depth sensor for typhoon?

[Scott Launey]

OJ,

I promise not to lock the prop on my Seagull. I've got to figure out how to put pictures on here soon so you can see her.

I've also got a delaminating rudder that I have to fix before I put her back in the water. The core of the rudder looks like one piece of teak laminated in fiberglass; I'm stripping off everything I can before reglassing.

Is it possible to take the rudder off to do this job?

Scott

[Oswego John]

Hi Scott,

In all fairness, this thread is about depth sounders. Rather than scuttle the thread, I will give you some answers concerning rudder repair (that you will be glad to hear) in a new thread.

The new thread might take a little while because I might draw some diagrams of what I'm trying to say and, after scanning, send them in.

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode.
O J

[John Vigor]

I'm trying to figure out why you need a sounder for a boat that draws two and a half feet at most?
Scott

I made myself a gravity-activated depth sounder for my old 25D. No electricity, no screens, no batteries, no solar panels, no through-hulls.

It was extremely accurate, totally, absolutely waterproof, and unaffected by heat, cold, or sunlight.

It was a smooth, pear-shaped, 2-pound rock, through which I bored a small hole. I attached 50 feet of 1/4-inch, three-strand Dacron line and marked the depths in feet on small fabric tabs stuck through the strands.

It had only one disadvantage. It was not self-illuminating in the dark, except on those nights when there was phosphoresence in the water. I am working on that problem and would welcome suggestions before I apply for a patent.

John V.

[Neil Gordon]

It had only one disadvantage. It was not self-illuminating in the dark, except on those nights when there was phosphoresence in the water.

You know of course that old-timers used a form of nautical Braile on their battery-free devices.

[bottomscraper]

You know of course that old-timers used a form of nautical Braile on their battery-free devices.

Like this? And who was Gavity?

http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/Heavingth ... kings.html

[John Vigor]

Rich, Professor Gavity was the discoverer of heaviness. He's very famous. I'm surprised you don't know about him. (I could tell you more, but I'm scared to use too much bandwidth.)

John V.

[John Vigor]

It had only one disadvantage. It was not self-illuminating in the dark, except on those nights when there was phosphoresence in the water.

You know of course that old-timers used a form of nautical Braile on their battery-free devices.

Yes Neil, I know that, but I'm afraid it never worked for me. On my boat after dark the conversation went more like this:

"Yo there, leadsman, what sounding?"
"Two bits of leather, sir -- one with knots."

John V.

[Jim Davis]

However before I start this has become somewhat rare with the advent of collapsing and bendable boathooks.

We used to use a long boat hook with the larger vessel's draft clearly marked in launches and pulling boats. This was quite handy for doing a quick sounding before running a questionable channel. It is easier and faster than using a hand lead, especially when working from a small boat with any sea action.

One other point related to heaving a hand lead. The swing should only come up to about the horizon. You don't gain any range by swinging it higher and it is a lot safer. I have seen leads come down on deck because the leadsman swung too high. One other case happened in Pearl Harbor when a Sea Scout leader decided to show his troops "how a real leadsman does it" and swing a full circle. I won't add that we gave him an 18 pound deep sea lead. He was lifted enough to loose his balance and went overboard. The skipper was not pleased, not with the me, but the Sea Scout leader.

[Oswego John]

I can't recollect exact details, but somewhere in the past I have heard this bit of interesting trivia.

Samuel Clemens, whether travelling on, or working on, a Mississippi river boat was fascinated by the deckhand leadlining the everchanging depths of the river's channels.

The deckhand would call back to the pilot and some of the words used were "mark- #" and "twain- another #)

Hmmm, could this have been a source for Clemen's future nom de plume?

O J

[Neil Gordon]

"Yo there, leadsman, what sounding?"
"Two bits of leather, sir -- one with knots."

I think I see the problem.

Two strips of leather = 2 fathoms (i.e., more than enough for a CD28).

Bits of leather might indicate an older lead line, where the requisite strips of leather have been reduced to bits. Knots in the leather on the other hand are quite unofficial but could be a poor attmept to turn two or more bits into strips.