Greetings:

I have a Ray Jefferson 5700 Deep Flasher on board our 48' Trawler as our
secondary depth sounder. During our last cruise from the San Juan Islands
to NYC, it served first as a "backup" unit, and then as my "old reliable".

We have a Furuno CRT "fish finder" as primary, and it's great... tells me
what the bottom looks like, how hard it is (for anchoring), Water temp,
speed etc...

BUT! While on portions of the ICW, tailing tugs/tows, or
in the prop-wash of a sport-fisher, the Furuno is useless due to all the
"noise". I found the Ray Jefferson much more usefull in such situations.
Having to stay in a narrow channel (we draw 6 feet), with fast boats all
around churning up air and weeds I found myself relying on the Ray
Jefferson.

Well; it broke! I fixed it, the springs on the comutator wore a grove in
the stator. Now it is broke again, can't find parts (coil-springs)!

What I REALLY want is another 5700; even if just for the parts; a working
"head" assembly would be wonderful. The transducer is good, faired nicely
in the hull; such a shame to have to chuck the thing and buy an
"electronic" fancy-dan "fish finder" when all I want to know is how deep
the water is RELIABLY! Sometimes us mariners don't care what's between us
and the bottom, all we want to see is the bottom! None of the new units
seem to be geared to doing just that, and none of them seem able to use
the existing transducer.

Anyone out there have an old RJ5700 laying around in the garage?? I would
sure love to hear from you.

Also, is there a "DEPTH SOUNDER" made today?
Not a fish-finder, just a reliable depth indicator, no computer, no
screen, just DEPTH!!

Bob

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M/V Tamara B Cape Elisebeth Me.
http://www.tamara-b.org
currently at N40.36.48 W73.55.09
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