Re:chart plotter/depth combos

We have used Garmin fish finders for years, as they tend to be the best bang for the buck for GPS and depth data. Note also that we mounted the transducer inside the hull with no problems. Some people use a gob of silicon caulk to adhere it to the hull, but Pentaquod came with a glassed-in box under the starboard quarterberth, so we mounted the transducer in that suspended in mineral oil, and it works great. Alfred Poor 1969 Cal 29 #132, "Pentaquod" We are planning a haul-out next visit to "Bribon" this summer and want to plan ahead to keep yard time to a minimum. Our current (antiquated?) depth, etc. system by SR Marine works fine at anchor, dock, etc. but on the move will give these scary flash warnings of "2 ft". We have relatively little experience with the system since so much of our time has been spent working on the boat not sailing. However, this haul-out seems a good opportunity to put in a new depth transducer and system, but only if really needed! Could anti-fouling paint on the transducer face have messed it up? Permanently? We are considering a Standard Horizon CP180 5-in.screen chartplotter with the added "black box" and transducer to add a fish finder view to the plotter. Any experience with these? The Raymarine (A-65?) is WAY too expensive for us...any controversy of fish finder versus depth sounder to be stirred up? Thanks, Peter and Regina "Bribon" Cal 39-II

Can someone explain to me how the transducer is "suspended in mineral oil?" I bought a depth finder long ago, but have yet to install it. I am a bit slow when it comes to these things. Thanks. Bruce Stirling --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Alfred Poor" <apoor@...> wrote: > > We have used Garmin fish finders for years, as they tend to be the best bang > for the buck for GPS and depth data. > > > > Note also that we mounted the transducer inside the hull with no problems. > Some people use a gob of silicon caulk to adhere it to the hull, but > Pentaquod came with a glassed-in box under the starboard quarterberth, so we > mounted the transducer in that suspended in mineral oil, and it works great. > > > > Alfred Poor > > 1969 Cal 29 #132, "Pentaquod" > > > > > > > > --- Original Message --- > > > > We are planning a haul-out next visit to "Bribon" this summer and want to > plan ahead to keep yard time to a minimum. > Our current (antiquated?) depth, etc. system by SR Marine works fine at > anchor, dock, etc. but on the move will give these scary flash warnings of > "2 ft". We have relatively little experience with the system since so much > of our time has been spent working on the boat not sailing. However, this > haul-out seems a good opportunity to put in a new depth transducer and > system, but only if really needed! > Could anti-fouling paint on the transducer face have messed it up? > Permanently? > We are considering a Standard Horizon CP180 5-in.screen chartplotter with > the added "black box" and transducer to add a fish finder view to the > plotter. Any experience with these? The Raymarine (A-65?) is WAY too > expensive for us...any controversy of fish finder versus depth sounder to be > stirred up? > > Thanks, > Peter and Regina > "Bribon" Cal 39-II >

--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Bruce Stirling" <bruce@...> wrote: > > Can someone explain to me how the transducer is "suspended in mineral > oil?" I bought a depth finder long ago, but have yet to install it. > I am a bit slow when it comes to these things. I've done this is in prior boats. You build a box glassed to the hull near the keel (but not in line with it), mine was in the head under the vanity on a previous boat. The top of the box is plywood and screwed down to the sides. The depth sounder transducer is mounted in the top of the box, not through the hull. It is vertical and the box lid is horizontal, relative to the water. Fill the box with mineral oil, which will not evaporate. As long as the transducer head is immersed in the oil, you have a liquid medium from oil, through the fiberglass, to the water below. The installation should be almost as accurate as a through hull installation but does not require a thru-hull fitting and the transducer can be removed for repair without a haul-out. Mike Kennedy Conquest Cal 40 # 96 > > Thanks. > > Bruce Stirling >

mtkennedy1 wrote: > > - Fill the box with mineral oil, which will not evaporate. As long as the > transducer head is immersed in the oil, you have a liquid medium from > oil, through the > fiberglass, to the water below. > One thing I've read about doing this is to include a little pipe plug or other filler plug at the very top of the box so you can eliminate all air bubbles. Chris Campbell

Nexus use to carry a mineral Oil depth transducer fitting, Which you might copy with a piece of pipe and a cap. I've also used silicone and glued the head to the hull. Worked fine for a year, until I had time for a haul-out. dEmO From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of mtkennedy1 Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2007 6:47 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re:chart plotter/depth combos --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <mailto:Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com> , "Bruce Stirling" <bruce@...> wrote: > > Can someone explain to me how the transducer is "suspended in mineral > oil?" I bought a depth finder long ago, but have yet to install it. > I am a bit slow when it comes to these things. I've done this is in prior boats. You build a box glassed to the hull near the keel (but not in line with it), mine was in the head under the vanity on a previous boat. The top of the box is plywood and screwed down to the sides. The depth sounder transducer is mounted in the top of the box, not through the hull. It is vertical and the box lid is horizontal, relative to the water. Fill the box with mineral oil, which will not evaporate. As long as the transducer head is immersed in the oil, you have a liquid medium from oil, through the fiberglass, to the water below. The installation should be almost as accurate as a through hull installation but does not require a thru-hull fitting and the transducer can be removed for repair without a haul-out. Mike Kennedy Conquest Cal 40 # 96 > > Thanks. > > Bruce Stirling >

Bruce, I installed one last year, the trick is to also buy the adapter ring which allows you to mount the transducer vertically on the angled part of the hull. Once you do that you fill the adapter with mineral oil and install the transducer. This allows you to install the depthfinder without putting a hole in the hull. The hardest part was figuring out what the hull "deadrise" was. The instuctions that came with the adapter were very easy to understand. I think the brand I installed was a Standard. Regards, David Dobbs --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Bruce Stirling" <bruce@...> wrote: > > Can someone explain to me how the transducer is "suspended in mineral > oil?" I bought a depth finder long ago, but have yet to install it. > I am a bit slow when it comes to these things. > > Thanks. > > Bruce Stirling > > > --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Alfred Poor" <apoor@> wrote: > > > > We have used Garmin fish finders for years, as they tend to be the > best bang > > for the buck for GPS and depth data. > > > > > > > > Note also that we mounted the transducer inside the hull with no > problems. > > Some people use a gob of silicon caulk to adhere it to the hull, but > > Pentaquod came with a glassed-in box under the starboard > quarterberth, so we > > mounted the transducer in that suspended in mineral oil, and it > works great. > > > > > > > > Alfred Poor > > > > 1969 Cal 29 #132, "Pentaquod" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- Original Message --- > > > > > > > > We are planning a haul-out next visit to "Bribon" this summer and > want to > > plan ahead to keep yard time to a minimum. > > Our current (antiquated?) depth, etc. system by SR Marine works fine at > > anchor, dock, etc. but on the move will give these scary flash > warnings of > > "2 ft". We have relatively little experience with the system since > so much > > of our time has been spent working on the boat not sailing. However, > this > > haul-out seems a good opportunity to put in a new depth transducer and > > system, but only if really needed! > > Could anti-fouling paint on the transducer face have messed it up? > > Permanently? > > We are considering a Standard Horizon CP180 5-in.screen chartplotter > with > > the added "black box" and transducer to add a fish finder view to the > > plotter. Any experience with these? The Raymarine (A-65?) is WAY too > > expensive for us...any controversy of fish finder versus depth > sounder to be > > stirred up? > > > > Thanks, > > Peter and Regina > > "Bribon" Cal 39-II > > >