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Calif Bill
 
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Default depth finder issues


"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...
"Richard Malcolm"

Hey Rich!

I have a 25' four winns that I keep in the water for 8 months or so.


There's your problem. You should go back to boating 12 months
per year like you used to


hummingbird. "Total cost for parts and labor around $400."


I think stand-alone depth finders (that aren't also a GPS or integrated
to any other system) seem to be in the $120 to $220 range. Some are
more expensive but are specialized in some way. So if the unit is, say,
$200 and he's charging you some profit and some labor ... I'd say $400
seems a little high. Putting in a depth finder doesn't take that long.
Especially if you are having him to other work and are paying for storage
etc.


My mechanic says that they all do that, but he suggest replacing the
in-dash one with a new one and new transducer


I think it's more like "many of them do that" because it's so easy to
not install them correctly. It would make me nervous to spend $400
on that job and then if it doesn't work he'll just say, "Well, I told
you they all do that."

Not sure what you can do about it though. We could put one in ourselves
(I'm willing to help) which might give us more thought about where it's
placed
and save on any markup he's adding to the price. It the boat in MA or
RI? Is there an opportunity for us to work on it or would the yard not
allow that?

If you have him do it - maybe try to get more information from him about
where he'd place it and try to get him to commit more to a working unit.

So - it the current one a thru-hull, in-hull, or transom mount? What
about the new one he wants to install?


Gary



THRU-HULL: A hole is made in the hull and the transeiver is mounted into
that
hole. The transeiver actually comes into contact with the water.

IN-HULL: The transeiver sets inside the hull mounted in oil or some
epoxy-like
substance. The sound pulses actually shoot "through-the-hull". This

works
on
fiberglass boats so long as there are no air-pockets between the

transducer
and the water.

TRANSOM: Mounted on the transom.





A 25' 4 winns is not the boat for a Humminbird! Decent, not great, inland
water depthfinder. If you have a through hull now, check that it is not
behind a thru-hull for something else. It may need a highspeed fairing
block, Talk to your local good marine electronics supplier. Since you
happen to be in Boston from your email, us Westerner's can not recommend
someone.
Bill