# What type depth finder do you have?



## gwp (Apr 9, 2003)

Don''t want to make a mistake buying a depth finder for my 25 Oday. I''d prefer a flush mount on the bulkhead forward of the cockpit but afraid there''s not enough room in the bulkhead hollow. I''ve seen some use the large square surface mount type which usually has a fish finder too, but they usually use a transom mount transducer. I''ve been told that due to the hull design, sailboats must use a shoot thru hull transducer. Need feedback! Thanks....Gary


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## mikehoyt (Nov 27, 2000)

Gary,

You can also mount the transducer inside the hull if there are no bubbles, etc.. between it and hull. Can test using water or oil and can use epoxy to mount (a bit permanent tho).

A good price performance option is Raymarine ST40 series. Small footprint on both inside and outside of bulkhead. Can get the Bi-data version if you also want speed.

I have had a fishfinder bulkhead mounted and because it came with the boat with a transom transducer tried the epoxy inside hull method. Worked well. The transom mount was a disaster ... dont do it.

When the fishfinder died I replaced it with the ST40 bidata. It is a real treat!

Mike


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

mikehoyt writes: "I have had a fishfinder bulkhead mounted and because it came with the boat with a transom transducer tried the epoxy inside hull method. Worked well."

I''m not sure I understand. Are you saying that rather than mounting a transducer designed for transom mounting on the transom, you instead epoxied it directly against the inside of the hull, presumably in the bilge area? And that you had good results with this arrangement?


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## gwp (Apr 9, 2003)

Can anyone answer "sailingbauble''s" question? I''ve seen fishfinders as the humminbird "piranha" and the like used in sailboats which I''m pretty sure only come with the transom mount transducer. So apparently, some have successfully used transducers designed for transom mount, as glue down "shoot thru hull"???? Thanks for replys.....Gary


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Mike is on vacation so I''ll answer for him:

Yes, he (actually - "we") took his transom mount transducer and epoxied to the inside of the hull below the water line. This was an Apelco fishfinder.We tested it by placing it in a pool of water in the same spot first. It read depth just fine glued in place like that until the unit eventually failed. 
My SR Mariner Thru-Hull Transducer is also epoxied to the inside of my hull and this also works fine although I suspect that the max. depth it can read has been limited. I''m more interested in how shallow the water is than how deep so this works fine for me. I had guidance from SR Mariner on how to do this. Its a common procedure.
Upside: - one less hole in the boat
Downside: possible decrease in max. depth
transducer is "permenantly" mounted

Andy


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## gwp (Apr 9, 2003)

Thanks Andy. That''s what I was hoping to hear, so as to have the option of going both ways. The previous owner of my boat mounted the transducer in a short piece of pvc pipe and then filled it with mineral oil. Do you know why this method was used? I''m under the impression that I should just epoxy the unit to the hull and leave it. Correct? I too couldn''t care less deep it is, but rather how shallow. Thanks


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Yes, a PO had tried that in my boat too. Its an alternative to the epoxy method but, at least in my case, can be messy. It was a poorly done install and all the oil ran out. Water can be used too. The epoxy makes a neat job of it and lets face it, how often do you need to remove the transcucer when its not being exposed to the elements anyway?
The main reason I went epoxy instead of thru-hull is simply because the boat was already afloat. I really have no qualms with drilling holes in my boat. God knows my wife would tell you thats all I do!
Good luck.

Andy


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## GordMay (Dec 19, 2002)

Some use the sleeve & mineral oil method to avoide the "bubbles" that can be present in epoxy. If the epoxy is absolutely bubble-free - no problem, except the previously noted transducer power loss.
Gord


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## mikehoyt (Nov 27, 2000)

Yes I am on vacation but unfortunately not on my boat. Of course its been raining non stop all week so not so bad.

Andy answered the question correctly. The display unit eventually died as the LCD seemed to bleed out. Had it repaired once by Raymarine (free at that!) but it did it again. That is why it is replaced.

I would never suggest that anybody by a fishfinder rather than a depth sounder for a sailboat. Especially one with a transom mount transducer. But it was free and the alternative was not. The replacement thru hull transducer was very expensive and not worth it. The FF worked very very well for depth and did not max out even in 130 feet of water.

I am very happy to have a proper instrument now tho.

Happy Sailing

Mike
... on vacation ...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I have a similar boat (Paceship PY26) , which when I bought it had an old thru-hull depth sounder that always seemed to think it was in the Marianas Trench.... 
I installed a Standard Horizon #35 with an In-hull Puck transducer(Airmar P79 which is the kind that sits in a base filled with mineral oil). The display unit can be flush-mounted or on a small bracket that comes with it. I put the transducer base in with 3M-5200, but the transducer itself is removable. The system works great, and the whole thing ran about $200 at West Marine.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I like the idea of standing on the bow and shouting to port or starboard and by the Mark Twain. Just find out what a Mark is and you dont need batteries or a video screen just some practice swinging lead.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

The main reason for using a PVC pipe or other container for a fluid is to provide a level mounting position for the transducer.

It is usually difficult to find a level spot on the hull to mount the transducer. If it isn''t level, the beam is directed down at an angle and the depth you are reading will be in error by the degree of the angle.

A PVC pipe/container can be beveled to match the angle of the hull and allow the transducer to be mounted vertically. The fluid is needed to maintain a low loss path between the transducer and the hull/water.

Jim


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