I am doing a bottom job and I also replaced the depth transducer. This is a through hull transducer. So, do I paint it? The instructions sort of say that you do but they are a little vague.
Do you paint the depth transduceer?
- Thread starter markwbird
- Start date
I hate to disagree with Meriachee (I fear he'll retaliate when he's out here this summer) but there is a bottom paint for depth transducers. See post #5
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/question-before-relaunch.157912/&highlight=paint transducer
It's water soluble until it dries but it repels slime and everything else far better than the surrounding conventional bottom paint. Whatever it is, it's nasty stuff
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https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/question-before-relaunch.157912/&highlight=paint transducer
It's water soluble until it dries but it repels slime and everything else far better than the surrounding conventional bottom paint. Whatever it is, it's nasty stuff
.Thanks for the info. West marine sells the MDR 720. Do I paint the whole depth transducer? In other words, can it "see" through the paint?
Depth transducers can "see" through the thickness of your hull as many are installed inside the boat. Mine is painted with regular bottom paint and has never been a problem. It is now 31 years old so it probably would have failed some time back if it was a problem. I would always go with manufacturers recommendations for a new installation though in case of any warranty claims.
Thanks, jibes138. The main issue with the paint is that the transducer is plastic and the petroleum based bottom paints attack the plastic. The MDR 720 is water based. If you have a brass transducer then you do not have to worry about it. I just learned all of this today.
Disagree away. The stuff I put on the little Cat said not to cover the DST with it, and heck, what do I know beyond beer?
I love y'all. I can't think of two nicer guys to get thrown out of a Canadian bar with, eh!You gotta have priorities.
Sylvia for a beer Wednesday night?
Yeah, but now that the wheel is X percentage bigger do you get to claim more or less hull speed cruising in the "there was no wind today but we exceeded hull speed with a 100 jib and 6 reefs"?
Apparently, Ralph, we better milk this accolade stuff for all it's worth before the truth gets out.
You gotta have priorities.
Sylvia for a beer Wednesday night?
The frog pays if we go to the Sylvia .................. if we can even get him in there. Too rich for my blood.
It is my understanding that the copper or other metals in antifouling paint can interfere with the signal. Even before plastic transducers were invented, we didn't paint our transducers w/bottom paint.
No if I feel it is not correct I recalibrate it. But I use the wheel speed more for trim than using it for DR so precision is more important than accuracy.
I agree with Mark, but the brass transducers I've seen have some kind of epoxy or plastic center core, so that may also be vulnerable to some solvents contained in petroleum based paints. Transducers can shoot through on inch or more of solid FRP hull with only minor losses.
I have always painted my transducer with water based paint, and once the water based coating was in place have even added layers of petroleum based paint (when I needed to get it done and had misplaced my transducer paint bottle). I have also used Petit Hydrocoat water based bottom paint directly on the transducer, season after season. I have never had an issue in 40+ years.