Just finished my bottom paint for the season. However I left two spots unpainted. This year I had new electronics installed. My question is should I paint over the rubber diaphragm on the the depthmeter transducer and the rubber propeller of the knotmeter. I know with the knotmeter I'll need to be careful the so as not to inhibit its ability to freewheel.
Thanks
Rich
s/v Inerarity
depthmeter transducer and knotmeter propeller
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Mike Everett
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Duncan Maio
Re: depthmeter transducer and knotmeter propeller
Remedy, our CD27, has a plastic impeller on the knotmeter transducer, and a nylon depthfinder transducer. Last season (a particularly foul year in Narragansett Bay), the edges of the depthfinder transducer became fouled with barnacles, and the knotmeter had animals growing in it that I think I saw in a Sigourney Weaver movie. The transducer gave a few funny readings and made a clicking sound (I assume related to false returns off the barnacles) and the knotmeter stopped working after about three weeks (and I was not brave enough to pull it out for cleaning).rich wrote: My question is should I paint over the rubber diaphragm on the the depthmeter transducer and the rubber propeller of the knotmeter.
This year, I bought a little bottle of "Transducer Paint" at West Marine, and We will give that a try.
Duncan Maio
s/v Remedy
CD27 #37
dmaio@att.net
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: depthmeter transducer and knotmeter propeller
Rich,
I agree with the others. Don't paint either. I just pulled the knot meter from Hanalei this last weekend, she went in a week ago, but I didn't clean the impeller before she went in. Besides, it's rather exciting to see that 1 1/2" column of water come surging into the bilge. It took less than 15 seconds to pull out the transducer and stick in the plug, likewise 15 seconds to pull the plug and reinstall the transducer after it was cleaned. I was amazed! In 30 seconds (OK, 45!) that 1 1/2" hole filled the bilge to slightly more than three inches below the cabin sole. I'd think that was around a 20 gallon per minute flow! Wouldn't take long to sink the boat!! The bilge was dry when I started. As for the depth transducer, I'd dive on it when you get a chance (nice sunny day, anchored in quiet cove, water temp mid 70's) and give it a swipe with a scrub brush. This should knock off any slime and show you if barnacles are a problem. Shouldn't be too difficult. What I really like is when you clean either one and the next weekend they work erratically because some critter has taken up house construction on your freshly cleaned surface. You'd thinik there were many other places they could live!!
Fair winds....
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei (CD-30)
I agree with the others. Don't paint either. I just pulled the knot meter from Hanalei this last weekend, she went in a week ago, but I didn't clean the impeller before she went in. Besides, it's rather exciting to see that 1 1/2" column of water come surging into the bilge. It took less than 15 seconds to pull out the transducer and stick in the plug, likewise 15 seconds to pull the plug and reinstall the transducer after it was cleaned. I was amazed! In 30 seconds (OK, 45!) that 1 1/2" hole filled the bilge to slightly more than three inches below the cabin sole. I'd think that was around a 20 gallon per minute flow! Wouldn't take long to sink the boat!! The bilge was dry when I started. As for the depth transducer, I'd dive on it when you get a chance (nice sunny day, anchored in quiet cove, water temp mid 70's) and give it a swipe with a scrub brush. This should knock off any slime and show you if barnacles are a problem. Shouldn't be too difficult. What I really like is when you clean either one and the next weekend they work erratically because some critter has taken up house construction on your freshly cleaned surface. You'd thinik there were many other places they could live!!
Fair winds....
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei (CD-30)
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denny
Re: depthmeter transducer and knotmeter propeller
I don't know what all the fuss is over bottom painting your depth sounder transducer. I painted mine for the second time 3 years ago with 2 coats of bottom paint. I have no growth. Two years before that I painted it with one thin coat and after a year I was cleaning the growth monthly. My depth sounder has always worked well, Knock on wood.
rich wrote: Just finished my bottom paint for the season. However I left two spots unpainted. This year I had new electronics installed. My question is should I paint over the rubber diaphragm on the the depthmeter transducer and the rubber propeller of the knotmeter. I know with the knotmeter I'll need to be careful the so as not to inhibit its ability to freewheel.
Thanks
Rich
s/v Inerarity