Depth Sounder

[spharis]

So the last instrument I want is a depth sounder. I found a good deal on one with an in-hull transducer, but I have 0 experience with them. The only transducers I ever used were transom mount, and they were always very finicky and hard to get aligned right if they were bumped. They also seemed to break easy. Does anyone have any experience with the in-hulls and what are your opinions?

[mtnsmith]

I had an in hull on my sea-ray and loved it for the reasons you just stated. It was epoxied in the bilge and I never had a single issue with it. I only wonder about it shooting through the thicker hull of the Tige. It should still work, but it would stink if it couldn't penetrate the hull to get a consistent reading.

[chpthril]

On my first Regal, I installed a depth w/transom and it worked great. My 98 Fourwinns had a factory installed w/thru-hull and it would freak out and go to sounding every time I turned to the left (transducer was to the right of the keel) or when at WOT. This was caused by air bubbles passing over the transducer.

Moral of the story......go with the thru-hull, but mount it as far back and as close to the keel as you can and you should not have any probs.

[mtnsmith]

Is it a true thru hull that you have to drill a hole for or is it a shoot thru the hull type? I had a shoot through the hull on my sea ray and that's what I liked, no holes and air bubbles couldn't attach to it to disturb the signal.

[spharis]

In-Hull: puck style glues to bilge floor
Through-Hull: Drill a hole mount it in there
Transom

I might bite on the guage then. It's a teleflex and about half price. Ebay is so great! It won't match my other instuments though, but it's about $100 cheaper than a matcher. I have to mount it away from the dash anyway.

[mtnsmith]

Sounds like a deal then, I would go for it.

[dogbert]

I had them put a Hummingbird in-hull in my Tige. It's never given me any problems. You do need to be careful when you mount it that you don't get any air in the epoxy.

[whitlock87]

I have an after market Depth gauge.
Tige Water sports installed it for me. It has a hull transducer.
The transducer does not go throw the hull, only about half way and at an angle.
The angle is to make the transducer level with the water line.
It works real good, and I could not believe how accurate it is. It is of by only 2”.
They charged me $250. for it installed, and it matches my other Tige gauges.

[Razzman]

I bought a refurb NorCross Marine Hawkeye depth gauge off of ebAY from Norcross Direct and it's great. Mounted it thru-hull with twp part epoxy and haven't had any issues. The only thing you have to watch out for is the mounting location of the transducer. You have to make sure to not mount it inline with the prop, tracking fins or close to steps in the hull as the they cause turbulence that could fool or confuse the transducer. I mounted mine behind the transmission and slightly off center and it seems to work great.

[spharis]

Razz, where did you mount the gauge?

[Razzman]

I put mine on the right side below the hour meter and fuel gauge (see below). The dash is a breeze to drill through using a hole saw. It's just thin ABS. If you do put it in the dash and you have the vinyl covered dash like mine make sure to do three things.

• Using a 2" hole saw, cut a template out of heavy cardboard. Place the template where you want the gauge and outline it compensating for the overall diameter of the gauge. I used a sharpened white grease pencil.

• Check behing the dash where you'll be drilling! I had just enough clearance. Remember you have to be able to attach the gauge holder and wires too.

• Using an exacto knife or razor blade, cut out the circle in the vinyl first and peel it off or the hole saw can grab it and screw it up. Cut to the outside of your line as it should correspond to the outer circumfrence of your hole saw.

Of course if you have a TAPS gauge there this is all moot point! You also put it in one of the flats next to the tach as long as you can see it through the steering wheel. Hope this helps

[spharis]

Yeah....I have too many gauges for that.

BTW how is your ABS holding out. Mine is full of spider cracks behind the vinyl. I wish there was a way to get a replacement, but I think it is going to be a custom build/order thing. Maybe I should pull it and hit it with a layer of epoxy before it falls to pieces.

[Razzman]

Mine is fine, but then i have a closed bow with a lot more rigidity than an open bow. For what it's worth the gelcoat on my dash is covered with spiders and there's no way to fix it. My solution? That colored wax for cars, fills them cracks real nice!