1988 O'Day 322 Replacing Depth Sounder

Nov 12, 2018
6
ODay 34' Shallow Draft Cambridge
Hello, Fellow 322 Sailors!,

We picked up Gray Goose last year and enjoyed sailing her more than expected. I'm a long time racer on all kinds of boats and was surprised how comfortable and well the O'Day 322 sails... motoring... could use a bit more horsepower...

As purchased, she had no working electronics other than the autopilot and I need some basic instruments... Depth Sounder, Wind Speed, and a GPS antenna. I assumed the depth sounder would be easy enough after I remover the old water wheel and replaced it with a new transducer, I could just use the old wire as a fish... Failed.... I was hoping someone found a method or a trick other than hammers, saws, and chisels to run the wires. Open to all ideas after spending a full day crawling around, poking into tight spaces, moving floorboards, seating and gear around with no success. If you are too busy sailing, jealous but understand.

Thanks in Advance,
Chris
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
+1 for fish tapes which often help. The old wires may be bundled or wire tied to other mechanicals preventing them from moving as the fish. Depending on the type of transducer you got (and whether you've already removed the old one), don't feel like you need to run the wires back to the same place. It may be possible to mount the new transducer somewhere more convenient, and have it shoot through the hull rather than be mounted in it.
 
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Likes: seaferet
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
Fish tape is usually a pain to use. The fiberglass stick kind works much better. Harbor Frieght has them if you don't plan on using them a lot. The tips eventually come off but they also give you a lot of them. I've also used 1/2" PVC when I need to push instead of pull cable. Dish soap works well as a lubricant. It dries leaving little to no behind

They also make wireless instruments these days
 
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Likes: seaferet
Feb 22, 2010
70
Oday 322 Delaware River
By amazing coincidence, I just happened to have replaced my old DataMarine original speed and depth in the last few weeks. While both still worked, the display numbers were getting so weak to read, it was time. Also, I wanted to get modern instruments, so the data could be posted onto my SeaTalkng NMEA 2000 network to post on the chart plotter, calculate true wind vs apparent wind, etc.

It was not too bad a project. I had traced the wiring to understand how it ran, to insure running new wires was going to be possible. I used one of the old transducer wires as the messenger to pull through the new wires. The route (as you probably know) is....... Transducers in the forward area of the U-Dinette, then back beside the starboard water tank, then under the ice-box and the stove, under the aft locker, then a right turn along the front of the holding tank under the aft berth, then a right turn along the starboard side of the engine mounts, then up the front of the engine compartment, and behind the stairway aft-facing plywood, and then a short run between the cockpit hull and the inner liner. Using the existing wiring as messenger made it pretty easy (don't loose track of it ! or break the connection between the old messenger and the new wire). Fishing around with a contractors, fishing wire thingy (what do you call that thing), was not terribly productive and might take forever.
I was concerned about whether the old transducers were installed with 5200 (the BANE of all mankind ! ), but they were just installed with traditional Life-Caulk . (THANK YOU O'DAY !). I did make the job easier by pressing them out from the inside with a small bottle-jack and they came right out. Not quite like butter, but not bad at all.

Attached are some pictures.

The new instruments are Raymarine ST50. Love them!
 

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Nov 12, 2018
6
ODay 34' Shallow Draft Cambridge
Fish tape is usually a pain to use. The fiberglass stick kind works much better. Harbor Frieght has them if you don't plan on using them a lot. The tips eventually come off but they also give you a lot of them. I've also used 1/2" PVC when I need to push instead of pull cable. Dish soap works well as a lubricant. It dries leaving little to no behind

They also make wireless instruments these days
+1 for fish tapes which often help. The old wires may be bundled or wire tied to other mechanicals preventing them from moving as the fish. Depending on the type of transducer you got (and whether you've already removed the old one), don't feel like you need to run the wires back to the same place. It may be possible to mount the new transducer somewhere more convenient, and have it shoot through the hull rather than be mounted in it.
Thanks - New transducer is mounted thru the hull. The issue is that none of existing wires are moveable and I was unable to fish is through another path. Looks like I will need to rip up part of the glued down decking to find a new path. I was hoping someone else solved this issue on another ODay 322.
 
Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Go with wireless transducers. Saves a lot of trouble.
 
Nov 12, 2018
6
ODay 34' Shallow Draft Cambridge
I'm sorry that I did not go with a wireless but I'll be addressing a few more power issue with the new conduit I will be putting in like separating my fridge from the freshwater pump. BUT first, I'm going to sail some....
 
Nov 12, 2018
6
ODay 34' Shallow Draft Cambridge
By amazing coincidence, I just happened to have replaced my old DataMarine original speed and depth in the last few weeks. While both still worked,
By amazing coincidence, I just happened to have replaced my old DataMarine original speed and depth in the last few weeks. While both still worked, the display numbers were getting so weak to read, it was time. Also, I wanted to get modern instruments, so the data could be posted onto my SeaTalkng NMEA 2000 network to post on the chart plotter, calculate true wind vs apparent wind, etc.

It was not too bad a project. I had traced the wiring to understand how it ran, to insure running new wires was going to be possible. I used one of the old transducer wires as the messenger to pull through the new wires. The route (as you probably know) is....... Transducers in the forward area of the U-Dinette, then back beside the starboard water tank, then under the ice-box and the stove, under the aft locker, then a right turn along the front of the holding tank under the aft berth, then a right turn along the starboard side of the engine mounts, then up the front of the engine compartment, and behind the stairway aft-facing plywood, and then a short run between the cockpit hull and the inner liner. Using the existing wiring as messenger made it pretty easy (don't loose track of it ! or break the connection between the old messenger and the new wire). Fishing around with a contractors, fishing wire thingy (what do you call that thing), was not terribly productive and might take forever.
I was concerned about whether the old transducers were installed with 5200 (the BANE of all mankind ! ), but they were just installed with traditional Life-Caulk . (THANK YOU O'DAY !). I did make the job easier by pressing them out from the inside with a small bottle-jack and they came right out. Not quite like butter, but not bad at all.

Attached are some pictures.

The new instruments are Raymarine ST50. Love them!
Thanks for putting this out there. You did exactly what I was trying to do but my wires won't budget... I pulled and looked and pondered.. pushed "fish" sticks all over the place and still nothing. BTW you are correct ODay made it easy... but I used 5200 on my new one.. I hope I don't live to regret it 8)

Enjoy
Chris

the display numbers were getting so weak to read, it was time. Also, I wanted to get modern instruments, so the data could be posted onto my SeaTalkng NMEA 2000 network to post on the chart plotter, calculate true wind vs apparent wind, etc.

It was not too bad a project. I had traced the wiring to understand how it ran, to insure running new wires was going to be possible. I used one of the old transducer wires as the messenger to pull through the new wires. The route (as you probably know) is....... Transducers in the forward area of the U-Dinette, then back beside the starboard water tank, then under the ice-box and the stove, under the aft locker, then a right turn along the front of the holding tank under the aft berth, then a right turn along the starboard side of the engine mounts, then up the front of the engine compartment, and behind the stairway aft-facing plywood, and then a short run between the cockpit hull and the inner liner. Using the existing wiring as messenger made it pretty easy (don't loose track of it ! or break the connection between the old messenger and the new wire). Fishing around with a contractors, fishing wire thingy (what do you call that thing), was not terribly productive and might take forever.
I was concerned about whether the old transducers were installed with 5200 (the BANE of all mankind ! ), but they were just installed with traditional Life-Caulk . (THANK YOU O'DAY !). I did make the job easier by pressing them out from the inside with a small bottle-jack and they came right out. Not quite like butter, but not bad at all.

Attached are some pictures.

The new instruments are Raymarine ST50. Love them!
Thanks for the effort
 
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Likes: AndreNJ11
Feb 22, 2010
70
Oday 322 Delaware River
Sure. These babies need no wiring (solar powered):
Raymarine Wireless 2-line Speed/Depth Pack, 1 Xdcr Amazon.com: Raymarine Wireless 2-line Speed/Depth Pack, 1 Xdcr: Home Audio & Theater
Raymarine Wireless Wind Transmitter (Part #T120 By Raymarine) Amazon.com : Raymarine Wireless Wind Transmitter (Part #T120 By Raymarine) : Sports & Outdoors
While I did not replace the speed/depth with wireless (see previous post) I did use the wireless RayMarine wind unit for the wind vane project. I also installed the wireless adapter (flying saucer) to post the data to NMEA2000 SeaTalkng network, so I would have wind data at the MFD, and so it could compute true wind from apparent wind (true wind is computed via boat speed through the water, wind speed, heading, wind direction, and a bunch of trigonometry (too much for me !). But I love having true wind speed now. The data flow from the wind transponder to the wind display unit, to the wireless adaptor, onto the network and thus to the MFD. (it does not post data to the network if the display is not turned on, that is required for the data path).

I hope it lasts 10 years, so far one year and so far - so good.
 

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Jun 1, 2007
265
O'Day 322 Mt.Sinai
Have you considered a through hull transducer on the inside of the hull behind the engine? You can secure it easily enough, and avoid the whole issue of running the transducer wire through the boat. Google "through hull transducer" and you'll see what I mean.
 
Nov 12, 2018
6
ODay 34' Shallow Draft Cambridge
Have you considered a through hull transducer on the inside of the hull behind the engine? You can secure it easily enough, and avoid the whole issue of running the transducer wire through the boat. Google "through hull transducer" and you'll see what I mean.
Jeez, sorry just noticed your response. I wish I had. I was reusing the old locations because I made the assumption that I could use the existing wire as a pull... My current setup has the wire taped to the deck but I will be ripping out a section of flooring that is delaminating and fixing the existing chase or cutting a new wire chase. Waiting for cooler weather.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Even if you already have the new transducer, if you’re still having trouble with the wiring it’s not too late to go the through hull route. Transducers generally still work mounted inside the hull, as long as they’re bedded with something that doesn’t have air bubbles, and is in a place without a wood core.