That is a clever idea.  I have been using a separate mount for my Garmin unit and one for my fish finder.  I could probably get away with swapping them, which I had not considered.  My Garmin is currently rigged up with a similar clamp on system as yours, but my fish finder is rigged with a u bolt mount, not permanent, but it takes a bit more effort to remove.

DD,

  I love your DIY out of the box thinking 

  Nothing better than coming up with something that serves multiple roles especially when you're outdoors.

Rather than use a purpose-made gimble mount  for a depth finder, I decided to go with a more general-purpose  option. 

I found this choice on  Amazon. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

It was designed to hold a camera (e.g., GoPro), but by swapping out the ball mount for the camera with the one for the depth finder, I have a solution that winds up being multi-purpose.    Of course, the base plate mount on the mount is replaced with a clamp that has its own ball mount.  Since I tend to rent canoes rather than transporting them 1000 miles each direction, I needed a "non-permanent" option.  This should be perfect for attaching to a thwart.

Beyond that, I how have a place to mount my iPhone.  Not only do I sue it with my inReach for communication purposes, my phone also has a number of maps of Quetico (e.g, Canada Topo, Garman, Gaia), that I take along.  They are more for reference purposes and used in addition to my printed maps, but non-the-less helpful.  So I've removed the GoPro style mount from the original top which leaves a threaded camera mount on top of a 1-inch ball.  I attached that to a swiveling cell phone mount.

So on fishing days, I'll mount the depth finder.  For travel days, I'll mount my iphone and with my bluetooth  remote, I can take photos while I travel.

dd

I sent you a DM and I appreciate the help! I've always had a bit of a clunky design to my fish finder connection to the thwart on my canoe. One of these might just do the trick although the pmzx 175 has a lateral bolt that secures the finder to the mount so....still trying to puzzle that one out...

There is something nostalgic about these old black and white fish finders.  In some ways they are outdated, but still very useful and efficient at what they do if you can find one of the later models. On the other hand, I also have a few old flasher units laying around as well as what was my folks wall mounted rotary phone, all still operable, but I wouldn't want to have to use either of them.   

I am glad some have found the ball mounts useful.  It is definitely a niche item.

HighNDry, I may have a solution for you if you are willing to be a beta tester.  I have an old Humminbird Piranha model 2, circa 2004 that I used to use with AA batteries.  I modeled a ball mount adapter for it which may or may not fit your P175 unit.  It is a simpler design as Humminbird basically uses a small gimble bracket with two screws to tighten the screen to the base.  My design fits over the bracket and secures with a 10-24 bolt, then there is a 1/4 inch bolt going through the balll and a lock nut as in my other design. 
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I can help you out with the power connection too, as it was a project I was working on already.   I have a 3 piece 3D printed two pin power plug that I designed.  I have a Helix unit that I got with a boat I purchased, and I was surprised it used the exact same power plug as my old Piranha unit.  I have been trying to incorporate these 5.5mm quick disconnect plugs on my units as they work quite well.  These connections are commonly used for low voltage LED lighting applications, so they are quite common and you can get extensions in a variety of increments.  The plugs aren't submersible waterproof, but I try not to operate in submarine mode and they have been fine out in the rain.

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Here is my 3D printed Lowrance Power plug for comparison.  This won't fit the B&W units such as the X-4 or Cuda units, as they use a different molded connector integrated with the transducer.  The newer Hook2 and Hook Reveal units also use a different molded push in connector. 

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It's a nice ball mount adapter and thanks for providing these! I need to find an adapter to connect the ball mount as well as the power cord to my humminbird piranhamax pmax175 if one exists

Thanks to Arnesr, I now have one of these attached  to my Eagle Cuda 168.  This unit is not fancy,  (with a B&W only screen) but it draws so little power that I can run it on 8 AA bats for a two week trip and still have plenty of juice at the end. 

So this computer printed appliance will joint the computer printed appliance in my skull on my next trip!   

duplicate

I can only say that I need something like the ballmount setup above. My current system looks more like DBs old fish finder attachments....there has to be a better way...time for me to start shopping RAM mounts again.

There is no spring between the buttons.  The orange piece acts as a wedge, driving the buttons apart which engages the teeth so it can't rotate.  The lock nut in the orange wedge gets pinned into place by the bolt which once screwed tightly makes everything solid.

Oh um no. The black is bike tire inner-tube. Kinda sticky, kinda squishy depending on the tightness of the two velcro straps that hold the whole thing to the thwart. Plus that's what I had handy at the time.

Now we're talking! No spring between the green and blue buttons?

Yes... plus a Velcro strap for each side that also allows me a few degrees of swing. The factory part tilts.

I honestly love stuff like this.

Yes, I agree, it is fun when hobbies overlap.

It is actually 5 separate 3D printed pieces, plus a nut and bolt.
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I have seen some clever fish finder setups on this and other forums.  Is that Velcro on your setup?

I really like the ball mount setups as they are easy to position and remove. Got some sun glare on your screen?  Easy, adjust the angle as needed.

I love DIY stuff like this! Having hobbies/skills that can compliment each other always increases the enjoyment of both.

I was sort of wondering how I would reproduce that in wood. Fun to think about. Is that one solid piece?

This was my X-4 attachment from bottom up solution. Well, minus the candle lantern and that suction cup from an old green box.

Wally13, I thought you were still using an X-4, good to hear it has worked well for you. 

I know RAM makes a wider base plate that you can mount to the stock units base.  You may have something different that has been discontinued?
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Previously I was able to adapt a standard round ball base plate by custom drilling 2 new holes and aligning a 3rd existing hole. Aluminum is soft and easy to drill using a drill press.  This accomplishes basically the same thing and is real sturdy. Functionally it works just the same, but I wanted to streamline it a bit and reduce some of the bulkiness and maybe just a bit of weight.  It is a subtle difference, but I think an improvement.
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What inspired me was what RAM had available for the Hook 4/5 units, which basically plugs in and locks the ball into the unit and has a very clean look.  Hook 4 on the right for comparison:

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I have been using a Hook 4 the last couple years, but I think if I wasn't doing a base camping trip, I might opt to go lighter with the X-4. 

I have used a Lowrance X-4 fish finder for many years up in Quetico.  Low power black and white unit performs well.

I bought a Ram Mount 1inch ball and arm setup for it. Mount and adjustability is spot on. Not sure Ram still sells the mount.

3D printers have been around for a while now, but I feel like they have really become more mainstream technology in the last 5 years or so as prices have come down.  I think of it as similar to CNC where you might take a digital file and mill down a block of metal, a subtractive process.  3D printing is just the opposite and is an additive process where you are laying down layers of molten material, usually a type of plastic, to create your shape from a digital file.

My sons turned me on to YouTube a few years back which is where I primarily learned about 3D printing.  Once the pandemic hit and my work commute became zero I decided to invest some time and learn how to use a 3D printer.  It is a bit of a slow process and requires some babysitting, but it has worked out well.  Then, once I got comfortable printing existing downloadable files I dabbled in designing my own creations, which I find very satisfying.

Your post made me realize how out of touch I am with new technology.  I don't think that I have ever seen a 3D printer.  I am positive that I have never messed around with my 3D printer.  Quiet Journey needs people like you because some day I might learn something from you.

I am not sure how many folks are still using these legacy B&W units from nearly a decade ago.  I think they are still relative for canoe country use and are still one of the best low power options.  They can often be picked up quite inexpensively these days on the used market as traditional boaters upgrade to more flashy color units.

Anyway, I have been tinkering with my 3D printer and have come up with a ball mount which fits these units.  I have uploaded the files to a popular 3D print website, Cult3D in case anyone would like to print one for themselves. 

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