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TRANSDUCERS

Jonathan, #586, Mercury

I took a 10" long piece of 2" PVC pipe..cut the bottom to the angle of the hull under the settee....epoxied it into place onto the hull (inside the hull..duh!)...filled the pipe with water...dropped the depth sounder sensor into the water pocket..and Viola!...she reads depths thru the hull from the inside!..very cool indeed.

Dana Berube, #99, JADE

I installed a depth sounder transducer in a water box this year. It works fine.

You really have a lot of freedom in the installation. I used a PVC plumbing fitting (a 4 inch cleanout if memory serves) that I had around the house. After cutting the fitting at the angle of the hull so that it

was vertical, I used 5200 to bond it to the hull in the v-berth area. I located it on the starboard side within 6" of the water line. After allowing several days for the 5200 to cure (tape the fitting in place so that it does not move), it was an easy job to install the transducer thru the pvc cap and then fill the box with mineral oil (no freeze).

I chose to buy a Humminbird Fishfinder - depthsounder unit. It shoots thru the hull and works very well. I used the transom mount supplied with the unit - it was an easy job to adapt it. I didn't bother to swap

the transducer for the puck style.

I would think that a puck style transducer epoxied directly to the hull would work too.

One less hole in the hull is a good thing.

Celeste, #141, Formerly Ebb-Tide

WC #141 has a speedo and a depthsounder transducer, I think both are by Standard. I didn't install them, but I know where they are. The depth is beneath the hanging locker and has been trouble free. The speedo lives under the port side bunk, and gets clogged up every once and awhile. It has a metal loop across the top which acts as a safety to ensure the screw on cap is in place. Cleaning it involves removing the safety, unscrewing the cap/pulling out the transducer, and quickly inserting a plug. It's terrifying at first, but once you've done it you'll feel more at ease. Whatever water does come in ends up draining through the bunk weepholes towards the bilge, so it isn't too messy. I would just make sure wherever you decide to place it is easy to get to in the event you need to clean it out.

Steven, #332, Alleron

Another trick I used to use when mounting a depth sounder (transducer) is to simply plop it in handful of vasoline (or similar). If you have a flat spot, and need a temporary mount, this works very well.

Note: NEVER let power get to the guage without the transducer cable being plugged in. That will fry the unit, and is generally NOT a warranty item.... Always read your manual... (I learned that the hard way many years ago).

A. J. Matthews, #605, Ay Mon

For my fathometer, I use a Standard brand DS30. A nice little rectangular display that I mount beneath the SL30 Knot Log. They swing out from on top of the LORAN and eventually the GPS when I have the time to modify the bracket. Now about transducers. I drilled a hole in the V-berth, just 4" forward of the forward bulkhead (head/v-berth) on the starboard side of the boat. It is about 2 1/2 inches outboard of the base of the v-berth. There I cut a small access hole and made a slick little hatch to cover the spot. I have good readings on either heel, but the transducer comes out of the water when I get overpowered. The cable is run through the V-berth and around under the head and the port berth. I am happy.

I used a bronze through hull, as I feel the jury is still out on the nylon stuff.

Now about your fathometer....

I ordered my DS 30 with a transducer called a "Hockey Puck." It looks like what it sounds like. A small 2 1/4" diameter black disk with an angled base. It is originally designed to be adhered (epoxy) to the inside of your hull (no holes here man!). However, I had a wet well with my old DS10 (Standard/Horizon allows you to upgrade your stuff for a small $49.00 fee --- NICE) and decided that I liked it. I have a small tube of PVC epoxied to the interior of the hull. The top of the pipe is plumb to the deck/horizon. I the fill the pipe up with a little bit of water every month of so (about a cup) and I drop the puck into the pipe (Not much clearance in the pipe. About 1/4" no more).

I have had excellent luck with this configuration. The density of the salt water is not much different from the fresh. if there was, I would simply use salt water anyway. The density of the glass is not a factor. The only time you have problems is IF there would be pockets of air or glass that wasn't wet when the boat was laid up (Fat chance on a Triton, Babe.).

Oh and I almost forgot. The transducer/hockey puck is kept on the port side, under the port berth about 18-20 inches forward of the ice box, about six inches outboard of the port berth bulkhead.

For a good test with a transducer, get a Ziplock bag and fill it with water. Next, grab your transducer and open up your access panels inside your boat (of course while the boat is in the water). Now take your bag and puck and lay the bag on the inside of the hull and press the transducer onto the hull at the same angle (preferably perpendicular to the keel). When you find a spot that provides the best possible reading (of a known depth) mark it. Next, go for a cruise to some other known depth and a few unknown depths. When you are satisfied, that is where you want to place your transducer.

Don't put a hole in your boat if you can avoid it.

Ray Alsup, #256, Peggasus

I use a fish finder for depth (and fishing ;-) The transducer is located under the head platform on the

port side and just forward of the aft bulkhead. I covered the bottom of the transducer with a lot of

slow drying super glue and glued it to the inside of the hull. If installing a transducer this way you want

to make sure that there is no air trapped between it and the hull. You mix the 2 part glue very slow and

easy, let it set for a few moments, then apply it to both surfaces and move the transducer slowly in a

tight circular pattern. Brace it until the glue sits up - No holes, no oil, very accurate.

Some companies even sell transducers that are built with an incline to match the inside of the hull so it

is looking straight down.

Dave Butler

used the Org Transducer (base of the keel in the bow)for a Hummingbird 100(I think) and it work's very will the unit it replaced was an old Heath kit/Raytheon(W/lights)

Hugh Kabler, #667

The trouble with epoxy is that you can't remove it for possible future repair. I have used so called "water box" method for years: simply epoxy a plastic plumbing fixture at the right place, fill it with castor oil, mount the transdcer so it is less th an an inch from solid bottom, and you're in business. I did this 20 years ago, have replaced the transducer at least once, never had a problem.

Charles Walton

In a message dated 11/2/00 4:19:46 PM Pacific Standard Time, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. writes:

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that bag against the hull where you are considering mounting the transducer, hook up your depth sounder and see if it works. If you get a good reading with a depth that you would expect, the hull is sound and you can proceed to mount it there. 3. Prepare two or three 12" strips of duct tape that will be used to hold the depth sounder in place while the silicone sets up. It best that you complete this installation when the boat will not be moving around much for 10-12 hours, while the silicon sets up. Make sure there are no big storms blowing in, and leave the boat (to avoid rocking it)shortly after installing the transducer ...don't come back until the next morning, so that you con't cause it to rock much. 4. Make sure the surface of the hull is dry where intend to mount the transducer. On that location, carefully squeeze out a large pad of silicone, avoiding the creation of any bubbles. The clear type is better because it helps you spot bubbles. 5. Smooth out the portion of the wet silicone where you are going to place the transducer (avoid creating any bubbles). 6. Slide the transducer into place avoiding the creation of bubbles between the transducer head and the silicone pad. 7. Avoiding any un-

necessary movement, use the duct tape strips to secure the transducer in the pad of silicone so the head is pointed down and as close to the hull as possible. 8. Try not to rock the boat as you leave, and let it sit overnight. 9. After the silicone has set up, test the depth sounder, remove the tape and pat yourself on the back. >>

Thanks much for some excellent guidance on mounting the depth sounder. Silicone is the same stuff we use to seal windows and rain leaks, right? When seeking maximum horizontality, is there any disadvantage to getting too close to the keel? Is there a keel shadow? Possibly further forward is likely to have less keel problem, if any.

Mark Petrush.

The silicone referred to in the article by Ron Davis is indeed the same stuff we use for leaky windows, etc.

Most depthsounder transducers transmit and recieve in a cone-shaped pattern, and thus do not work once the boat's heel angle exceeds 10 or 15 degrees. I would guess that anything inside that cone (like the keel) would indeed induce a 'shadow' and reduce the amount of signal returned to the depthfinder.

I don't have my own transducer in a pad of silicone. My current boat has the through-hull type transducer that is removable from inside the boat. It is located on center under the vee berth and works great in that position as it is ahead of the keel. On our old boat we used a section of PVC pipe stuck to the inside of the hull. We started out using mineral oil in it, but after it broke loose once and leaked into the bilge we just put water in it with good results.

Next time I am using the silicone pad technique, though.

Skip Baker, #3, White Cap

If you want to do it down and dirty to check the placement, find a friend that is a nurse or check a local hospital supply company. On any floor there is a handheld doppler that is used to check pedal pulses

(pulses in the top of ones foot) for patency. The doppler acts much like a depthsounder. In fact, it uses a special non corrosive goo to complete the field from transducer head to skin. The stuff is non-toxic, non corrosive gel, and comes in a tube like toothpaste. Just sppge it on to the transducer head plunk it down where you want it and it will read. Then if it works, wipe of the goo, clean it with some soap, and

epoxy...

Philippe de Bersuder

Somebody just send me the a full size copy of the original Triton's french drawing (from the factory), but not in a very good shape, because t's around 30 years old.

The original (bronze) transducer was under the closet on the right side of the boat. I put mine under the toilets on the other side, with a profiled wood part to correct the angle (the transducer is vertical), that is not very good for the water flow on the hull, but...

Steve Hopkins, Piccolo, # 285

I installed a Humminbird 100SX this summer. Potted the transducer (angled puck, which was an even swap from Humminbird) against the hull in the head. I cut a 8" sq. hole in the 11/8" thick base for the john to access this area. My indoor plumbing is a sanipottie take it with you unit; a proper head might preclude this option.

The read out is mounted on a teak bracket that is hinged from the port inner companionway trim - underway it swings out and hooks to an eye on the companionway; swings back and hooks to the bulkhead when idle.

At the same time I mounted a rod holder on the cockpit coaming for trolling. Since these "enhancements" I haven't caught one fish and have run aground more often than ever.