Critterhunter
New member
It must be the season because I've got at least 2 or 3 PMs in the last week or so about waterproofing a Sovereign. I haven't got around to that yet so I can't tell you guys much. I can tell you to search for the words "waterproof, waterproofing" just like that in this forum and make sure to set the date to any date. Also, use the words "waterproof, waterproofing, sovereign" all together in the beach and modifications forum and you'll also find a ton of info in those forums on it too. Might want to also try spacing them as two words like "water proof, water proofing". There are many unique and very cool different ways guys have waterproofed them. Some just throw it in a water proof box after setting the controls. Then they can throw the box back on their land rig for land hunting real fast, since the coil and headphones used for water hunting stay sealed/attached to the water proof box via special connectors or even just using shoe goo or something. Others put it in a box that features waterproof dials and maybe switches to control it from the outside. Others I even seen took the electronics out of the control box and mounted them in a custom flat box, complete with the GT's face plate controls sticking up through the box via waterproof controls for adjustment. Tons of ways, exotic or not. Heck, some guys even through it into a waterproof marine bag that also had waterproof cable ports for the coil and headphone cables.
Great thing is if you already have a few coils for your current Sovereign and one you only intend to use in the water, then why even mess with your land rig's control box? Search the net for somebody selling the control box only for $50 or so from some old Sovereign. I've seen guys do this and then they've got a water rig for $50 plus the cost of waterproofing it some way because they already had an extra coil laying around. You can easily build a shaft for it or buy one. I know my 10" Tornado stays on my water shaft (original shaft) ready for water hunting. Right now I'm happy to chest mount my control box but I may pick up a control box down the road for waterproofing to stay with my water rig.
Far as where to mount it goes...Some will still chest mount the waterproof box or wear it on their back out of the way. Others will mount it on the shaft, but in that case it probably needs to be in a custom/small box with the guts of the electronics only so as to not be too boyant. Still others I've seen will mount the box on an extension past the back of the shaft so it stays out of the water until you are like up to your chin or something. That way it isn't trying to float or create drag in the water.
Great thing is if you already have a few coils for your current Sovereign and one you only intend to use in the water, then why even mess with your land rig's control box? Search the net for somebody selling the control box only for $50 or so from some old Sovereign. I've seen guys do this and then they've got a water rig for $50 plus the cost of waterproofing it some way because they already had an extra coil laying around. You can easily build a shaft for it or buy one. I know my 10" Tornado stays on my water shaft (original shaft) ready for water hunting. Right now I'm happy to chest mount my control box but I may pick up a control box down the road for waterproofing to stay with my water rig.
Far as where to mount it goes...Some will still chest mount the waterproof box or wear it on their back out of the way. Others will mount it on the shaft, but in that case it probably needs to be in a custom/small box with the guts of the electronics only so as to not be too boyant. Still others I've seen will mount the box on an extension past the back of the shaft so it stays out of the water until you are like up to your chin or something. That way it isn't trying to float or create drag in the water.