Chartplotter

Mar 5, 2021
17
C&C 27 MKV Olympia, WA
My C&C has a Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54dv mounted on a swivel arm and a SignetMarine SL250 Base model in the bulkhead. The Signet came with a six pin transducer and paddlewheel. The paddlewheel worked for a while after I cleaned the bottom of the boat two season back, so I really only use the speed from my GPS. I would like to replace all of this with an all in one chartplotter, but I also want to continue to use my transducer. Looking at the usual suspects, Garmin, RayMarine and B&G, it does look like I can get an adapter for my six pin transducer to whatever model chartplotter I purchase. Just wondering if anyone has had success with this approach. I guess if it does not work, the next time I take the boat out of the water, I would replace my transducer.
 

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
I don't quite understand the problem. Your GPSMap gives you true speed over the ground. Those paddle wheel transducers only give you speed through the water which, unless you are a serious racer, isn't very useful information for a fun day out on the water. Your Garmin will give you Xtrack error, VMG, and a whole bunch of other information that makes that paddle wheel obsolete.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Paddle wheels aren‘t very accurate (on my boat anyway). The only reason I would want one is to measure currents. I am on Lake Michigan, so no real need.

But if you put in a new paddle wheel transducer that can talk to the CP, you can usually select which speed source to use. I have an older Garmin GPSMaps unit and I have an option to select speed source.

Greg
 
Mar 5, 2021
17
C&C 27 MKV Olympia, WA
Yeah, you guys missed the boat on this one (sorry for the pun). I agree about the paddlewheel, just a piece of equipment that is useless and the speed from the GPS is what I care about anyway. What I wish to do is replace everything (my current Garmin and Signet base) with a new chartplotter and bigger screen, put it in the bulkhead and attach the Signet 6 pin sounder transducer that came with the boat. I will no longer use the paddlewheel. Just wondering if anyone has used an adapter to connect older transducers to newer chartplotters.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
My older NMEA 0183 speed log is not connected to my NMEA2000 network. I THiNK it could be connected to my current CP using the 0183 connection…but I am slowly building out my N2k network (currently my CP, VHF radio with AIS. Ned to add wind and AP).

The only issue putting it on the bulkhead is you won’t be able to change it from the helm. My CP is mounted at the helm, and I am constantly fiddling with it…

IMG_9458 1.JPG

Greg
 

LloydB

.
Jan 15, 2006
806
Macgregor 22 Silverton
OK guys I get it except for one minor problem. Have you ever got an earworm and you can't get that song out of your head? I read through this discussion and it makes sense to me too but I keep hearing my high school teacher saying in a raised voice 'velocity and speed are not the same thing!!' and hearing various small pieces of chalk landing near my desk. As far as not being important if you're not in a race I was led to believe that if you are in a sailboat you are always in a race. My boat hums happily along when it's going as fast as it can through the water with no tuned water wheel but just a roughly tuned steel cable singing to me. GPS it just sits there and shows numbers quietly calculating decimal points as if they were end all be all.