Michael Rogers
Lexington, KY
Boat Name: Saturate Before Using
Model/Year: 71
Hull No. 498
Hailing Port: Lexington, KY |
 04/06/2004 5:46 PM Pacific Time
So, I am planning on buying a fishfinder this spring. I've read up on them in the past and it seems just about anything would work. My question is which features would be good to have and which wouldn't. All I really want to do is find the bottom on an LCD screen before I find it with my keel or hull. Still, if someone has experience which indicates other useful features I would appreciate it. Thanks, Michael |
David J. Pierce
Sunset, Louisiana
Boat Name: Little Miracles
Model/Year: 1985
Hull No. 12822
Hailing Port: Cypermort Point, Louisiana |
04/30/2004 9:40 AM Pacific Time
The cheap fish finder I installed allows the size of the depth display to be increased to large digits. It is also has adjustable depth alarms.
Almost any of the cheap fish finders will have these features.
I installed my transducer to shoot through the hull. I purchased a bee- wax seal for a toilet, molded it into a ball and stuck it to the hull just in front of the swinging keel. It works great.
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PHILIP & SHARON MERLIER
FELLSMERE, FLORIDA
Boat Name: SWIZZLE STICK
Model/Year: 1990 C22
Hull No.
Hailing Port: FELLSMERE, FLORIDA |
05/01/2004 12:45 AM Pacific Time
Check out the "How to select a fishfinder" section in the West Marine Catalog (Page 126 in the 2004 Master catalog). It is very informative.
I have both a Standard Horizon DS150 and a Hummingbird Piranha (for backup) on my C22, both with inside the hull transducers mounted in silicone. They both work very well.
Word of caution: Wait until the boat is in the water to mount your transducer if you choose to do it as I did.
Philip |
Jack Kernel
Miami
Boat Name: Any
Model/Year: Any
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
08/04/2004 9:23 AM Pacific Time
Antifouling paint. Will it interfere with the "shoot-thru" on the hull transducer acurate functioning? I intend to install one soon.
Jack.
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Chip Lee
Utica, NY
Boat Name: Martha Pearl
Model/Year: 1980 C-22
Hull No. #9742
Hailing Port: Black River Bay, NY |
08/05/2004 3:34 AM Pacific Time
Solid material doesn't seem to bother the transducers, Jack.
I have had trouble in the past with bubbles in the adhesive puddle (my fault) and voids in cheap fiberglass boats (manufacturer's fault).
Location is also important. Try to stay away from areas where you could expect turbulence and bubbles, such as directly aft of the keel or directly behind a speedometer impeller.
I have an ablative blue on my boat and transducer soundings through it are dead on.
Chip |
Robert Sparks
Alexandria LA
Boat Name: Petite
Model/Year: 1977
Hull No. 7931
Hailing Port: Alexandria LA |
09/20/2004 6:49 AM Pacific Time
Hello folks! I don't know how to add a topic but can any of you suggest an inexpensive (less than $200) depth finder with speed indicator that requires no thru hulls whatsoever and is easy on power consumption?
Thanks!
Bob
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Chip Lee
Utica, NY
Boat Name: Martha Pearl
Model/Year: 1980 C-22
Hull No. #9742
Hailing Port: Black River Bay, NY |
09/21/2004 1:36 AM Pacific Time
I have the lowest-priced Humminbird Piranha fishfinder/depthfinder ($80), and it works just fine. |
Chip Lee
Utica, NY
Boat Name: Martha Pearl
Model/Year: 1980 C-22
Hull No. #9742
Hailing Port: Black River Bay, NY |
09/21/2004 1:38 AM Pacific Time
Oops, sorry, didn't see the speed indicator part. Don't know about those. I use my equally- cheap GPS for that. |
Karl Mielenhausen
New Bern, NC
Boat Name: Impromptu
Model/Year: C22 1985
Hull No. 13021
Hailing Port: Northwest Creek Marina |
09/22/2004 12:51 PM Pacific Time
If you don't want a thru-hull for your speed sensor, you'll have to use a transom mount. My experience is that a transom mount on a displacement hull does not work well, if at all. I gave up and mounted my puck in a glob of wax under the V-berth. No speed reading, of course, but now I can justify a GPS!!! |
Mark Murphy
Danville, KY
Boat Name: Serenity
Model/Year: C-22/83
Hull No. 1789
Hailing Port: Cave Run Lake Marina |
03/27/2005 6:45 AM Pacific Time
Hi, This is my first post. I really enjoy the advice I get here.
I recently bought a Hummingbird 15 (on sale) It comes with a transome mounted transducer, but from what I have read they don't work so good. I like the wax method but I need to know if I can mount a transome style transduce in-hull. Worst case I can hopefully return it. |
Chip Lee
Utica, NY
Boat Name: Martha Pearl
Model/Year: 1980 C-22
Hull No. #9742
Hailing Port: Black River Bay, NY |
03/30/2005 8:54 AM Pacific Time
Yes, Mark.Most of us who are talking about in-hull mounting bought a plain old transom-mount model, left the mounting brackets off, and stuck it in a puddle of wax, silicone or resin in the bilge under the vee berths. Works fine.
Chip Lee |
Bob Conway
Huber Heights, Ohio
Boat Name: Spindrift
Model/Year: C22/1979
Hull No. #8717
Hailing Port: Buck Creek, Ohio |
03/30/2005 9:42 AM Pacific Time
Mark,
Chip is absolutely correct. I have the Pirannah 1. I mounted the transducer in the V birth with silicon. I intended this as a temporary installation to try it out. But it has worked as I installed it for four years now.
Bob Conway |
Mark Murphy
Danville, KY
Boat Name: Serenity
Model/Year: C-22/83
Hull No. 1789
Hailing Port: Cave Run Lake Marina |
03/30/2005 5:02 PM Pacific Time
Thanks Guys,
After posting my question I had a moment of insanity and read the directions(crazy I know) It has a section on in-hull mouting the transducer. They recomend epoxy and to stay away from "soft" mountings. I'll take your advice, after all it's nonthing a putty knife can't cure.
My next question is what kind of surface preparation do you need besides a good cleaning/drying?
Mark
"Serenity" |
Bob Conway
Huber Heights, Ohio
Boat Name: Spindrift
Model/Year: C22/1979
Hull No. #8717
Hailing Port: Buck Creek, Ohio |
03/30/2005 7:34 PM Pacific Time
That worked for me. The hardest part was running the transducer cable back to where I mounted the unit.
Bob Conway |
George
Georgetown, SC
Boat Name: Blu Notes
Model/Year: C-22 1982
Hull No. 11184
Hailing Port: Georgetown, SC |
07/03/2005 7:51 PM Pacific Time
I just bought a Parahana 20 but am wondering where you folks mount the display head. I am thinking of running it aft as I can and mounting it to a rail. |
Boat Name:
Model/Year:
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
07/04/2005 5:23 AM Pacific Time
My Humminbird Piranha Max15 fishfinder came with only the transom-mounted transducer. A call to Humminbird got me a no-charge replacement: I sent the transom mounted one back to them, they replaced it with a puck transducer, within about a week.
See:
"Upgrade, Repair, Restoration and Refinishing Projects"
http://chipford.com/projects.htm
then scroll down to: "Adding a Fishfinder/Transducer"
Chip Ford --
Marblehead, Mass.
1974 Swing Keel "Chip Ahoy" #3282
Chip Ahoy website: www.chipford.com
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Chip Lee
Utica, NY
Boat Name: Martha Pearl
Model/Year: 1980 C-22
Hull No. #9742
Hailing Port: Black River Bay, NY |
07/05/2005 7:23 AM Pacific Time
Tom, a couple people, including me, have mounted the display to the bottom crib board. It's very visible from all parts of the cockpit, and having the bottom board in doesn't create a problem getting in and out of the cabin.
If your crib boards are in great shape and you don't want to mar their look, you can make a full- or half-height bottom crib board by using your existing one as a template to cut a new one out of plywood, and mount the display to this new one for use under sail.
One nice feature of this mount is that it stows very easily - simply remove the board with the display and wires attached and stow in the cabin. You can mount a compass right next to the display, and safely stow both below when not in use!
Chip Lee |
