In hull transducer question.
- Thread starter Tarkus
- Start date
Works just fine. Use some plumbers putty or wax ring material to seat the transducer and mount it against the fiberglass hull (not the liner) and it will shoot right through. Just installed one last week myself.
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Thanks, what do you mean "not the Iner"? Where exactly did u install it and what system did u attach it to? Sorry for the newbe questions but i don't want to drill a hole in the boat. Looking at chartplotters (cheaper ones) but most seem to come w/ thru hull.
Most of the cabin interior (seats, V-berth bunk, etc.) is made from a separate fiberglass layup and known as the 'liner'. That layer is finished smooth with gelcoat (whereas most of the hull beneath isn't). The liner is attached to the hull at various points, and provides structural integrity (I think I've heard that Frank Butler at Catalina was one of the first designers to popularize that design).
In most places, there's an air gap between the liner and the hull (~1-3" in most places where it isn't forming seats and large interior structures). Transducers won't work through an air gap, which is why @LakeShark was cautioning you to be sure you're attaching to the hull and not the liner. There's easy access to the hull itself under the companionway step and in the locker in front of the porta-potty space. The latter spot is a great option, as it puts your transducer ahead of the keel and any turbulence it kicks up.
Under the v berth you have two compartments , one is lined and other reveals the hull. Place the transducer in a wad of toilet ring wax just aft of the lined on on the hull in the center. This will put it ahead of the keel (nice to know you are approaching shoal not just having gone aground with a transom mount!) and will shoot through the hull nicely. Just make sure the wax wad is flat and you have not gotten a bubble of air in it. Just stick it to the hull then smoosh (tech term) the transducer down onto it. The wax is sticky so all will stay there. As a bonus you can now run the transducer cable down either side through the bottom of the storage compartments to your panel or battery. without making holes anywhere.
Thanks for the excellent description! I like the idea of being ahead of the keel. I have a 1974 so the compartment would be forward on the port side of the potty area?
Thanks sooo much for the reply.
Sounds like you got all your questions answered. I prefer the plumbers putty to the wax but both work just fine and its a personal choice. Just to round out this thread nicely here is a install video to help. I just installed this depth sounder (under $85 Shipped) and it is working great after my original one died. I too installed the transducer forward of the keel and it does not matter if its a in hull version or the transom mount style. They both work in the C22 as the hull is not that thick.
Thanks for the link. Do u mind me asking what system your using? Brand? I'm really only looking for depth and a plotter that can track me, set up way points, gps for speed and location. Thank you LakeShark!!
I think since I watched the video that I'm going to scrap the plotter idea for now and go with a Hawkeye depthsounder w/ in hull transponder. Again, thanks for the input!!
I sail mostly lakes so charts are free from the various DNR offices and I use those. For depth I just use the Hawkeye sounder and I really like the simplicity. I don't use the shallow alarm much yet but likely will in the future and I can always use my gps on the phone if needed. If your sailing like most of us and actually want charts Navtronics on a cellphone is a great option as it is relatively inexpensive and does not require cell service to track you once you download your charts. For depth sounders the simpler the better in my opinion. At the end of the day remember this is a 22 foot daysailer & camping boat not an offshore cruiser and you'll be just fine.
Installed my new HawkEye Depthsounder today. I went with the "inhull" transducer. All went well. Used the port side v-berth. Sanded area and used plumbers putty. Nice to know whats below. Hung a compass also. Thanks for the help!
I know there's not a lot of Cat 22 MkII owners on this forum, but hoping someone might have experience mounting a depth finder glue-in transducer in one? Just purchased a Hawkeye depth finder and was planning to mount the transducer in plumbers puddy on the floor of the forward v-birth storage area, however it appears the floor of that area on a MkII may actually be the hull liner and not the actual hull itself? Anyone have photos of their glue-in transducer mounts in the forward compartments to compare?
Also been doing some research in hopes of finding a cross sectional drawing of the MkII (or any other model of the Cat 22). Know of a good resource for finding such drawings?
Thanks in advance and fair winds!
Zinge88
~~ _/) ~~~
Also been doing some research in hopes of finding a cross sectional drawing of the MkII (or any other model of the Cat 22). Know of a good resource for finding such drawings?
Thanks in advance and fair winds!
Zinge88
~~ _/) ~~~
No pics, but I've used "shoot through hull" transducers under the V berth, and just aft of the volcano tube. No liner in those areas (on pre-95 boats anyway).
Although now that I think about it, the MkII has foam in the area around the volcano tube, doesn't it? "CaptDon01" who used to post here had to carve out some foam to mount his transducer there. His pics may still exist in the archives ...
Although now that I think about it, the MkII has foam in the area around the volcano tube, doesn't it? "CaptDon01" who used to post here had to carve out some foam to mount his transducer there. His pics may still exist in the archives ...
Thanks Gene. My MkII is a wing keel so no volcano tube. CaptDon01 is always my go to when it comes to the MkII and he did post something about mounting a transducer but unfortunately it was on his Capri-18. CaptDon01 Transducer Mount