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depth finder issues
it is that time of year again. I have a 25' four winns that I keep in
the water for 8 months or so. When it is not in the water it is at some marine storage area. Since I don't own a trailor, I have my local four winns people winterize it. Since I don't have a trailer, I must get everything that needs to be done to it when it is out of the water, done now. I have a Garmin GPS/Sounder and a small round in-dash depth finder. The built in round one hardly works and the Garmen works poorly at mid to high speeds. My mechanic says that they all do that, but he suggest replacing the in-dash one with a new one and new transducer, perhaps a hummingbird. "Total cost for parts and labor around $400." What do you poeple think? |
depth finder issues
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depth finder issues
"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. |
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 |
depth finder issues
My first reaction is the wiring or the mounting; they don't all do that.
A poor electrical ground connection can cause anything to not work or be erratic. Transducers must be correctly mounted so that they are in clear, non turbulent water. $400 for parts and labor is not unreasonable, but I wouldn't pay your mechanic to do a job that he doesn't think you should expect to work reliably. "Richard Malcolm" wrote in message om... it is that time of year again. I have a 25' four winns that I keep in the water for 8 months or so. When it is not in the water it is at some marine storage area. Since I don't own a trailor, I have my local four winns people winterize it. Since I don't have a trailer, I must get everything that needs to be done to it when it is out of the water, done now. I have a Garmin GPS/Sounder and a small round in-dash depth finder. The built in round one hardly works and the Garmen works poorly at mid to high speeds. My mechanic says that they all do that, but he suggest replacing the in-dash one with a new one and new transducer, perhaps a hummingbird. "Total cost for parts and labor around $400." What do you poeple think? |
depth finder issues
IMOHO - Based on my experience with both, I would find out why the Garmin
isn't working properly. I would rather have a cheap Garmin than an expensive Huminbird. Check your cable for frays/breaks but most importantly, check your transducer installation. If you don't have a manual , you can probably get it at http://www.garmin.com -- Bill Chesapeake, Va "Richard Malcolm" wrote in message om... it is that time of year again. I have a 25' four winns that I keep in the water for 8 months or so. When it is not in the water it is at some marine storage area. Since I don't own a trailor, I have my local four winns people winterize it. Since I don't have a trailer, I must get everything that needs to be done to it when it is out of the water, done now. I have a Garmin GPS/Sounder and a small round in-dash depth finder. The built in round one hardly works and the Garmen works poorly at mid to high speeds. My mechanic says that they all do that, but he suggest replacing the in-dash one with a new one and new transducer, perhaps a hummingbird. "Total cost for parts and labor around $400." What do you poeple think? |
depth finder issues
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depth finder issues
Check your transducer placement. I have a similar setup and mine work
almost all the time. The small dash meters transducer is mounted on the transom, and I mounted the garmin transducer in the bilge by making an angled collar out of the top of a spray-paint can and putting the 'ducer into it with some silicone glue. I guess your hull construction materials will determine if a shoot-thru-the-hull method will work to your satisfaction. Also, if your hull has chines that will funnel air bubbles then you should avoid placing the transducer over those channels. The high frequency sound has to pass through the plastic transducer, the mount adhesive, the hull layers, and the water column......then back through them all again to be received. Air is not a good conductor of this signal. I have read about placing the transducer in an oil bath container, but don't know if it works better. Most of the reccomendations I've read say to use a harder epoxy-type mount, but I wanted to use silicone in case the bilge location proved to be troublesome. You would think that the manufacturers would have some side-by-side comparison information on the efficacy of the various mounting methods and transducer options. |
depth finder issues
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depth finder issues
Hi Gary, perhaps you should have a look at JRC's offerings. Their integrated system is the cat's meow, I am not sure how a Radome would look on the Deliala though. I am using a Paramount 3d, black and white display, with paddle wheel speed and temp sensor, with a through the hull transducer. Note that I had to level the area of hull it was being mounted in. I used marine-tex for this and to "glue" the xducer down. (MAKE SURE to get the transducer level, side to side, and fore to aft, before the marine-tex begins to set up.) This allows the readings to be taken from near the centerline where the hull is always in the water, and at its deepest point.(Just in front of the engine, but behind the fuel.) It also avoids prop turbulance, and bubbles are at a minimum in that area. -- Capt. Frank __c \ _ | \_ __\_| oooo \_____ ~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~ www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks "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. |
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