Need help with old depth finder.

[Chimera64180]

So this could be the original depther finder on my 1986 Compac 23. I dont know the brand. The It has plenty of power and the display is good. I dont know how to program it though - I should set the depth of a location while the boat is sitting at a depth I know, right? Photos attached - it just has two buttons and I havent been able to figure it out by trial and error The number 165 is on a label on the interior part. Thanks for any tips

 

[jssailem]

Ok Chimera Here is an idea. Many of these units have basically the same programming. No way of telling what you have but the attached manual for one that looks similar (has 2 buttons on the front) may give you insight as to how yours works. Or may give you some options to improve your trial by error process.
Good Luck.

 

[Justin_NSA]

When you figure out how to program it: The depth of the water you are in should be irrelevant when you set it. It should be an offset between where it's mounted and the lowest point of the boat. e..g. my transducer is 4.5' higher than the bottom of my keel. My offset is 4.5'. So in theory, when the depth reads 0, my keel would be resting on the bottom. In other words, my meter reads the depth from the bottom of my keel to the lake bed.

 

[jssailem]

Some folk need the calculations done for them. Depth in water of 6.293 feet for keel... Enter in the depth off set... Change the off set because I have extra people and food... Change the offset again... and again...

Or let the unit tell you the depth from the sounder location to the bottom and know that if you add subtract 5 feet for your keel you know you have enough depth. And that the sounder reading is similar to the paper chart depth stated.
Easy peasey... No programing... just thinking needed.

 

[kloudie1]

boat draws 5.5 feet at design waterline.. I offset by 6 feet so I know when I don't have much water (somehow, I find "0" to be more alarming than "6" on the meter! .. The deepest water in Lake Pontchartrain is 12-14 feet.. I sail a LOT in shallow water and find it easier, especially for inexperienced crew/guests to tell em that the indication is how much clearance the keel has over the bottom.. I like to know how far the bottom is from the keel..

 

[jssailem]

Kloudie. I can understand the issue of inexperienced crew. But would you really trust this crew to a decision about boat depth and routing? I think not.
What could be fun (with your boat), is to give them experience. Tell them then give them the experience of sailing in water that is less deep than the boat sticks down.
I guarantee they will learn the essential knowledge not to repeat such behavior.
Stuck aground for 4 hours while waiting for the tow boat and no beer aboard is a true experience lesson.

 

[sailnoproblem]

Just get a new depthfinder. Is there any indication of the mfg.? If you are able to identify the mfg., you may be able to use the same transducer.
My guess is a early model Lowrance.

 

[RussC]

That is an old Hawkeye depth meter. I had one on a previous boat. it worked ok but was very rudimentary.
I found one on e-bay for you, along with some information on it, and I imagine there is plenty of other info with some searching online. good luck .
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Depthtrax-...=item1cbde9d4d8:g:B0MAAOSwEVtbzvLY:rk:10:pf:0

 

[jssailem]

Wow Russ the Hawkeye looks a lot like the VEETHREE I posted earlier with the PDF manual. I wonder if they use the same or similar code sequences to control the unit. The Hawkeye may be a wee bit more modern. They are basic depth units.

 

[RussC]

Wow Russ the Hawkeye looks a lot like the VEETHREE I posted earlier with the PDF manual. I wonder if they use the same or similar code sequences to control the unit. The Hawkeye may be a wee bit more modern. They are basic depth units.

no idea. your pdf didn't open for me, but I have seen other units that look rather similar to the Hawkeye. Lowrance and Faria are two that I've seen. wouldn't be surprised if they all use similar innards. The Hawkeye that I had worked fine for what it was. the problem I had with using it was that it only tells you that you went aground after you went aground. I like to know I'm about to hit something before I hit it. gives me a better adrenalin rush

 

[jssailem]

I like to know I'm about to hit something before I hit it

What a novel concept.
I guess fore warned is fore armed. A tool to caution you they you are about to run aground. Cool.

 

[Chimera64180]

Thanks to all for all the suggestions. I am sure I can figure it out. I would like to get it so it tells the depth from the keel to the bottom And yes I always joke that it tells you the depth of where you just hit. I did have a way once to know you are about to run aground - in the Thimble Islands, very tight maneuvering - which is also the only place I found myself off course at night entering that harbor - what a panic - during a daytime anchoring, I was below navigating and just about to yell up to the helmsman to turn to port when I heard a woman shouting from a very nearby island - turn left!! We hit but no damage. She hasnt been of help though anywhere else!!

 

[jssailem]

Forward looking sonar would be the holy grail of sounders.

There is this review from 2016. https://www.pbo.co.uk/gear/5-forward-looking-sonar-tested-29321

The units do exist. I had a friend with one that really did not do a good job. The transducer was a bulb attached beneath the water near his bow. It also disturbed the water flow. He swore he lost a knot of boat speed. Finally had it removed.

Like many electronic tools I think it takes some skill to read and understand the data being displayed. You also need to be going slow. Which I think is often not the case when most sailors want it to work.

Maybe someone that has had some experience will offer some insight.

 

[RussC]

The best way I've found to know what is coming is to put an eye on the chart plotter once in a wile until I know my surroundings. I don't need an instrument to tell me where the bank is, but knowing where shallow water is requires more than knowing what is directly under the boat.

 

[Chimera64180]

The best way I've found to know what is coming is to put an eye on the chart plotter once in a wile until I know my surroundings. I don't need an instrument to tell me where the bank is, but knowing where shallow water is requires more than knowing what is directly under the boat.

I dont really use it, just would like to have it working for when I sell the boat. I dont have a chart plotter either, just a handheld GPS.

 

[Chimera64180]

Thanks to all for all the suggestions. I am sure I can figure it out. I would like to get it so it tells the depth from the keel to the bottom And yes I always joke that it tells you the depth of where you just hit. I did have a way once to know you are about to run aground - in the Thimble Islands, very tight maneuvering - which is also the only place I found myself off course at night entering that harbor - what a panic - during a daytime anchoring, I was below navigating and just about to yell up to the helmsman to turn to port when I heard a woman shouting from a very nearby island - turn left!! We hit but no damage. She hasnt been of help though anywhere else!!

I think this forward looking system would risk doing what they think caused some of those big navy ship crashes - those in charge are looking down to too much at technology and not up at what the hell is going on out there. There are also those who run into buoys with the boat on autopilot programmed to go to that buoy while they are not on watch.
I have had to use my horn to wake up motor boaters on auto pilot heading for me when I have the right of way.

 

[jssailem]

those who run into buoys with the boat on autopilot programmed to go to that buoy while they are not on watch.

It is a true statement. Had a nasty experience.
Good reaso to not program to a bouy but near to but lay off 100 yards to the side.

 

[capta]

Personally, especially here in the tropics where there is little tide, I prefer not to put in the offset. If you do, then what it reads will always be different to the corrected (by a tide table) depths on the charts you use. I like it when the chart and my sounder agree.

 

[Chimera64180]

So I used the instructions in that pdf and the unit programmed fine but reads no depth at my dock. I will try it at sea but probably need a new transducer.

 

[Chimera64180]

OH and thanks for all the help!!