GLUE IN TRANSDUCERS

[chasn_sunset]

Anyone have any experience with them in your CD's? I'm looking at purchasing a new digital depthsounder with a inside hull transducer and using my old hole for a paddle wheel speed indicator.... I'm concerned that the hull thickness would degrade preformance....

[kevin cain,CD 28]

I don't think you will have any problem, I installed one on my Seasprite 23 and it worked great.

[Neil Gordon]

Anyone have any experience with them in your CD's? I'm looking at purchasing a new digital depthsounder with a inside hull transducer and using my old hole for a paddle wheel speed indicator.... I'm concerned that the hull thickness would degrade preformance....

You can search the archives... those that use them report they work well. It's important to get an air free signal between the transducer and the hull and be sure there are no voids in the hull where the transducer is placed. Suggestions include testing with the transducer inside a water filled plastic bag. Mounting in a glassed in pvc tube filled with mineral oil has also been suggested.

[Carter Brey]

Hi, Dan--

Cape Dorys have solid FRP hulls, so there's no problem with in-hull transducers. Cored hulls present a problem with in-hull installations, but you don't need to worry about that.

I have one in my boat which works perfectly (a Uniden QT-206). It screws into a plastic mounting ring which is glued to the inside of the hull up forward to port of centerline. The ring is filled with mineral oil. I used Boatlife Lifeseal to affix the ring to the inside of the hull. Do not use polysulfides such as 3M 4200, and do not use epoxy; the former degrades plastic, and the latter is in turn degraded by mineral oil.

It's important that you prepare the surface of the hull by fairing it flat (removing the convex curve of the hull) with sandpaper and cleaning it well. There can also be print-through from the glass mat which needs to be sanded absolutely smooth for a good seal.

Good luck,
Carter

[winthrop fisher]

hi there...kevin is right, it should be fine. to put on the inside, i all was do...winthrop

[chasn_sunset]

Gonna go for it with all the sage advise...

Dan

[Carter Brey]

Dan,

I forgot to mention this. You'll need to go in through that little door under the vee berth up forward to remove a section of liner, maybe a square foot's worth, beneath the bow tank to expose the hull. That liner is perhaps 1/8" thick. a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel ought to do the trick.

CB

[winthrop fisher]

hey, if you are going to cut a hole in there, put a small round hatch in as well. so if you have to get to it. you can... winthrop

Dan,

I forgot to mention this. You'll need to go in through that little door under the vee berth up forward to remove a section of liner, maybe a square foot's worth, beneath the bow tank to expose the hull. That liner is perhaps 1/8" thick. a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel ought to do the trick.

CB

[Carter Brey]

hey, if you are going to cut a hole in there, put a small round hatch in as well. so if you have to get to it. you can... winthrop

Winthrop,

No need for a hatch; here's what I meant.

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/aug-19-2003-013.jpg[/img]

[marv]

I just finished placing my gage and it wks ok
remove the small section with a dremmel just foward of the settee
mount it with a piece of pvc with a flange and fill with mineral oil make sure the device is VERY close to the hull so there is very litttle gap use 3m 5200 did anyone say that the 5200 would degrade the pvc??id like to know
put the unit in and do not seal it off so tighly so that the mineral oil cannot vent or expand

[s.v. LaVida]

When LaVida's depth sounder blew out, I fell back to my standby depth sounder which was previously mounted on the inside of the hull, cable ready to plug into the read-out.

On change over, the resultant depth was not as accurate in very shallow water and in the max depth range of the unit. The middle depths ( 8' to perhaps 150') seemed to be accurate.

I think the particular transducer I have (Data Marine) has a lack of power to get through the "main bang" of the hull and progress accurately through the water and return.

Having said that, I would, at your next haulout, put a new inwater transducer and perhaps create an in-hull installation as backup. Sure saved the day for me while cruising NewFoundland waters.

Mike

[Neil Gordon]

... and perhaps create an in-hull installation as backup.

How about a "no batteries required lead line?"

[s.v. LaVida]

I've got one, and won't let it off my boat.

however, it sure is a bitch, using a lead line and trying to handle all the other details, while underway into a shoaling area.

mike

[winthrop fisher]

hey, i think it would look better with some thing covering it...winthrop

[Will Wheatley]

Hey Dan
Don't know if you already installed your transducer but I just did this a few weeks ago on my CD25. I used the little epoxy packet that came with the angled puck transducer I ordered for my fish finder.
The key is to test a spot before installing it and the best way to do this is to fill the hull with water. However I found that in my CD25 I could fill the locker under the starboard berth and it would stay filled long enough to run the test. I wound up placing it in there a far forward as I could. It works great.

Before I filled the locker with water I tried the water in a bag method but had no luck. This is also my second attempt. The first Transducer that came with the fish finder was the regular flat one and it did not work when I mounted it on the port side. I ruined it when I took it out but th angled puck is a better fit for the hull anyway.

Happy Sailoring