Transducers 101

[Blowfish]

So I have a 30 year old transducer (and Datamarine guage) and I am nervous and investigating options for when/if it fails. I'm about to leave on a 2 month cruise and would like to have a backup plan. I've seen a lot of threads on these, but I haven't come across answers to the following:

1. Do transducers wear out?

2. Are all 200 hz transducers the same such that if I can find a cheap replacement guage to carry with me I can simply plug it in if the existing unit fails?

3. Other than the wiring connections, do transducers fail?

Sorry for the rather basic questions, but I'm new to this.

While I would prefer to re-use the existing transducer, if I can't I will proabably just carry a through-the-hull unit and the requisite installation materials.
Thanks!

[erps]

I've had two displays go T.U., but I haven't had any transducers fail yet.

[jarcher]

Transducers can fail like anything else. Will if fail someday? Yes it will. Will it fail on your cruise after 30 years? Probably not, but you have a chart, right? The chart has depth soundings at mean low tide, so bring a tide chart and your GPS, and stay in deep water if the sounder fails.

[dgr]

Blowfish,
You could probably spend the same money on a portable depth sounder/fish finder and then have one for your dinghy should you have the need.