Ryk wrote:

I'll put the obvious question at the top:

Can anybody recommend a depth sounder that would be a good replacement
for an old SR mariner and fit the same holes (through hull and
display). My criteria are accurate shallow (say 0 to 30 feet) depth
and a settable alarm depth.

I had one, bit the bullet and punched new holes for the one that did
what I wanted. A few years ago I noticed one of the companies had the
old style hocky puck ones that fits through a 1/2" pipe hole. Another
alternative is to fill in the original hole and mount the transducer
inside the hull. (this was discussed a month or two ago.)

Personally, I tend to update to the best technology value at the time I
buy. Right now, that seems to be a fish finder or possibly one that
scans a bit forward. They're about the same cost, sometimes cheaper, but
none will fit the original display's hole.

I'm not sure, but I think I saw that the SR Mariners can still be serviced.

I have become aware that my SR Mariner Depth Sounder (analog and about
23 years old) has become increasingly approximate, giving some bad
readings that I knew were wrong, but mostly in deeper water where I
don't care much and figured on loss of signal as the cause. However,
just last week it was reading a solid 30 feet in water that was
demonstrably about 10 to 12 feet deep based on visually confirming
vertical anchor contact with bottom. The bottom was weed-free hard,
flat mud/clay. Later on it was reading less than my draft in an area
where I knew I had at least ten feet to the top of the weeds.

Could the last be fish or plant life? We often have to "interpret" the
readings as they go from 8.1 to 4.5 to 7.8 to 2.3 and so forth in rapid
succession.


--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/