[jetdrvr393]

I know this is a newbie question but are there wirelss depth finders that are any good and reasonably priced? I would love to not have to worry about running that wire.

Thanks

Joe

 

[negrini]

Take a look at http://www.tacktick.com/ But it will have some sort of wiring anyway. At least to power sensors, but this is the best system in class you'll find out there. Another possible solution are those portable instruments, take a look at Portable Wind Meter, Weather Station, Water Gauge - Hunt|Fish Electronics - Speedtech Instruments.

 

[jetdrvr393]

I think that wirelss system is a little high priced for my little boat. I have another dumb question though, I have a depth finder but it has the transom mount transducer. The guy I bought it from told me he was having trouble getting it to work reliably with it mounted inside the hull. Will it work this way or do I need one of the puck ones that is designed to be inside the hull. My boat has a lead keel, could that be interfearing with it?

Thanks

 

[negrini]

Depends on how sensor is attached to the hull. ideally it shoud be transon mounted, as it was designed for it. But you could give it a try and see how different materials impedance would affect its capability. The easiest way, is put it inside a plastic bag filled with water (oil would be beter, but messy), then put bag in contact with hull (away of keel, as it could interfere on bean if too close), resting sensor faced down to the hull. This way, you're getting reads from some different materials (water, then plastic bag, then GRP hull, then saltwater). If that prove enough, with good reading, then you could glue the sensor inside the hull, using same resin used on lamination. This way you'l.l have just one extra layer (the resin) before bean going to salt water. In other words, if this works on a bag filled with water or oil, it will work beter if glued inside. Search here for this topic and you'll find some interesting experiments.

 

[mitiempo]

Use epoxy to attach transducer in the place you've determined to work well. Epoxy has much better adhesive properties than polyester.
Brian

 

[scottyt]

i have a humming bird fish finder/gps on my boat, i just waxed the transome mounted sensor and used gelcoat paste to "glue" it down under the settee. it works just fine, for depth and fish

 

[mitiempo]

Why did you wax it?
Brian

 

[DropTop]

When I installed the new transducer for my Garmin earlier this seanon (after using the same water filled bag meathod to determine placment under the V berth worked well), I picked up a small bottle of ultrasound gel from a local vet's office, and poured a thick layer down (the stuff is thick enough that it doesn't run so I didn't need to dam it). I then put a very thick bead of 3M 4000 adhesive sealant (I didn't want to go quite as perminant as 5200) around the outside of the transducer down to the hull.

This works amazingly well, I get fantastic bottom resolution and very detailed returns from anything in the water below the boat, many times better then the water filled bag. The only problem is when it auto switches down from it's normal frequency (200Khz) to the lower frequency (50Khz) the clicking is rather loud inside the cabin...

I'm still going to seal a small section of PVC to the inside of the hull around the transducer and fill it with water and cap it off, but just because it should help mute the sound of the transducer in the cabin. the ultrasound jelly provides a fantastic interface against the fiberglass hull.

 

[jetdrvr393]

Thanks all, I am thinking that I am going to buy one of the puck type in hull transducers instead of trying to rig up something to work that wasn't designed for it. I am looking at a humminbird with a puck type transducer that says it's for in hull mounting. If I get that can I just glue it down or does that need to have water or some other media between it and the hull to work properly?

 

[negrini]

Download installation manuals from your prospects instruments builders. You'll se that there is no need for water.

 

[mitiempo]

Epoxy is the best way to attach a transducer to the hull. Sealants such as silicone will have an impact on depth sounder performance. Humminbird agrees.
Brian

 

[scottyt]

Why did you wax it?
Brian

so if i ever need to pop it loose i can, then i could use a new thin layer to put a new one in the same spot ( assuming same trans ). then i would not have 2, 3, or 4 globs of gel coat under the settee from each new one.

 

[DropTop]

I've been told by the guys at west marine to avoid the hummingbird brand sounders because the transducers are essentially unique to the model display you have them attached to. If you decide to upgrade at a later date to something with a bigger or color screen or add a chartplotter etc or the unit fails and you need to replace it in a couple of years, you will have to remove the epoxy or whatever you use to secure the transducer to the hull so you can replace it with another model, or leave it there and install another transducer next to it.

Garmin and Raymarine (among others I'm sure) have standard connection transducers that will work with just about any model display you want.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you are thinking ahead for future upgrades and changes (and possible equipment failures), not just what you need to do today.

 

[DropTop]

Epoxy is the best way to attach a transducer to the hull. Sealants such as silicone will have an impact on depth sounder performance. Humminbird agrees.
Brian

I've been told the same thing about silicone under the transducer, I didn't do that.

Between the transducer and the hull is ultrasound gel. It's designed specifically to act as a high grade interface between a sonar transducer and another surface (afterall the sounders, fish finders and bottom plotters we use are just lower grade and lower frequency versions of the same things neonatal doctors use when a women goes in for a pregnancy checkup).

I used 3M 4000 sealant / adhesive only around the outside edge of the transducer to Dam the gel underneath the transducer and prevent it from leaking out, while also holding the transducer in place.

So far it's worked incrediblly well. I have actually seen the box shape of a lobster pot show up on the sonar display when I got a little too close to a bouy once, as well as the line going up to the surface bouy.

It also has the significant benefit of being easily removable should the transducer fail and need replacing for any reason in the future...

We'll see how well it works after sitting for the winter and the gel freezes... Worst case I go to the trusty old epoxy meathod next spring

 

[mitiempo]

If you use epoxy and have to remove it just hit it sideways with a hammer - it'll break free without a problem. No liquids tro keep in place by damming area.
Brian

 

[jetdrvr393]

Ok, I'm thinking of going a differetn route now. Today I noticed that my knotmeter is not working either. My boat currently has a Moore knotmeter installed with a thru hull transducer. I have been thinking of upgrading to a Raymarine ST40 bidata system that will do speed, temp and depth. Will their transducers fit in the holes that are already in the hull for the Moore system?
Do you guys think this is a better way to go?

Thanks

 

[mitiempo]

Sounds logical in your case as the hole is there and a combined unit makes sense. As far as size, I think you will have to either measure the hole or get the measurement from the owners manual which you may have filed. I couldn't find any info about Moore on the web that is useful. Maybe someone has one, but it's possible there were different sized transducers.
Brian

 

[jetdrvr393]

Ok thanks, if anyone knows if the two sizes match please let me know.

Thanks
Joe