Transducer advice

[JohnCFI]

planning on getting a Garmin 541S Chartplotter, along with the GWS10 wind sensor kit. I could do with some advice on which GARMIN depth sensor to get and where to mount it in my . Grateful for any advice you may have.... Thanks.

[rszobel]

i just purchased a garmin 441S and got the transom mount transducer that is made for it -- works great. purchased all at west marine and they price matched. I found the combo (transducer and gps) for $495 at Newegg.com -- they price matched with no questions at all.

[dtjoslyn]

I have a 98X and I placed my transducer below the berth just aft of the head close to the ballast tank. It is secured with plumbers putty and works very well even with a good heel. Just need to be sure you work out any air pockets in the putty between the transducer and the hull.

[Russ]

i just purchased a garmin 441S and got the transom mount transducer that is made for it -- works great. purchased all at west marine and they price matched. I found the combo (transducer and gps) for $495 at Newegg.com -- they price matched with no questions at all.

Ditto on the transom mount. Plus it gives me water temp.
Never drill a hole for a depth transducer. Mount it in silicone caulk or putty like above.

[JohnCFI]

Thanks for the above, I was not so sure about a transom mount, but it looks like a good option now.

[rwmiller56]

I installed an Airmar P79 in-hull (not thru-hull) transducer on my 26M, just forward of the galley.
See my mod at http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1665.

I used to have a transom mount transducer, but I got tired of cleaning the marine growth from it. And bottom paint reduced the sensitivity of it. So I decided to go with the in-hull mount. It works well, and is zero maintenance. I don't miss having the water temperature indicator. If I want to know the water temperature, then I just put my hand in the water

This might be another option for you.

Cheers.

[Steve K]

I had transom mount on my X...... Worked great
Installed a transom mount on my D, even though I had doubts that it would work well. There is actually very little transom in contact with the water, on the D boat. (it came with the gps, so I thought I'd try it..... Garmin btw)
I mounted it as close to the center line as possible, without interfering with the rudder. It works great also, except in the most extreme conditions I may lose depth reading for a second.

In the most extreme conditions, I'm usually too busy to look at it anyway

Best Breezes,
Steve K.
Mac 26D "Three Sheets"

[mastreb]

Ditto the transom mount. Not having holes in your boat below the waterline = good. Another poster just mentioned how a lightening strike blew his transducer out of its hole and he didn't notice until he launched and the boat started taking on water. There are dozens of ways sealed holes can fail.

[acmaui]

Ditto the transom mount. Not having holes in your boat below the waterline = good. Another poster just mentioned how a lightening strike blew his transducer out of its hole and he didn't notice until he launched and the boat started taking on water. There are dozens of ways sealed holes can fail.

He launched his boat without noticing his transducer was gone? Not intending to play monday morning quarterback, but I think a better walk-around before launching would be a good idea.

[Ormonddude]

My boats previous owner had already drilled it for his transducer I took his off and used the same holes with a generous smear of 5200 - good to go.

[mastreb]

planning on getting a Garmin 541S Chartplotter, along with the GWS10 wind sensor kit. I could do with some advice on which GARMIN depth sensor to get and where to mount it in my . Grateful for any advice you may have.... Thanks.

Also, take a serious look at the Maretron WS100 wind sensor instead of the GWS10. It's solid state (no moving parts) and about the same price as the GWS10. I've got one, and it works great, although I did have a warranty replacement at 18 months, the warranty covered everything and Maretron was really good about it. Hooks up perfectly fine to the Garmin via NMEA2000 and is auto-detected. There's nothing to configure with them at all.

[ChuckieTodd]

I have a 441s with in-hull (not thru-hull) transducer. It has a really nice mounting setup that you fill with propylene glycol once affixed to to the hull. I've not yet attached it as I've been testing it in different spots. So far, the best place I've found is just aft of the batteries under the aft berth. The ballast tank doesn't seem to adversely affect it when full.

[Divecoz]

Confusion seems to arise here between Thru hull and shoot thru hull.
I, like many here have a shoot thru hull unit.. I have 2 Thru Hull Bronze fittings, one for raw water wash down pick up and another for my Macerator discharge.. No Big Deal Installing Either Unit.. Not so much as a drip or a drop.. But I saw no need to use OLD technology when Newer Technology was so readily and cheaply available..I didn't want to re-visit the issuessss I was constantly having with transom mount units, like I have had on my previous " Ski Boats" ...
I dont concern myself or even so much as give the Shoot Thru a moments thought..I cannot knock it off loading or unloading or by hitting something in the water...

[mastreb]

I have a 441s with in-hull (not thru-hull) transducer. It has a really nice mounting setup that you fill with propylene glycol once affixed to to the hull. I've not yet attached it as I've been testing it in different spots. So far, the best place I've found is just aft of the batteries under the aft berth. The ballast tank doesn't seem to adversely affect it when full.

This is true but do be aware that you can't get an accurate depth reading with a shoot-through transducer if the ballast tank is empty in that location. The shoot-throughs require no significant change in the refractive index of the sound, so as long as they're going through water or a water-like substance, you're fine but so much as an air bubble in the path and they're blind. You'll get a "low water alarm" constantly when the ballast tank is empty, much the same effect as ventilating a stern-mount transducer (which keeps happening to me...)

[MAC-A-TAC]

Hello JohnCFI,

I, like ChuckieTodd, use the shoot thru haul transducer. If I can keep equipment out of the elements that will always be my modus operandi. Several people in this discussion thread have had a positive experience with the transom mount transducer, but I know many people who swear by Chrysler too.

There are, as with most electronic devices, proper procedures to follow so just go by the book when installing a shoot thru and you won't go wrong; trust me, I read it on the internet.

MAC Out.