Shallow depth alarm

[Jimmyt]

I like this vs drilling a hole. Very nice.

Mine is mounted in the same place. My only concern is that I can't back onto a beach else risk ripping it off (and opening a hole in the hull where it's attached)

Yep. The more stuff you have hanging off of the boat, the more likely you are to have damage. Inexperienced crew increases the excitement. I noticed my Magma grill doing fender duty during a recent docking... and it's fairly easy to see mounted off the stern rail. My transducer will be forgotten until the screen goes blank.

[Sea Shadow]

I put mine in a "shoot through" position inside the cabin. Accessed the hull, near the centre via the starboard locker (aft seat at the table), embedded it in plumbers putty and shot throught the hull. I think the transducer is sitting above a part of the ballast chamber, however I always have full ballast
so no air gap. it sits about a metre behind the keel. I found that I can see the water getting shallow and adjust the keel or avoid the area.

[Jimmyt]

I put mine in a "shoot through" position inside the cabin. Accessed the hull, near the centre via the starboard locker (aft seat at the table), embedded it in plumbers putty and shot throught the hull. I think the transducer is sitting above a part of the ballast chamber, however I always have full ballast
so no air gap. it sits about a metre behind the keel. I found that I can see the water getting shallow and adjust the keel or avoid the area.

Did you get the "shoot through" transducer, or just mount the standard transducer in "shoot through" position?

What did you bed it in, or how did you mount it?

[Sea Shadow]

Jimmy,

I just used the normal transducer and bedded it into plumbers putty, making sure there are no air gaps.

Michael

[Jimmyt]

Jimmy,

I just used the normal transducer and bedded it into plumbers putty, making sure there are no air gaps.

Michael

Michael,

Thanks for that! When I break mine off, I'll install it on the inside like you did.

Jim

[NiceAft]

I really don’t believe the threat of a transducer breaking from being located on the stern is that great. Notice I said. ”not that great”, and not “impossible”.

First: If others are like the one for my Garmin, it flips up.

Second: Some of us sail in areas that have shifting bottoms. Will moving a transducer 12’ (6.5m) forward make a difference other than at low speed while docking. Can anyone really react quick enough at 3,4, or 5 knots.

I set my depth gauge to be offset by a depth of 6’ (1.8m) to compensate for the daggerboard.

Since it can be done, and if it is worrisome for an owner, then by all means, place a transducer midship. I just don’t believe it is something to worry about. That is an example of the 3 S.W. Rule. Some Will, Some Won’t, So What.

I may be alone with this thought, but in fifteen years, the one close call I had was handled in time, and it involved a sunken pylon. My eyes caught it first.

If you are concerned, by all means, correct the location.

[Sea Shadow]

My reason for "shooting through" were two fold. One to avoid the chance (admitably low) of damage to the mounting of the transducer, Two , no screw holes in hull, no wires running around cockpit or through helm and then through hull.

Michael

[Jimmyt]

My reason for "shooting through" were two fold. One to avoid the chance (admitably low) of damage to the mounting of the transducer, Two , no screw holes in hull, no wires running around cockpit or through helm and then through hull.

Michael

I was able to keep the wires in the pedestal, and routed them back to the stern with the motor wiring.

I adhered the epoxy-clad oak block to the transom to avoid putting screw holes below the waterline. So, you and I had the same concerns.

[Jimmyt]

I really don’t believe the threat of a transducer breaking from being located on the stern is that great. Notice I said. ”not that great”, and not “impossible”.

Ray,

You must boat with more observant, knowledgeable, and careful people than I do. I've come back from parking the trailer to see my mast and standing rigging bumping up against the covered boat storage roof edge, and my Magma grill doing fender duty on a piling.

My transducer is most likely to get knocked off during launching or retrieving.

I don't have any repeat offenders, and with COVID, I won't be taking any new folks out for awhile. Always amazes me that other people aren't as concerned about scratches and dings like I am...

And I agree. If the bottom changes suddenly, reaction time probably wont be quick enough to avoid a bump - even if I put it in the bow.

[NiceAft]

My reason for "shooting through" were two fold. One to avoid the chance (admitably low) of damage to the mounting of the transducer, Two , no screw holes in hull, no wires running around cockpit or through helm and then through hull.

Michael

I was able to keep the wires in the pedestal, and routed them back to the stern with the motor wiring.

I adhered the epoxy-clad oak block to the transom to avoid putting screw holes below the waterline. So, you and I had the same concerns.

Perfectly logical.
Perfectly reasonable.
Your mind is at ease.

As the song I Got Rhythm claims, ““who can ask for anything more.”

[Russ]

The one situation that I fear ripping off the transducer is when beaches stern to the beach. Can't be done with my transducer mounted back there. With the boat bobbing up and down with waved, it will surely be ripped off. And then what? Are the mounting screws through the hull? I don't know.

So I must stay JUST OFF the beach when aft beaching. I do like having water temp as part of the display. However, I'm thinking temp would probably transfer through the hull if mounting inside. Or close enough to know if it's too cold to go swimming.

[NiceAft]

Jimmy said,

You must boat with more observant, knowledgeable, and careful people than I do

Maybe
I do mostly single sail. If there is/are any passenger/passengers, they are not crew. They are guests.

Russ said,

The one situation that I fear ripping off the transducer is when beaches stern to the beach.

I have never beached Nice Aft. I have always taken advantage of being able to float in a foot of water, and anchored (stern first) really close to shore; walk in calve deep water to the beach. It's just my preference. Obviously, others do differently. 3 S.W., remember

[OverEasy]

Hi All!

On Over Easy we mounted our transducer in a box as close to centerline in the bottom of the dinette aft bench area.
There is just hull here, no ballast tank that we could determine.

On our first go round we filled the box with melted low temp plumbers sticky wax (such as used for toilet seals).
It worked great for our first four months plying the estuaries and rivers around the Beaufort SC area.
Water temp was spot on and the look down chirp mode worked great!

After we sling lifted out to have the bottom cleaned, painted and ablative redone Over Easy was slinged onto the trailer and transited about 1200 miles to Lake Champlain. With all the slinging and trailering I guess the wax cracked and separated from the transducer.

Given we had good charts on our Garmin and local charts we did without the depth sounder while we were there.
We margined our depth to account for the reduced water levels via our Garmin charts bottom contour feature.
Keeping an eye on the chart display and keeping the paper chart handy we didn’t have any issues.
We diligently stayed in waters deep enough for us.

Upon returning to SC we pulled the transducer and removed the box and wax.
Couldn’t definitively tell but it did look like the wax had cracked.

Working up to the next go round.
Much Larger box in width, length & depth that will be filled with porous foam & antifreeze (glycol) and sealed.
The transducer has a lateral (side-to-side) 170 degree down look/ side scan capability that our first box limited.
The second box will give the transducer a wider unobstructed view side angles.
The second box will also give us the capability to angle the transducer to aim forward toward the area below the bow.
Yes that will require a bit of an offset to account for the linear distance of the angle BUT it would also give us a better idea of what is under the bow. Using our charts and our depth sounding should help us avoid accidental groundings.
Worth a try any way!

Garmin also makes a specific “look forward” blade type transducer if anyone is interested.

As was mentioned when using the engine the Mac26X bow rises up when it gets on plane (something we haven’t seen yet with our 20 yr old Tohatsu even when at ~80% power. Hopefully we should once the new engine arrives…. whenever that is…

Our under the aft dinette bench seat location should always be in the water even when on plane.

Best Regards
Over Easy

[Russ]

I've used silicone caulk instead of wax. Cut off the top of a tube and just plop an ample amount where the transducer is going, trying to avoid any air bubbles.

Probably a bit more permanent (although a razor blade would remove it), it is less likely to crack as your wax did.

[OverEasy]

Hi Russ! Yeh, not keen on trying the waxy approach again …. The Garmin user sites have also mentioned silicone but the GAM (gawd awful mess) to remove/replace gives hesitation.

I’d also like to at least try and get a wider side scan functionality this next go round… hence the bigger box…

The literature says it has a 170 deg view angle ( top 5 deg either side is lost). Would also like to explore the ability to tilt the transducer to look forward which ‘could be’ advantageous at times.

Could be fun …..

Best Regards
Over Easy