running cables

[cclawman]

I have a 621 Ranger and want to add a transducer. I have found a tube in the gunnel that goes from the stern to just past the stbd storage box. How do you take the side panel off that holds the shift controls and live well control so I can get behind the dash?

[REW]

Remove the fasteners.

[Marty59]

Originally Posted by REW

Remove the fasteners.

Now that is insightful! LOL

Marty

[Yellow Fever]

You may not need to...i have special wire running tools but a fiberglass fish tape should do the job..under the console you will see the access hole that all the wires come out from,start there and fish toward the back, remove the round cover on the transom step and you should be able to get it. Of course its better to have help and always put a pull string in for future use. I got strings everywhere on my boat. Are you going to put the transducer on the back or glued in to the bilge? I just finished putting a new transducer on the transom as opposedto glueing it in....good luck.

[cclawman]

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

You may not need to...i have special wire running tools but a fiberglass fish tape should do the job..under the console you will see the access hole that all the wires come out from,start there and fish toward the back, remove the round cover on the transom step and you should be able to get it. Of course its better to have help and always put a pull string in for future use. I got strings everywhere on my boat. Are you going to put the transducer on the back or glued in to the bilge? I just finished putting a new transducer on the transom as opposedto glueing it in....good luck.

I am going to mount the Garmin skimmer transducer on the back. I found the tube in the rear stbd compartment. I can get the fish tape up to about the motor control. I can hear it on the side of the boat so the tube must not go all the way to the console.

[jjy]

Don't be surprised if the rigging tube is plugged on the end when hull was built rendering the tube useless. I had 2 Ranger 1880's, the first 1880 I ran wires through the rigging tube no problem, the second 1880, I tried using the same tube and it had a hard block on the end. Using bore scope and a small mirror, I could see they glassed over the end of the tubes. Those tubes are glassed in when they build the top cap, how does a worker not notice this? Serious QC issues in my opinion. If I were you, I would reach in the rear access panel with bright light and a mirror. You should see multiple tubes. I believe one tube is attached to bottom of gunnel. Try running a fish tape through one of the tubes to see if at least one works. You'll also have to crawl up under console and see where the tape comes out. Good Luck.

[Yellow Fever]

The first couple of times i ran wires i took the shifter off, there is only about 4 screws and accessed the fish there. You could try and fish from the back toward the front as the tubes do not go all the way but start at the back.. i just fished a new transducer so i could mount it on the transom rather than glass it in. Did it by myself in less than an hour because i had strings in place.

[Modog]

Not sure where your radio speaker is mounted but that can be another access hole when removed to get your hand in to grab wires. Be sure to pull a string thru for next time.