Datamarine depth sounder

[jongoose]

As we approached Love Point out of Rock Hall the datamarine depth sounder suddenly went to 1.0ft and stayed there for a few minutes then displayed only a MSD message. We have only had the boat for one year and this is the first time we have had this problem. The boat did not come with a manuel so I am wondering if anyone has any ideas?

[Joesaila]

Mine acted up last year and I cleaned up the connections...so far so good. I think it may have been a bad ground.

[erps]

I've noticed that when we get in real deep water, that is outside the range of the depth sounder (over 400'), the depth sounder will sometimes start reading funny depths too. I kind of thought it was reading different themoclines in the water. Here locally, I've seen depth sounders read the layer of fresh water over salt water in Skagit Bay. Was it real deep where you were?

[T37Chef]

Yea tell me about those old datamrine depth .

[brak]

Often my sounder will read shallow depths and jump about if I am passing relatively shallow spot after a power boat or waves kicked up some bottom mud. That was not fun in ICW.

[artbyjody]

Maybe this will help as well - link is to the scanned version of the documentation:

http://www.sailingseadragon.com/Manu...rineS200DL.pdf

if you have other datamarine instruments check out his site for other manuals:


Manuals

Hope that helps

[jongoose]

Thanks Jody

Good information but I still don't see what the MSD on the display stands for.

Hal

[Rockter]

Joh...
For me, sometimes the Datamarine sounder can detect a wee bit of debris in the canal, especially in the locks, and it will sound a warning.
It is brief though, and does not last for minutes, as you witnessed.
I can only suggest that you check the connections. Anything else will be buried in the electronics, methinks.
It has been a fairly reliable unit over the years.

[brak]

Originally Posted by jongoose

Thanks Jody

Good information but I still don't see what the MSD on the display stands for.

Hal

MSD means sounder failed to detect return echo. It may be caused by faulty transducer or unit. (I googled this info)

[T37Chef]

My piece of S&^T does the MSD display as well as everything yours is, sent the unit out for repair, cost $100 for them to verify its a hunk of junk now. Unfortunately its not just a wiring problem for mine