than a good thick sealing job on both sides of the box with the Shoe Goo. This stuff also dries clear so you can see right through it to the cable and thus inspect it for any potential flaws that might cause a leak. I'm thinking cheap and simple here, yet safe. That's what it's about for me.

As for cat fishing with a control box the idea of a floating box isn't all that unique or odd. Many fresh water hunters throw their control boxes on tube floats. Not all water hunters are on oceans with constant or bigger waves. Here on the great lakes there are many days when it's pretty darn calm. I'm mainly thinking less bulk on my body with this idea on calmer days. So long as the sealing portion is up out of the water I'd trust using a floating setup like this. On days with waves I'll either thrown it on my back up high or on an extension high on the back of the shaft. Two reasons for that- to keep it out of the water (no need to risk how waterproof it is unless you have to) and also less drag. In the water drag is the enemy, and when hunt the length of time I do on any given day I want as few things wearing me out as possible. That's the whole idea behind my custom light weight land unit. A stock GT just won't do it for me on 7 or 8 hour hunts up and down hills in the woods...and I'm a guy who's young and in good shape. Comfort is king no matter what age you are.

Back to the point, though...I'm not in a position at the moment to afford having one machine just for water and another just for land. If I had the money to blow I'd do that, and then again if I had the money to blow I'd just buy an Excal. As it stands right now though I think a better option when cash allows would be an older Sovereign control box that can stay in it's waterproof box all the time. I'd still go the Shoe Goo route, though. Seen that stuff waterproof some amazing projects. It's like rubber cement on steroids. It stays soft and pliable, yet you can peal it off fairly easy if you wanted to change coils or something.

Now if you'll excuse me I have to figure out how to tie treble hooks to the bottom of my GT so I can detect and catfish at the same time. Thanks for the idea...:beers:
 
Thru.....but...dia. Takes up lots of space..........that is why I switched to meds..............and drill it out just a bit for coil plug to slide thru
 
I don't preach what I can't back up with experience, so if you'd care to be more specific other than just taking a general swipe at me then we can debate the details. When you can get specific then we can debate the merits of what "I've got to learn". Otherwise it's far too easy to just take a dig at somebody without having to back it up.

Since you didn't do that I'll have to guess what you meant. Let's see....Could it be Algebra, The Effects Of Inflation On A Global Economy, Full Load Amps Of Your Typical Condensor Compressor....(thinking).... :lmfao: Naaa, I think I might have a better guess.

One thing I've noticed is that many salt water hunters just assume everybody hunts the ocean without considering that a lot of us only detect inland fresh water lakes. Two different birds with different approaches, techniques, and (more importantly) equipment. Second guess would be the degree of water proofing you are after. I don't want or need a box that I can dive with so I'm not going to go to the ends of the earth to build a box that I can detect the Titanic with. Somebody who does feels it should be constructed for diving is going to have a totally different approach. I just want a setup that can take the occasional dunk by accident or get hit with a wave without leaking. BIG difference for those reasons in what needs to be "learned" based on your point of view in that case.

I'll never understand why people have to be rude or insult others rather then supporting their point of view with a logical discussion and the pros and cons there of that revolve around it. If there is something about waterproofing a Sovereign for *my* intended use that you feel I'm missing then by all means teach away. I'm all ears...but ease off on the insults if you want me to listen.
 
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