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consumedbynature
United Kingdom
108 Posts |
 Posted - 25 May 2011 : 00:11:59
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Hi,
Is there such a thing as a decent depth sounder which can be fitted to my boat without having to put a hole in my hull. Can anyone recommend a product? Obviously the cheaper the better.
I have seen some hand held ones on ebay that allegedly can be fixed onto a bracket on the boat. Are they any good?
Thanks Billy
Shetland 640 - Jessica Marie - Worcestershire Avon |
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john-m
130 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2011 : 00:36:10
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i have a eagle fish easy 2 for sale if your interested 3 years old with box and intuctions all you have to do is glue the transducer to the hull on the inside so no need for holes £70 posted.
Its work really well I only changed it because I wanted one with gps.
cheers john |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2011 : 07:39:01
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Most depth sounder transducers can be fitted inside a grp hull, clean the grp well and use a silicon sealer to attach directly (must be air bubble free) or epoxy glue a plastic tube to the clean grp, fill with castor oil and drop the transducer into the oil, second way pretty much guarantees no air bubbles and is how mine is done, it also makes it easy to remove/replace transducer if needed.
Not a single hole to drill!
Never be tempted to shorten the transducer cable as it's part of the calibrated unit.
Won't work on steel or wood but ultrasound sees void free grp the same as water.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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lord john
United Kingdom
262 Posts |
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Ricky
100 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2011 : 18:20:28
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Ive read this with interest, but Im more curious to know, how much of a conquest actually sits under the water/water line anyways? In terms of feet/inches? With typically one man and his mate or GF as the only additional weight..
I once passed a (well signposted) bit o river near a gravel quarry, the river, was full of gravel making it very very shallow, all the signage tho pointed this out a few hundred yards before I got there so I went slow and kept to the middle eyes fixed on the way ahead with many quick glances at the prop, I could SEE the bottom!
Also another trip took me by a beauty spot where swans congregate, and so do folk feeding them... Id moored up to assess the river ahead, and walking on the canal path I saw huge boulders, near the canal walls, barely inches under the water.. that made me hold my breath for sure.
Dont think Id want/need a depth finder tho.. on a river, but a nice gadget if the price were right!
Cheers Rick |
Edited by - Ricky on 25 May 2011 18:33:01 |
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cliveshep
Thailand
1324 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2011 : 20:15:59
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Frankly I use an echo sounder quite a lot, as a navigation aid it is extremely useful. However, I do understand the points made above, you are hardly likely to want to know, for example, the ten fathom line on a canal or river. However, even on a river, you might well be wanting to know the depth under the keel, on, say, the Thames for example, which, being alluvial, is about as transparent as a bucket of brown paint.
The cost of boating is insignificant compared to costs of a young wife and two teenage kids! |
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lord john
United Kingdom
262 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2011 : 20:25:28
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I just find it interesting on the bit of river we use as it is about 7 feet deep on average(depending on flood water)but it can go down to 3 feet.I have also found a couple of 25 feet deep holes (why they are there I dont know)but they hold a lot of fish !!
if a hammer wont fix it,it must be electrical. |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2011 : 07:41:56
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I would guess a conquest would draw about 25-30" to the tip of the outboard, for most non tidal rivers and canals a depth sounder is a boys toy and nothing more, with the usual positioning of the transducer by the time you get a shallow reading you're already aground anyway, more useful for judging how much tide is over chart datum or part of a position fix at sea, I have a regular depth sounder as well as a forward looking one but thats crap when you realy need it as too much silt and crud in the water confuses it and most tidal entrances run pretty brown.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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Boatmad
United Kingdom
1092 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2011 : 19:53:38
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I like the old fashoned flasher type as you dont have to watch digital figures and non boaters have no idea what it is.
pagreenwell |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2011 : 19:58:38
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I have a nasa stingray with transducer somewhere, I think they are still in production, mine is the dual type with digital readout as well as the spinny thingy (don't you love technical talk).
May well be for sale, was working fine when removed.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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Deano
United Kingdom
1843 Posts |
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Knighty
United Kingdom
654 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 16:44:37
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Resurrecting this thread, if you seal an in hull transducer on a Norman 20 does it go straight onto the GRP i can see in the stern lockers or is there a double skin as have read that if it is you have to cut a hole in that skin and attatch it to the outer skin ?
Also Nasa sell these in hull kits for around £16 but can you use any kind of container maybe a small jar with a lid and have heard to put veggie oil inside or does it have to be plastic container.
I know rivers don't really need a depth sounder but as a fisherman it would be good to sus out the deeper bits, or are the refresh rates on these things useless for rivers ?
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 17:24:30
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On a norman there is no second skin as long as you are looking at the hull and not a flat deck/floor, just clean the bare grp and either epoxy a tube directly onto it and fill with castor oil and insert the transducer or silicon the tranducer direct to the grp, the second approach needs to have all air bubbles out or it will not read properly, I have the tube and it works fine.
I've still been aground plenty of times though! 
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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cliveshep
Thailand
1324 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 19:06:15
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You only go aground Dave because in spite of the kit you're probably too drunk to read the dial ha ha.
Sorry mate - feeling a bit frisky.
To the OP:-
You do not need an in-hull kit on a Norman, get hold of a 6 inch (150mm for you young 'uns) piece of ABS Osma or similar 1 1/2" waste pipe, cut it to an angle and simple bed it into a big dob of polyester or epoxy filler on a clean bit of hull near the side of the cockpit locker but inside the locker. Pour in an inch or more of cooking oil or caster oil (which is a lot thicker) and simply push the transducer down into it.
Keep it as far forward in the stern locker as you can away from prop disturbance.
Like others I prefer the red spinning type, like the old Seafarer range or the modern but similar in performance NASA Stingray.
The cost of boating is insignificant compared to costs of a young wife and two teenage kids! |
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Knighty
United Kingdom
654 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 19:29:55
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Thanks for the replies, when i bed in the plastic pipe does the oil have to contact the hull or do i just put a pad of filler down and bed the pipe into it leaving the transducer to send signals or whatever it sends through hull and some filler ?
And can anyone recommend a not too dear depth sounder or fishfinder that works in shallower water, Avon seems to be 3ft or less in parts. |
Edited by - Knighty on 14 Mar 2012 19:58:53 |
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df
United Kingdom
5994 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 20:41:24
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At 3' or less you're urinating in an isobaricly disadvanted direction to start with, it will just tell you that you have already gone aground as it's looking straight down, I have a forward looking sonar and it's equally crap in shallow water if it's running a bit murky.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
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Topic |
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Depth sounder
