23.5 Depth Sounder

stackwalker

stackwalker

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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
More questions - My depth sounder and speedo seem to be somewhat functional because when I turn them on at the panel they beep and if I push the buttons on the units in the cockpit they also beep indicating something's happening. Hoever, the LED displays have been battered by the sun and no longer function. I have a trip to the San Juans coming up and I'd really like to have a functioning depth sounder. Is there a way I can get just the display unit replaced and use the existing sensor in the hull, or wherever it is.
**DISCLAIMER** I have no idea what I'm talking about, have never installed any instruments in the boat nor have I seen any other portion of the sounder besides the display unit in the cockpit.
Also if anyone has a good link for where to get such a thing I'd appreciate it! Thanks!
 
stackwalker

stackwalker

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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
So if instead I wanted to just replace the units mounted in the cockpit, which are standard horizon at present.. is there another component that is in the hull or anything? Or is that unit itself serving as the sensing device?
 
Rick Macdonald

Rick Macdonald

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Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
The sensor is likely a transducer mounted through the hull and separate from the display. Have a look in the openings under the aft berth.

In the 2 links I gave noboday ever came back to say if they found a compatable display. You might want to continue that search.
 
stackwalker

stackwalker

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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
Ok - I'm going to get the Hawkeye model. If it doesn't wind up working with my existing sensor, I'll just install the one included with the Hawkeye. Thanks!
 
Rick Macdonald

Rick Macdonald

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Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
If you have to install the new transducer as well, I wonder if it's better to leave the old one in place and drill a new hole than to try to reuse the old hole? If the old hole is damaged by the removal the installation job could become very difficult.
 
stackwalker

stackwalker

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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
That's a good thing to keep in mind. thanks Rick. I'll take some pictures when I do the job.
 
C

Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,064
-na -NA Anywhere USA
contact Kermit and ask about the plumbers putty to attach to the hull without drilling. Never thought it would work but I was surprised.
 
LeslieTroyer

LeslieTroyer

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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Toilet bowl wax also works - both methods are much easier than the inverted bowl full of mineral oil we used back in the 60's and early 70's.... Another option is to get a multi function sender - combines depth, speed and water temp - this is especially true if your speed indicator is as sunburned as the depth (no new hole - just screw in the sender where the old speedo was).

Les
 
Karyon

Karyon

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Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
Last year I bought a hawkeye I have yet to get it to work, I ground off a spot in the rear behind the water ballast tank placed it in toilet bowl wax but I still can't get it to read, but of I put the transducer in the water then it works fine.
 
LeslieTroyer

LeslieTroyer

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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Karyon said:
Last year I bought a hawkeye I have yet to get it to work, I ground off a spot in the rear behind the water ballast tank placed it in toilet bowl wax but I still can't get it to read, but of I put the transducer in the water then it works fine.
Click to expand
Make sure there is no air between hull,wax, and transducer
 
stackwalker

stackwalker

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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
Karyon said:
Last year I bought a hawkeye I have yet to get it to work, I ground off a spot in the rear behind the water ballast tank placed it in toilet bowl wax but I still can't get it to read, but of I put the transducer in the water then it works fine.
Click to expand
Did you try to make it work with the previous transducer by any chance?
 
Karyon

Karyon

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Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
stackwalker said:
Did you try to make it work with the previous transducer by any chance?
Click to expand
It never did have one,
I ground off a spot, took a yoghurt container cut the bottom out of it placed the container around the ground off spot, then I place the transducer in it and poured molton wax around it so there should be no bubbles.
 
CrispyCringle

CrispyCringle

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Sep 30, 2016
339
Island Packet IP 44 Ventura, CA
I just bought a Hawkeye model: http://www.hawkeyeelectronics.com/depthtrax/

Im planning to use the glue on mount (no drilling). I guess some have had success with attaching the transducer with putty or wax. But this doesnt seem optimum to me. The transducer has to transmit sound through the hull and back again. Soft material like putty or wax will not transmit sound well at all. I would guess those that got it to work have gotten the transducer to make physical contact with the hull and not have any putty between it and the hull. Epoxy would be the method of choice for attachment. You want something as hard as possible. Imagine having rods made of epoxy, wax, and plumbers putty. If you put your ear up to one end of the rod and "clink" the other end with a metal tool, which one do you think you would hear the tap more clearly transmitted? Also, there can be no air gap between the transducer and the hull if your doing a glue mount. Even a very tiny gap will kill the effectiveness of the transducer.

PS you can get the "refurbed" models for a pretty steep discount
 
stackwalker

stackwalker

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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
I got mine in the mail yesterday and I'll be trying to install it today. Crispy, it sounds like you glue it to the inside of the hull? I have no idea. I see where the old one is and I'm going to first try to hook up the leads from the old one, but if the new one only requires that I glue it to the inside of the bottom of the hull I may be more inclined to skip right to that.
 
CrispyCringle

CrispyCringle

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Sep 30, 2016
339
Island Packet IP 44 Ventura, CA
Yes, correct. You should be able to glue directly to the inside of the hull. The directions are pretty detailed. If you look at the hull drawings in the owners manual it looks like the best spots are next to the battery in the area under the bench seats, or possibly at the rear if there is a access hatch near the middle. I dont go under the cockpit if I can help it, so I cant remember whats back there. The main thing is to avoid the ballast tank. Keep it as close to the keel (center line) as possible, to avoid having it be above the water on a tack.

I havnt received my depth finder yet. Let me know how it turns out.
 
walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Some of you are in colder climates so this might be of interest... I installed a through hull transducer many years ago using toilet bowl wax and it worked great at first. You would think the problem with wax would occur from high heat but my problem happened because of a very cold climate. After the boat sat during the winter (at 8600 ft in Colorado), the transducer did not work and the problem was that it had delaminated from the wax during the winter.

Im about to install a Garmin depth transducer intended to be mounted in the water hanging off the transom but I plan to mount it shoot through the hull and am going to try the silicon method that I have seen discussed before. I expect the fish finder functions and resolution to be degraded somewhat compared to the transducer being right in the water.. but I at least hope the depth reading to be accurate.
 
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stackwalker

stackwalker

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Jul 16, 2016
51
Hunter 23.5 Cascade
So the wire coupling/plugs are different between the Hawkeye and the Standard Horizon (shocker). So I'm going to mount the transducer in the hull under the cockpit berth temporarily for my San Juan trip so that I can experiment with the positioning and then when I have a good idea of where it works, I'll epoxy it in place.
 
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