So my next purchase will be a depth finder since many areas in Saginaw Bay off Lake Huron are very shallow plus by having a 20" shoal keel I want to be able to know how close I can get to the shore or islands for anchoring and relaxing. Reading on some of these depth finders I see some state that a solid fiberglass hull is needed. So what does my P165 have? Anybody mount a through the hull on a 165 with good results (I don't think many here own a P165).
Through the hull depth finder--fiberglass type?
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Hey Bruce , save your money . And don't buy one of these ,make your own . And don't worry about the bottom checking aspects of it . By the way to answer your question , it's solid .
Anchoring, Ladders, Boat Hooks - Nantucket Sounder, with Line & Bag
Anchoring, Ladders, Boat Hooks - Nantucket Sounder, with Line & Bag
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20" keel? Sail until it stops, then step out.
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I used this in my Capri 25, it was cheap and easy to install. This is the one where you have to drill a hole in the boat, and seal it with 3m 4200 or something.
Amazon.com : HawkEye D10DX.06T In-Dash Depth Sounder with Air and Water Temperature (Includes Thru Hull Transducer) : Norcross Hawkeye : GPS & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@312taleqJZL
Norcross Hawkeye also sells an "in hull" depth sounder that can also be transom mounted (like a jon boat)... I've watched several people try to get these to shoot through the hull, and only 1 was actually successful with a B25 (and they had to basically cut several layers of glass out and epoxy the unit in).. Others say you can place it in a ziplock bag with water, or epoxy a 6" pvc pipe vertical, and drop the unit in mineral oil... Finally still others say use a toilet wax ring, make a pancake, lay it against the hull, and press the transducer into the wax...
I've tried the above solutions, when I finally got aggravated, I bought the through hull (hole in the boat) model, and never had a problem again.
In your situation, I'd be tempted to forgo the depth sounder though. I mean a long stick would give you the same answer (boat pole?)... and even in pretty murky water, you might see bottom in 20 inches. If it's typically a soft bottom it's not much worry, if it's rock (like our lake is)... then maybe get a depth sounder.
Amazon.com : HawkEye D10DX.06T In-Dash Depth Sounder with Air and Water Temperature (Includes Thru Hull Transducer) : Norcross Hawkeye : GPS & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@312taleqJZL
Norcross Hawkeye also sells an "in hull" depth sounder that can also be transom mounted (like a jon boat)... I've watched several people try to get these to shoot through the hull, and only 1 was actually successful with a B25 (and they had to basically cut several layers of glass out and epoxy the unit in).. Others say you can place it in a ziplock bag with water, or epoxy a 6" pvc pipe vertical, and drop the unit in mineral oil... Finally still others say use a toilet wax ring, make a pancake, lay it against the hull, and press the transducer into the wax...
I've tried the above solutions, when I finally got aggravated, I bought the through hull (hole in the boat) model, and never had a problem again.
In your situation, I'd be tempted to forgo the depth sounder though. I mean a long stick would give you the same answer (boat pole?)... and even in pretty murky water, you might see bottom in 20 inches. If it's typically a soft bottom it's not much worry, if it's rock (like our lake is)... then maybe get a depth sounder.
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Yeah, your hull is solid. And there is no reason for you to put any holes in it. Just let the transducer transmit and receive through the fiberglass.
Do a search, or check a Don Casey book, and you'll find out how to shoot through the hull.
And as has already been stated, why would you want to put a depth sounder on a 16.5 ft. boat that only needs 20" of water? And I'm not disparaging small boats, having owned a 15, 16, 20, another 20, 31, 23, and 28 ft. boats. Besides, by the time you add all the stuff you're talking about, where are you going to put the ice maker?
Do a search, or check a Don Casey book, and you'll find out how to shoot through the hull.
And as has already been stated, why would you want to put a depth sounder on a 16.5 ft. boat that only needs 20" of water? And I'm not disparaging small boats, having owned a 15, 16, 20, another 20, 31, 23, and 28 ft. boats. Besides, by the time you add all the stuff you're talking about, where are you going to put the ice maker?
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