Depth transducer

Hi all, New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please forgive any newbie questions. I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered here, the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled container, while the transom type can be glued directly to the hull. The second option seems easier and less messy, so the question is: is there any advantage to going with the puck type? Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. Cheers, Alex.

Really, no thoughts on this subject? --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@...> wrote: > > Hi all, > > New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please forgive any newbie questions. > > I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered here, the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled container, while the transom type can be glued directly to the hull. The second option seems easier and less messy, so the question is: is there any advantage to going with the puck type? > > Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? > > For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. > > Cheers, > Alex. >

On my Cal34 I mounted the transducer forward of the water tank.on the centerline. The silicone bed must have no air pockets in it, or so I have read. Obviously the it need not be covered in silicone. It probably needs to be mounted as level as possible but I have never read that. It eliminates the need for another hole in the hull. That i a good thing. I have had no problems with it. Walter MacArthur "70 Cal 34 On 12/13/2012 12:38 AM, kotyara73 wrote: > > Really, no thoughts on this subject? > > --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <mailto:Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com>, > "kotyara73" <krollokot@...> wrote: > > > > Hi all, > > > > New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please > forgive any newbie questions. > > > > I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the > archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. > What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: > in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered here, > the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled container, while the transom > type can be glued directly to the hull. The second option seems easier > and less messy, so the question is: is there any advantage to going > with the puck type? > > > > Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? > > > > For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. > > > > Cheers, > > Alex. > > > >

Thanks Walter. I'm assuming you're using the transom mount transducer? What kind of silicone did you use? BTW, haven't thought of that before, but how does it cope with heeling? Does the reading change on different points of sail, or is there some sort of compensation built into the system? On Dec 12, 2012 11:44 PM, "Walter" <wa… [at] cal34.com> wrote: > ** > > > On my Cal34 I mounted the transducer forward of the water tank.on the > centerline. The silicone bed must have no air pockets in it, or so I have > read. Obviously the it need not be covered in silicone. It probably needs > to be mounted as level as possible but I have never read that. > > It eliminates the need for another hole in the hull. That i a good thing. > > I have had no problems with it. > > Walter MacArthur > "70 Cal 34 > > On 12/13/2012 12:38 AM, kotyara73 wrote: > > > > Really, no thoughts on this subject? > > --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@...><krollokot@...>wrote: > > > > Hi all, > > > > New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please forgive > any newbie questions. > > > > I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the archives > and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. What I'm not > quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: in-hull puck or the > transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered here, the puck needs some sort > of liquid-filled container, while the transom type can be glued directly to > the hull. The second option seems easier and less messy, so the question > is: is there any advantage to going with the puck type? > > > > Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? > > > > For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. > > > > Cheers, > > Alex. > > > > > >

I don't think there are really much in the way of different silicones, at least marine grade silicone. The couple of manuals I looked at say to use epoxy, and make sure all the bubbles are out. Air stops the signal. That said I test placed mine with silicone to make sure it would shoot through that location in the hull before permanently placing in epoxy. 7 years later it is still in the silicone, I may never get around to the epoxy. Beam width is the number you're interested in here. If you mount the transducer perfectly flat, then if you heel more than 1/2 the beam width you will likely not get a return. Any angle you mount it at subtracts from the one tack and adds to the other for the amount of heel you can tolerate. No calibration needed for the angle. It shouts out and spreads some amount. Whichever part of the beam hits something first and reflects back to the boat will be the first to return, usually what is directly under the boat. It can't differentiate what part of the beam was sent out, it just reports the time/distance of the first echo return. http://www.boatus.com/boattech/articles/selecting-transducer.asp John From: Alex Kunadze <kr… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 11:51 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Thanks Walter. I'm assuming you're using the transom mount transducer? What kind of silicone did you use? BTW, haven't thought of that before, but how does it cope with heeling? Does the reading change on different points of sail, or is there some sort of compensation built into the system? On Dec 12, 2012 11:44 PM, "Walter" <wa… [at] cal34.com> wrote: > >On my Cal34 I mounted the transducer forward of the water tank.on the centerline. The silicone bed must have no air pockets in it, or so I have read. Obviously the it need not be covered in silicone. It probably needs to be mounted as level as possible but I have never read that. > >It eliminates the need for another hole in the hull. That i a good thing. > >I have had no problems with it. > >Walter MacArthur >"70 Cal 34 > >On 12/13/2012 12:38 AM, kotyara73 wrote: > > >>Really, no thoughts on this subject? >> >>--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@...> wrote: >>> >>> Hi all, >>> >>> New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please forgive any newbie questions. >>> >>> I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered here, the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled container, while the transom type can be glued directly to the hull. The second option seems easier and less messy, so the question is: is there any advantage to going with the puck type? >>> >>> Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? >>> >>> For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Alex. >>> >> >> >

Either transducer will work just fine - they both operate on the same principle - shooting and receiving a radio frequency - as long as they are both sealed. The puck is a little "friendlier" for thru-hull shooting because of it's physical shape; the transom mount may have a harder time "standing up" while you are positioning it for through-hull shooting. I am not a big fan of silicone because it is hard to get it to be bubble free under the ducer - what I have heard people do and what would provide maximum flexibility is after you find the right spot with a good reading, glass (or silicone) a tube in place which, when the glass or silicone is cured, can be filled with a inch or two of clean, clear, mineral oil (doesn't evaporate and gives off no smell) and just place the transducer in it... perhaps put some weight on top of the puck, so it stays put. My $.02. --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@...> wrote: > > Really, no thoughts on this subject? > > --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@> wrote: > > > > Hi all, > > > > New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please forgive any newbie questions. > > > > I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered here, the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled container, while the transom type can be glued directly to the hull. The second option seems easier and less messy, so the question is: is there any advantage to going with the puck type? > > > > Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? > > > > For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. > > > > Cheers, > > Alex. > > >

Alex, An in-hull transducer works fine, I used one for years, I think a Standard Horizon. It came with a mounting flange that you just sealed to the hull with silicone, then filled with mineral oil, and installed the transducer. The idea was to make sure the transducer was looking straight down when the boat is floating level. I have since switched to a Nexus system, with a combo speedo, depth, and temp. instrument, but it required an actual hole in the hull. I had my yard do that. No leaks. Regards, David Dobbs Cal29 411 From: dutchessc22 <du… [at] aim.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2012 10:46 AM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Either transducer will work just fine - they both operate on the same principle - shooting and receiving a radio frequency - as long as they are both sealed. The puck is a little "friendlier" for thru-hull shooting because of it's physical shape; the transom mount may have a harder time "standing up" while you are positioning it for through-hull shooting. I am not a big fan of silicone because it is hard to get it to be bubble free under the ducer - what I have heard people do and what would provide maximum flexibility is after you find the right spot with a good reading, glass (or silicone) a tube in place which, when the glass or silicone is cured, can be filled with a inch or two of clean, clear, mineral oil (doesn't evaporate and gives off no smell) and just place the transducer in it... perhaps put some weight on top of the puck, so it stays put. My $.02. --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@...> wrote: > > Really, no thoughts on this subject? > > --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@> wrote: > > > > Hi all, > > > > New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please forgive any newbie questions. > > > > I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered here, the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled container, while the transom type can be glued directly to the hull. The second option seems easier and less messy, so the question is: is there any advantage to going with the puck type? > > > > Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? > > > > For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. > > > > Cheers, > > Alex. > > >

Aye, it was the transom mount transducer. It was probably GE silicone cement. It was a very long time ago that I installed it. There is no tress of any sort on the transducer so it has made no attempt to escape captivity. As near as I could tell the readings were reasonably accurate. My greatest concern was always in the shallows. I have seen the suggestion of using mineral oil but I preferred something that can't spill then make me worry about "where the heck did this stuff come from?" Good luck Walter On 12/13/2012 01:51 AM, Alex Kunadze wrote: > > Thanks Walter. I'm assuming you're using the transom mount transducer? > What kind of silicone did you use? > > BTW, haven't thought of that before, but how does it cope with > heeling? Does the reading change on different points of sail, or is > there some sort of compensation built into the system? > > On Dec 12, 2012 11:44 PM, "Walter" <wa… [at] cal34.com > <mailto:wa… [at] cal34.com>> wrote: > > On my Cal34 I mounted the transducer forward of the water tank.on > the centerline. The silicone bed must have no air pockets in it, > or so I have read. Obviously the it need not be covered in > silicone. It probably needs to be mounted as level as possible but > I have never read that. > > It eliminates the need for another hole in the hull. That i a good > thing. > > I have had no problems with it. > > Walter MacArthur > "70 Cal 34 > > On 12/13/2012 12:38 AM, kotyara73 wrote: >> >> Really, no thoughts on this subject? >> >> --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >> <mailto:Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com>, "kotyara73" <krollokot@...> >> <mailto:krollokot@...> wrote: >> > >> > Hi all, >> > >> > New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please >> forgive any newbie questions. >> > >> > I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the >> archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred >> option. What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer >> is better: in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I >> gathered here, the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled >> container, while the transom type can be glued directly to the >> hull. The second option seems easier and less messy, so the >> question is: is there any advantage to going with the puck type? >> > >> > Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? >> > >> > For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. >> > >> > Cheers, >> > Alex. >> > >> > >

depth sounder are only checked after you hit the mud...you might look at sonar with alarm or under water camera... fish finders work great will sail and race in south SF Bay keep your boat heeled over you go "outside the channel" to pass but do Not try tacking... our Cal 29 loves to find Mud... our "new"Cal36 has 11" deeper keel she likes the deeper water...Maybe the Capt. is getting wiser... on the 36 the depth finder is on the chart table only the Main sheet person can see it ...the depth sounder is in a box of oil edward "Caliente" Cal36 #60 From: John Courter <ca… [at] yahoo.com> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thu, December 13, 2012 2:10:33 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer I don't think there are really much in the way of different silicones, at least marine grade silicone. The couple of manuals I looked at say to use epoxy, and make sure all the bubbles are out. Air stops the signal. That said I test placed mine with silicone to make sure it would shoot through that location in the hull before permanently placing in epoxy. 7 years later it is still in the silicone, I may never get around to the epoxy. Beam width is the number you're interested in here. If you mount the transducer perfectly flat, then if you heel more than 1/2 the beam width you will likely not get a return. Any angle you mount it at subtracts from the one tack and adds to the other for the amount of heel you can tolerate. No calibration needed for the angle. It shouts out and spreads some amount. Whichever part of the beam hits something first and reflects back to the boat will be the first to return, usually what is directly under the boat. It can't differentiate what part of the beam was sent out, it just reports the time/distance of the first echo return. http://www.boatus.com/boattech/articles/selecting-transducer.asp John From: Alex Kunadze <kr… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 11:51 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Thanks Walter. I'm assuming you're using the transom mount transducer? What kind of silicone did you use? BTW, haven't thought of that before, but how does it cope with heeling? Does the reading change on different points of sail, or is there some sort of compensation built into the system? On Dec 12, 2012 11:44 PM, "Walter" <wa… [at] cal34.com> wrote: > >On my Cal34 I mounted the transducer forward of the water tank.on the >centerline. The silicone bed must have no air pockets in it, or so I have >read. Obviously the it need not be covered in silicone. It probably needs >to be mounted as level as possible but I have never read that. > >It eliminates the need for another hole in the hull. That i a good thing. > >I have had no problems with it. > >Walter MacArthur >"70 Cal 34 > >On 12/13/2012 12:38 AM, kotyara73 wrote: > > >>Really, no thoughts on this subject? >> >>--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "kotyara73" <krollokot@...> >>wrote: >>> >>> Hi all, >>> >>> New owner of a '74 Cal 29 here. That's my first boat, so please >>>forgive any newbie questions. >>> >>> I've been reading about depth transducer installations in the >>>archives and it seems mounting it in-hull is the preferred option. >>>What I'm not quite clear on is which type of transducer is better: >>>in-hull puck or the transom-mount sensor. From what I gathered >>>here, the puck needs some sort of liquid-filled container, while >>>the transom type can be glued directly to the hull. The second >>>option seems easier and less messy, so the question is: is there >>>any advantage to going with the puck type? >>> >>> Also, what would be a good place to mount it on a Cal 29? >>> >>> For the reference, it'll be hooked up to Garmin 441s. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Alex. >>> >> >>

Thanks for all the replies. It looks like some are using oil-bath sensors, and some transom-style, with no clear distinction between them. I've looked deeper into the specs for the sensors I can use with my Garmin 441s (which is indeed a fish-finder with an alarm built in), and it looks like oil-bath types have a 5 degree beam width advantage, probably not worth all the trouble with the oil. So, I think I'll take the easy way out and get the transom sensor. Now, all I need to do is find a spot to mount it, which might not be so easy with the cabin floor liner. I might actually cut a piece out in the head compartment, will get a good look at the mast beam while I'm at it. Thanks for the help!

Are you sure people are using transom mounts? Maybe I didn't follow this thread as closely as I thought but I think people are either using oil-bath or through-hull mounts on sail boats. Every boat I have ever seen has the through hull kind. It is no big deal, assuming your boat is out for a bottom job. Just drill a hole in the boat and mount the thing. Easy for me to say that as I don't have a depth gauge and have only hit bottom 3 times and I don't think a depth gauge would have helped in any of those cases. Certainly not in the case where my friend was at the tiller and decided I had been going the wrong way out of my marina for the 20+ yeas he had been sailing with me. Allen On Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 8:12 PM, kotyara73 <kr… [at] gmail.com> wrote: > ** > > > Thanks for all the replies. It looks like some are using oil-bath sensors, > and some transom-style, with no clear distinction between them. I've looked > deeper into the specs for the sensors I can use with my Garmin 441s (which > is indeed a fish-finder with an alarm built in), and it looks like oil-bath > types have a 5 degree beam width advantage, probably not worth all the > trouble with the oil. So, I think I'll take the easy way out and get the > transom sensor. > > Now, all I need to do is find a spot to mount it, which might not be so > easy with the cabin floor liner. I might actually cut a piece out in the > head compartment, will get a good look at the mast beam while I'm at it. > > Thanks for the help! > > >

When I called Humminbird to order a shoot through the hull sender described in the manual they told me I already had it, it was the transom mount sender that came with the depth sounder. Mine is mounted on about a 5 degree angle, in silicone as I posted earlier. The depth sound is rated to 600 feet. I've seen 300 feet on a perfect bottom, 200 feet is pretty typical, as little as 100 feet on a soft mud bottom. Since I use it mostly for avoiding running aground these depths are way more than I need. Using the depth sounder as part of navigating, these depths have been completely adequate for me. I don't know what heel angle it stops working at as I've always had to stop looking at it to deal with the boat rounding up due to excessive heel. I didn't have to haul the boat, I didn't have to drill another hole in the boat. An oil bath mount should have the same range as an epoxied one they both have to shoot through the hull, . If you have a steep enough angle of the hull I could see the oil bath having the advantage to mount it perfectly level. In my case I have no loss of signal at any angle of heel that I'm normally operating in. Tips: http://www.westsystem.com/ss/depth-sounder-installation/ John From: Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 10:56 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Are you sure people are using transom mounts? Maybe I didn't follow this thread as closely as I thought but I think people are either using oil-bath or through-hull mounts on sail boats. Every boat I have ever seen has the through hull kind. It is no big deal, assuming your boat is out for a bottom job. Just drill a hole in the boat and mount the thing. Easy for me to say that as I don't have a depth gauge and have only hit bottom 3 times and I don't think a depth gauge would have helped in any of those cases. Certainly not in the case where my friend was at the tiller and decided I had been going the wrong way out of my marina for the 20+ yeas he had been sailing with me. Allen On Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 8:12 PM, kotyara73 <kr… [at] gmail.com> wrote: > >Thanks for all the replies. It looks like some are using oil-bath sensors, and some transom-style, with no clear distinction between them. I've looked deeper into the specs for the sensors I can use with my Garmin 441s (which is indeed a fish-finder with an alarm built in), and it looks like oil-bath types have a 5 degree beam width advantage, probably not worth all the trouble with the oil. So, I think I'll take the easy way out and get the transom sensor. > >Now, all I need to do is find a spot to mount it, which might not be so easy with the cabin floor liner. I might actually cut a piece out in the head compartment, will get a good look at the mast beam while I'm at it. > >Thanks for the help! > >

The transducer I installed came with my depth/fish finder and was actually intended for transom mount. But I installed it in a bed of silicone cement centerline near the bow. I simply ignored the brackets molded onto the transducer. I was more concerned with what was coming up rather than what I had already passed over. Walter On 12/15/2012 01:48 AM, John Courter wrote: > When I called Humminbird to order a shoot through the hull sender > described in the manual they told me I already had it, it was the > transom mount sender that came with the depth sounder. > > Mine is mounted on about a 5 degree angle, in silicone as I posted > earlier. The depth sound is rated to 600 feet. I've seen 300 feet on > a perfect bottom, 200 feet is pretty typical, as little as 100 feet > on a soft mud bottom. Since I use it mostly for avoiding running > aground these depths are way more than I need. Using the depth > sounder as part of navigating, these depths have been completely > adequate for me. I don't know what heel angle it stops working at as > I've always had to stop looking at it to deal with the boat rounding > up due to excessive heel. > > I didn't have to haul the boat, I didn't have to drill another hole in > the boat. An oil bath mount should have the same range as an epoxied > one they both have to shoot through the hull, . If you have a steep > enough angle of the hull I could see the oil bath having the advantage > to mount it perfectly level. In my case I have no loss of signal at > any angle of heel that I'm normally operating in. > > Tips: > http://www.westsystem.com/ss/depth-sounder-installation/ > > John > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > *From:* Allen Edwards <al… [at] gmail.com> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Friday, December 14, 2012 10:56 PM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer > > Are you sure people are using transom mounts? Maybe I didn't follow > this thread as closely as I thought but I think people are either > using oil-bath or through-hull mounts on sail boats. Every boat I > have ever seen has the through hull kind. It is no big deal, assuming > your boat is out for a bottom job. Just drill a hole in the boat and > mount the thing. Easy for me to say that as I don't have a depth > gauge and have only hit bottom 3 times and I don't think a depth gauge > would have helped in any of those cases. Certainly not in the case > where my friend was at the tiller and decided I had been going the > wrong way out of my marina for the 20+ yeas he had been sailing with me. > > Allen > > On Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 8:12 PM, kotyara73 <kr… [at] gmail.com > <mailto:kr… [at] gmail.com>> wrote: > > Thanks for all the replies. It looks like some are using oil-bath > sensors, and some transom-style, with no clear distinction between > them. I've looked deeper into the specs for the sensors I can use > with my Garmin 441s (which is indeed a fish-finder with an alarm > built in), and it looks like oil-bath types have a 5 degree beam > width advantage, probably not worth all the trouble with the oil. > So, I think I'll take the easy way out and get the transom sensor. > > Now, all I need to do is find a spot to mount it, which might not > be so easy with the cabin floor liner. I might actually cut a > piece out in the head compartment, will get a good look at the > mast beam while I'm at it. > > Thanks for the help! > > > > >

Kotyara, I'm mystified. Isn't a transom sensor one that mounts on the outside of the transom, which on many sailboats sits above the water, unlike most powerboats? My boat draws 30" so, until I need such a thing as a fish finder (cheating, no?), or I sail amid reefs more often, I don't see the need for one of these gad jets, yet. Jerry, Shpritz, yea olde Cal 24 Mark I #71, a do it yourself kit boat. From: kotyara73 <kr… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 8:12 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Thanks for all the replies. It looks like some are using oil-bath sensors, and some transom-style, with no clear distinction between them. I've looked deeper into the specs for the sensors I can use with my Garmin 441s (which is indeed a fish-finder with an alarm built in), and it looks like oil-bath types have a 5 degree beam width advantage, probably not worth all the trouble with the oil. So, I think I'll take the easy way out and get the transom sensor. Now, all I need to do is find a spot to mount it, which might not be so easy with the cabin floor liner. I might actually cut a piece out in the head compartment, will get a good look at the mast beam while I'm at it. Thanks for the help!

What I was trying to say in my post was that the transom mount transducers are dual use. They can be mounted on the outside on the back of the transom and they work equally well glued to the inside of your hull at whatever location pleases you. John From: Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2012 10:30 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Kotyara, I'm mystified. Isn't a transom sensor one that mounts on the outside of the transom, which on many sailboats sits above the water, unlike most powerboats? My boat draws 30" so, until I need such a thing as a fish finder (cheating, no?), or I sail amid reefs more often, I don't see the need for one of these gad jets, yet. Jerry, Shpritz, yea olde Cal 24 Mark I #71, a do it yourself kit boat. From: kotyara73 <kr… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 8:12 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Thanks for all the replies. It looks like some are using oil-bath sensors, and some transom-style, with no clear distinction between them. I've looked deeper into the specs for the sensors I can use with my Garmin 441s (which is indeed a fish-finder with an alarm built in), and it looks like oil-bath types have a 5 degree beam width advantage, probably not worth all the trouble with the oil. So, I think I'll take the easy way out and get the transom sensor. Now, all I need to do is find a spot to mount it, which might not be so easy with the cabin floor liner. I might actually cut a piece out in the head compartment, will get a good look at the mast beam while I'm at it. Thanks for the help!

On 12/15/2012 1:30 PM, Gerald Sobel wrote: > > My boat draws 30" so, until I need such a thing as a fish finder > (cheating, no?), or I sail amid reefs more often, I don't see the need > for one of these gad jets, yet. Our Great Lakes levels have fluctuated over the years. In my youth, in 1964, we set record low levels (modern historical record, not glacial-time records). In 1986, we set record high levels. At that point, my other boat could sail anyplace water was shown on a chart because chart datum was considerably lower than the actual water levels. I did not replace my old depth sounder when it died. But then levels started dropping, and eventually it seemed prudent to buy a new sounder. Tonight I checked the Corps' month-to-date levels for Lakes Michigan and Huron. So far this month, we're 1/4" below the 1964 record low. We need precipitation. Where the Cal 20 lives you can see the bottom well before there is any danger of stabbing the keel into it. Chris Campbell >

Yeah, John, after I posted that I saw some similar clarifications. That's way cool. One of these days I may give Shpritz some steroids, sail off across the pond like Shpritz's namesake (Spray) and find that a depthfinder or a lead line, may come in handy. Now, if I could only figure out how to work my new (OK I've only had it for six years) GARMIN Map 76 GPS-way too tricky. Meanwhle, my venerable GPS II eight satellite is able to find itself 55 percent of the time (otherwise them satellites must be hiding behind the moon, I know because the screen says "poor satellite coverage"), which makes buoy racing dicey, especially in those rabbit start races where I don't have the faster boats to guide on. Well, we're supposed to know how to DR, arent we? It's not like we're traveling 600 knots while jinking to avoid AA and SAMs. Jerry From: John Courter <ca… [at] yahoo.com> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2012 11:32 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer What I was trying to say in my post was that the transom mount transducers are dual use. They can be mounted on the outside on the back of the transom and they work equally well glued to the inside of your hull at whatever location pleases you. John From: Gerald Sobel <so… [at] yahoo.com> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2012 10:30 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Kotyara, I'm mystified. Isn't a transom sensor one that mounts on the outside of the transom, which on many sailboats sits above the water, unlike most powerboats? My boat draws 30" so, until I need such a thing as a fish finder (cheating, no?), or I sail amid reefs more often, I don't see the need for one of these gad jets, yet. Jerry, Shpritz, yea olde Cal 24 Mark I #71, a do it yourself kit boat. From: kotyara73 <kr… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 8:12 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: Depth transducer Thanks for all the replies. It looks like some are using oil-bath sensors, and some transom-style, with no clear distinction between them. I've looked deeper into the specs for the sensors I can use with my Garmin 441s (which is indeed a fish-finder with an alarm built in), and it looks like oil-bath types have a 5 degree beam width advantage, probably not worth all the trouble with the oil. So, I think I'll take the easy way out and get the transom sensor. Now, all I need to do is find a spot to mount it, which might not be so easy with the cabin floor liner. I might actually cut a piece out in the head compartment, will get a good look at the mast beam while I'm at it. Thanks for the help!